May 4,

Up and at ‘em by 0700. We readied, having our Javas and breakfast of oatmeal and yogurt. After we finished we went straight out. Jeff E-hailed us an Uber. The Uber took us the 13 kms (8 miles) to the entrance of the Iguacu National Park, costing us 20,48 BRL or $4.11. We arrived by 0945 and found out where to go for tickets. A man approached Jeff about a Safari and boat ride, so we decided to do this also…Entrance tickets were 268 BRL, $53.76 for us both and the Macuco Safari was 768 BRL, or $154 for both of us. It was a pricey venture, but this was what we had come for!

At 1001 we had our tickets in hand and boarded a national park bus that took us the last 11 km, or 6.8 miles. This bus ride was included in our entry fee to the park. At 1030, we were all let off the bus at the Trilha das Cataratas Brazil (Waterfall Trail Brazil). This was the Walkway to the panoramic view of the Iguacu Falls. It was about a mile long and was an easy walking and stepped cement path. Our first viewpoint was right off and we had the area all to ourselves. It was so beautiful and there were rainbows dancing around. The sheer number of individual waterfalls was hard to grasp…where does one end and/or another begin. So many!!!!! And we were just at the beginning. Our brochure says:
“Iguacu Falls form the largest waterfall system on the planet, and is recognized as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World.” It also says the falls can “consist of about 275 individual falls – a number that can vary depending on the river’s volume,” and “the result is a natural spectacle across 2.7 km” (1.7 miles) of river water descending rocky landscape.

As we were leaving this first area, we continued on and met a Coati (a South American version of a raccoon). They seemed to have been fed and were looking for handouts, and they followed us. The trail continued with breaks in the trees along the trail to show a slightly different view of the falls. We saw a gorgeous Plush-crested Jay and many butterflies. As we got closer to the end of the trail and the big head of the waterfalls, I guess you’d call it, someone had spotted a Red Brocket Deer. It was turning into nature sightings!

Then we arrived at the end of the walkway. It was packed here because the walkway went out over the water. It was awesome, hearing the thunderous water crashing down all around in almost 180°!!! There were more rainbows and a mist of water was floating all around us. You can feel the power and pressure of the water. It was a sensory overload! At the very end of the walkway, you could just make out that we were over another level of waterfalls with the upper layer in full view. So cool, so powerful, so just amazing! I’m at a loss of words, but mostly thankful that God created them!!

We worked our way out of the masses and shared a cookie for a snack. By 1215, we were back on the bus. We took the bus only a couple of stops, to go for our “safari” and boat ride. They scanned our ticket and we boarded a little tram-like train that took us and as many would fit on it through a drive in the “jungles” of Iguacu. We were let out and then walked on a metal mesh walkway to the river’s edge. We did not see any Jaguars – even though there are supposed to be 24 of them about – and a growing number of them here at that.

We now took an incline railway to the water edge and boarded a boat. Our driver took us out. He did a few crazy turns to get people screaming. Then he took us to a view of many waterfalls that we’d seen on our walk, but now we were closer to that power of water rushing over and down rock cliffs. Then he brought the boat about and took us under one of the waterfalls, not once but twice! We got so amazingly wet…sopping and dripping with water swimming in the bottom of the boat up to our ankles! People were screaming and laughing…it was a great boat crew!

Once back on shore we went to the bathroom to try and ring out some of the water we were carrying in our drenched clothes. I was trying to do some “water extraction” with both hands inside a bathroom stall. I had put my phone in my mouth because there was not anywhere to put it. The phone started slipping out of my mouth so I bit on it and my tooth cracked my phone protector screen! Oh man!!! 😮 Well that is why we have protectors I guess.

Anyway by 1500, Jeff bartered with a taxi guy and we went back to our place. Once there we showered and left for food! Starving!! We went to Picanha Na Pedra. We had the A Cubana for two, which was four slices of Picanha (a special cut of meat that Brazil is famous for) served with breaded fruit (a half peach, a pineapple ring, two bananas, and a fig); accompanied with Greek rice (rice with ham, carrots, and raisins), mashed potatoes, and French fries. There were also three toppings: seasoned farofa, vinaigrette, and spicy BBQ-type sauce. I had Sangria and Jeff had a beer – plus some of my sangria as it was a small pitcher. We paid 308,70 BRL ($62.20) for the meal and a tip.

What a day!!!!!!