Foz do Iguacu
For budget tips & compact place-specific travel info... Download my FREE Budget Fact Sheets. You're welcome.
| Download Steph's FOZ DO IGUACU Quick Budget Fact Sheet |
So I already saw the Argentinean side of the Iguazú Waterfalls (here spelled as Iguaçu), which possesses 80%, how interesting could the Brazilian side be? Not really, I concluded rather ignorant. However, this was my chance to see something of a country where I spent many hours of my life during lay-overs, but hadn't seen one single bit of.
Eduardo dropped me off at the Argentinean border where I hung around for a few hours until my Brazilian Couchsurfing host Carlos picked me up again. Together with a Czech girl we were granted full access to the beds in his house.
Eduardo dropped me off at the Argentinean border where I hung around for a few hours until my Brazilian Couchsurfing host Carlos picked me up again. Together with a Czech girl we were granted full access to the beds in his house.
As I just came out of the 'Country of Wine' I was too hung-over to immediately hike up the falls, so I decided to go to some Buddhist Temple Carlos recommended. “But, as I'm on Latin American grounds now, why not take a little siesta first?”, I said to myself. Right, a European like me has not mastered this fine skill of relief... I ended up sleeping the entire afternoon.
[So I went to the temple on day #3… yup: worth a visit! Here’s some picture-proof].
[So I went to the temple on day #3… yup: worth a visit! Here’s some picture-proof].
Well done Steph... but I needed to do something, as a day without activities is a day not lived. So I decided to invite myself for a little citytrip to explore the splendors of Foz do Iguacu. Yeah... it's really not that special. Unless you're a fool for global fast-food chains and big smoggy lanes full of traffic congestion, then you should absolutely not hesitate any longer and go for a nice long stroll through Foz. Nevertheless, I ended up enjoying this beautiful day of Brazilian winter (25 degrees) by working on my tan, sharing lunch with a homeless guy who taught me my first Portuguese words and sipping splendid cappuccino in the best coffee bar in town: Empório Com Arte.
Also, worth mentioning: I couldn't help but notice that once I crossed the Brazilian border almost 90% of the entire population between 15-35 was overwhelmingly good-looking, both men and women. That mixing of the races worked out quite well, if I might say! After 1 day of walking the Brazilian streets I had to put some tiger balm on my neck muscles after overstretching them too much.
Also, worth mentioning: I couldn't help but notice that once I crossed the Brazilian border almost 90% of the entire population between 15-35 was overwhelmingly good-looking, both men and women. That mixing of the races worked out quite well, if I might say! After 1 day of walking the Brazilian streets I had to put some tiger balm on my neck muscles after overstretching them too much.
Cheers to that!
Day #2, moment of truth: the Cataratas of Iguaçu. The great thing about Couchsurfing is that you don't only safe money by sleeping at a local's house, these people also have the best inside information. So now I knew I didn't have to book an expensive tourist bus, but I could simply grab a city bus (120) for a few reales. Well 'simply'... I found myself all of a sudden confronted with being in a country where I do not speak the language. That's been a while. If you understand 8 languages of which 3 are the ‘colonial’ languages of English, Spanish and French, you can get pretty far. Portuguese however, na-ah! I felt completely handicapped trying to ask with hands and feet and some torn down scream-version of cavemen-Spanglish which bus to take.
Luckily, besides being breathtakingly beautiful, Brazilians are also incredibly helpful.
Luckily, besides being breathtakingly beautiful, Brazilians are also incredibly helpful.
After 30 minutes I entered the heavily commercialized and superbly organized visitor center of the Brazilian side of the falls, where I had to pay the shockingly expensive entrance price and wait for the double-decker tourist bus to bring me to the famous highlight. First I saw some waterfalls, from a distance. Immediately I texted my Argentinean friends to fuel their exaggerated sense of patriotism (that's common for Argentinians) and told them their side seemed to be more impressive. However, I was wrong.
Once I started walking down the trail the views got better... and better... and better. I had to stop every few meters to remind myself what I was seeing, but my brain couldn't grasp the beauty, it was just too much.
The forces of nature combatting for attention, the power of water profiling its grace amongst the lush green treasures of nature.
Most people have absolutely no clue how magnificent the world is that they are living in.
Most people have absolutely no clue how magnificent the world is that they are living in.
Then the moment was there, at the end of the path I found the grand finale... the ‘Devil’s Throat’, a long boardwalk right into the falls, requiring a poncho to not be flushed away together with your camera equipment.
Ecstatically I marched towards this Natural Wonder of the World with an almost psychotic smile on my face I couldn't possibly wipe off. The sounds of the water falling infiltrated my brain in an almost meditative manner, several rainbows led the way to the unquestionable treasure.
(As you can tell, I just discovered the panorama-function on my phone… might have overdone it a bit in this blog, sorry guys)
I looked around me but reality wouldn't hit in. I just stood there, maybe for 5 minutes, maybe for an hour, I lost all track of time. A voice next to me whispered ¨It´s hard to take it all in right?¨. Yes. Yes, it was.
I looked around me but reality wouldn't hit in. I just stood there, maybe for 5 minutes, maybe for an hour, I lost all track of time. A voice next to me whispered ¨It´s hard to take it all in right?¨. Yes. Yes, it was.
So, to answer the question already many people asked me: Which side of the Iguaçu Waterfalls is best? There is no answer. The Iguaçu Falls are the best, and whatever side you see it from, you'll be blown off your feet.
In order to support the travelers’ community, I spend many hours per week to adequately document all information and advices for prospective visitors, accompanied by a (hopefully) entertaining insight into my personal observations and experiences. This service is and will remain free. However, if you voluntarily want to make a contribution and support my travels and thus the creation of new stories and information supply, here is the button you’re looking for:
Related:
- The Iguazú Falls in Argentina
- Meeting Carlos again a year later in Porto Alegre (after a robbery)
- Where to go to next? Check the Brazil Page!
- The Iguazú Falls in Argentina
- Meeting Carlos again a year later in Porto Alegre (after a robbery)
- Where to go to next? Check the Brazil Page!
