Foto: Iguazú Falls (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Brazil - I get off the bus at the luxurious Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, right in the middle of the National Park. Why aren’t we staying here? I can already hear the river and waterfalls behind the trees. As I walk along the path toward the water, I see the waterfall cascading down in countless streams. How beautiful this is! The further I walk along the path, the more stunning the waterfall seems to become. It’s unbelievable that so much water still flows down the river, even though it hasn’t rained much in this part of Brazil for almost three months. I take photos from every angle and of every stream. Sometimes I put the camera away just to enjoy the powerful water and the sound. At the Devil’s Throat, the highest horseshoe-shaped waterfall of the Iguazú Falls, there is a walkway above the water. I get wet from the spray of the waterfall. From the platform, I look into the Devil’s Throat and see how the water is forcefully pushed through the narrow openings. Stunning! The Iguazú National Park on the Argentine side is much larger than the Brazilian park. From the entrance, a small train transports visitors through the park. The train can hold a few hundred tourists per trip and travels at a slow pace on narrow tracks to the other side of the park. I get off at the walkway to the Devil’s Throat—a bridge over the water on the plateau, the top of the waterfall. The water here seems calm as it flows. But it’s very different just tens of meters away, where the water crashes down with great noise. The walkway leads to the top of the Devil’s Throat. I see the viewing platform where I stood yesterday on the opposite side. Now I’m much closer to the waterfall. The horseshoe shape of the Devil’s Throat is much clearer here. It looks like the water is being caught in a kind of drain. The power of the water is enormous. The view is fantastic and very spectacular combined with the thunderous roar. I stop for a moment to enjoy the spectacle. A bit further back in the park, the upper trail begins—a hiking route along the top of the waterfalls that I saw yesterday. Now I’m right next to the waterfalls. At every turn, the view is magnificent. In the depths, I see boats sailing on the Iguazú River. The boats speed toward the waterfall with full force. A huge splash of water comes over the deck.
Authentic Paraty
Brazil - Back in the city, Philippe takes us directly to the old town. The tide reaches its maximum height around three o’clock, and it’s already half past three. We walk briskly to the historic center. Although the water is already receding, I still see several ...
Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro
Brazil - Traffic is backed up in several places, but eventually, it starts to crawl forward. After leaving the main road, the driver heads into the mountains. With each bend, we climb higher. Eventually, I'm dropped off at the parking lot by the information center. ...
Paradiselike Ilha Grande
Brazil - On the east side of Abraão Beach, a hiking trail begins to one of the most beautiful beaches on Ilha Grande. Praia Lopes Mendes lies on the other side of the island, on the ocean side. Because of the surf, the beach is difficult to reach by water taxi. ...
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil - In the afternoon, we go with the group to Pão de Açúcar, the Sugarloaf Mountain. From this characteristic rocky peak at the entrance of the bay, you have a beautiful view over Rio de Janeiro. We take five taxis to the cable car entrance. A cabin takes ...
The Pantanal wetlands
Brazil - As soon as the truck drives onto the dirt road, I see beautiful birds on both sides. With a tap on the cabin roof, the driver stops. It’s not easy to take good photos. The sound of the vehicle scares the animals. In the puddles where there is still ...