Iguazu Falls is a magical place. With tiered falls of over 210ft stretching on for three kilometers, it´s nothing short of a waterfall wonderland, complete with exotic birds, flowers, countless butterflies and rainbows that compete for attention at every view. Merritt and I were lucky enough to meet up with mom and pop Lamar for a fantastic stay at the Sheraton Iguazu, an incredible resort within the Nat´l Park and overlooking the waterfalls, such a welcome break from our typical hostel stay. From the hotel, we could enjoy the view and energy of the falls from morning till night. Grandma Ruby also treated us to a delicious dinner via the ´rents and we listened to a harpist while eating the tasty cuisine.
The full moon also visited the falls while we were there, so one of the adventures was walking to the falls with only the light of the moon. The first thing you notice is the sound and force of so many tons of water cascading down, smell and feel the moist air, and then we approached and the whole falls was bathed in moonlight, very special. The next day we learned about the subtropical rainforest on our adventure jungle tour and then a boat ride that puts all other boat rides to shame! It sped UPSTREAM against the tremendous current, lurching over giant rapids, and for a finale took us into the euphoric whitewaters beneath the falls, surrounding us in roaring, crashing showers and soaking us through. Certainly a highlight of our trip and a memory we´ll share for a long time to come. Merritt and I also went to the Brazlian side of the falls, called Foz do Iguaçu, which was also incredible. The national park there features less of the actual falls within its borders, but boasts the most amazing panoramic lookout point.
This wonderful colonial town looks like you should almost pronounce it Party! However, it is pronounced "Parachi" in portuguese and was more of a relaxing getaway for us than a party. We stayed right in the heart of the historic downtown overlooking palms and cobblestone streets. The town was so quaint, the people were so friendly and the vibe was extremely laid back. We took a local bus to a nearby beach called Paraty Mirim. As we went deeper into the jungle via dirt roads we noticed more and more kids getting on. Apparently we were on their "school bus" which was also public transportation. Our 45 minute journey was filled with children's laughter and songs as we bumped along through twisting roads to this beautiful tiny beach town. The Brazilian kids all filed off, some barefoot, some in flip flops to attend school. We had the entire beach to ourselves minus one dog and a couple with a little boy splashing in the water naked. The vistas of small islands and mountains off the shore was a welcome sight from the beautiful sand we lounged in. It was great to be in Brazil enjoying some beach time after many months of hiking in the mountains and traversing the cities. Ah, the beach or "la playa" in Spanish or "praia" in Portuguese!
