ZeemerBlog

Map of Brazil (Currently in Foz do Iguazu)

Foz do Iguazu . . .

We arrived yesterday to Foz do Iguazu, our last stop on our tour of Brazil. Yesterday we took an exciting jet boat tour of the lower canyon, where we actually navigated UNDER on of the falls (getting completely soaked in the process!). Today (July 22nd) we took a special "technical" tour of the impressive Itaipu Dam, entering the actual turbine shaft where the hydroelectric energy is produced. During the afternoon we crossed the border into Argentina and walked to the edge of the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world. We will travel back to Curitiba tomorrow for our final week of the summer immersion, incredible how fast the time has gone by!

Iguazu

The spectacular Iguazu Falls

La Garganta del Diablo (Argentina)

La Garganta del Diablo, Iguazu Falls (Argentina), July 22nd

In front of the Turbine Shaft (the heart of the power plant)

The group on the top of the retention wall of the Itaipu Dam

Visit to Itaipu Dam, Friday July 22nd (one of the world's largest hydroelectric power plants)

Porto Alegre and Cambara do Sul

We spend Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in Rio Grande do Sul. We visited Gerdau (one of the world's largest steel producers) on Monday and RBS (a leading Brazilian media company) on Tuesday. By Tuesday night we had arrived at a small lodge in Cambara do Sul. The temperatures dipped below zero, but the beautiful lodge had lots of fireplaces and cozy spaces. On Wednesday, the group hiked in the Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra, an extensive area bordering one of Brazil's largest canyons. The views were stunning!

Sunset

Julian and Carolina

Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra

Canyons in Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra

Lauder Portuguese 2007 at Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra, near Cambara do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul state, July 20, 2005

???? (Porto Alegre)

Martin and Elephant

Traditional Gaucho show, Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre

Arrival in Porto Alegre

We arrived in Porto Alegre yesterday (Saturday July 16th), travelling from one extreme of Brazil to another. We'll spend 4 days in Porto Alegre before going to Foz do Iguacu on Thursday and Curitiba on Saturday.

Sao Luis Historical Center

On Friday July 15th we had the opportunity to visit the Historical Center of Sao Luis. The capital of Marahnao is undergoing a makeover similar to the one completed in the Pelourinho district of Salvador. Public and private partnerships aim to restore many of the old, dilapidated buildings. The cobblestone streets and bright colored buildings proved excellent material for photos.