Iguaçu Falls, Brazil and Argentina

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One of the great natural wonders of the world, the Iguaçu Falls (“big water”) are situated near the border of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. The area is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

This is one of the world’s largest and most impressive waterfalls. We enjoyed both the Brazilian side and the Argentinian one.  Both offer a really impressive view.

The city on the Brazilian side is Foz do Iguaçu – big and reasonably safe by Brazilian standards. The town on the Argentine side is called Puerto Iguazu and is small and pretty. Although the falls are between Brazil and Argentina only, Ciudad del Este, the city on the Paraguayan side, is just across the bridge from Brazil. It’s a hectic (but exciting) centre for contraband and cheap electronic goods, and some say it’s not safe there.

A magical place for sure, the Iguacu Falls are really impressive. The strength of the water is incredible.

The name “Iguacu” comes from the Guarani or Tupi words y, meaning “water”, and ûasú, meaning “big”. Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In rage the god sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.

 

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