Iguazu Falls, Brazil
I fully expected to die.
Soon after we arrived at São Paulo’s airport to catch a flight to Iguazu Falls, gunmetal gray storm clouds formed walls around the city. Our flight was delayed. But still, it hadn’t been canceled.
We took off in a heavy rain, on rumble strips of strong turbulence during our ascent. Surely this would be the worst of it.
It wasn’t.
Flight attendants struggled to keep their balance during a drink and sandwich service. My soda sloshed around so much that I kept napkins handy to mop up the spills. Reading was out of the question — too much motion. Finally, after a queasy hour of nonstop bumps even at the highest altitudes, we began our descent.
Outside my window, lightning flashed. The wall of storm clouds, it seemed, had stalked us from São Paulo. The airliner violently pitched and yawed as the pilot struggled to keep control. It was all too much for a Japanese tourist in front of us, who filled her airsickness bag. Other shared panicked looks and probably prayed. I had a vise grip on my armrests, as if holding on would somehow save me in a crash. Then the ground came into sight, wobbling as though in the midst of an earthquake. But it wasn’t wobbling — we were. And then, with a spine-jarring thud, we landed. Rain fell in buckets, but we were alive. Passengers applauded, thankful for their survival.
Welcome to Brazil! What else could go wrong?
The first stop was Iguazu Falls, one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world. It’s actually a network of 275 falls on the Iguazu River at the border of Brazil and Argentina. Toucans and other birds flew overhead as we navigated catwalks built on both sides leading to spectacular views. A drought in 2006, when we visited, substantially cut the falls’ water flow. Although the main falls were still impressive, smaller plunges were reduced to a trickle or else completely dry.
The views from each country offer an entirely different perspective of he natural wonder. From Brazil, we appreciated the falls’ grace with a panoramic view. We crossed over to the Argentina side to feel and hear the falls’ power up close.
We stayed at the only hotel in Iguazu National Park, the luxurious Hotel das Cataratas. The Orient-Express property has the dark, wooden floors and heavy chandeliers of a colonial mansion. Staying here gave us access to the falls early in the morning before the park opened to tourists.
Then it was on to Rio de Janeiro. We should’ve stayed here…