Iguasu Falls

One of the most beautiful places in Brazil is Iguasu Falls. It is Niagara Falls x 10! It can be seen from both the Brazilian and Argentine sides and its size is breathtaking!  In Portuguese, it is "Foz Iguaçu." "Iguaçu" is an indigenous word that means "the river that is as big as the sea" and "Foz" doesn't mean "Falls," - It means "Convergence" or "Joining."

April 27-29, I was able to visit there with some senior missionary friends - Elder and Sister Jackson, who are part of the medical team, Elder and Sister Blaser, who are part of the legal team, and Elder and Sister Ripplinger, who are part of the Visitor Center team. We stayed at the lovely (and expensive) Hotel Das Cataratas for two nights. It is right in the park and was built in 1925, with an effort to have the flavor of Portugal. It was so luxurious and old-fashioned that I felt I should be wearing a dress, a hat and gloves while I was there!

The first thing we did was take a whitewater boat ride up the river to the base of the falls on the Brazilian side. We got totally soaked, even with raincoats/ponchos on. One crazy family in the back of the boat kept yelling "More, more!" so the guide took us to the base of the falls three times!

Then, we went to a churrascaria (Brazilian Barbecue) and saw a show of all kinds of dances from thoughout South America. I have a five-minute synopsis of the dances if you would like to see them. You have to go to a link, though, because the file is too big to insert:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/vicDTATs3kmekzRo9

The next day, we went to the Argentine side of the falls. We went to the park visitor's center and rode a train to the falls. 

We saw the falls and got wet again, just from the spray!

As we were getting ready to leave the station to go back to the visitor's center, a coati came up to the car ahead of us. It looked so cute that the man petted it - and it jumped into his lap! He threw it off and it came back! He threw a bread crust far away so it would leave. When the bread crust hit the ground, about ten coatis appeared out of nowhere and started jumping on the train! Everyone was yelling, the coatis were fighting for the crust of bread and it was pure chaos! We pulled out and left them behind. There is a REASON the park people say not to feed them. Their bite is terrible and they can carry rabies!

We got back to the hotel and had a wonderful buffet dinner. Then, on our last day at Iguasu Falls, we went to the bird park and saw the most beautiful birds. 

Then it was back on the bus, the plane, and back to São Paulo. When I got home, I had a surprise birthday party that some friends gave me!

And the last thing - I know you are wondering how Elder Hodges is doing. He is doing great! He still has a tracheotomy, but they have something that he can close so he can talk. He is breathing on his own now and the trach is still in just as a precaution for a while. He is feeling better and optimistic about going home soon, so he can finish healing. It should still be at least two weeks before he can come back to the States, but he has definitely turned a corner.

Thank you for your birthday wishes, for the phone calls, the comments on my blog, and for the love you send me. I appreciate it so much!!