After the somewhat strenuous (night) bus journey, we arrive in Foz do Iguazu, the Brazilian starting point for the famous Iguazu Falls, around midday. After Niagara and Victoria, this is the last of the three large – and world-famous – waterfalls that we have not yet visited. As the bus ride was a bit tiring, we were actually looking forward to a relaxing afternoon in the city or in the hostel pool. But when the receptionist at the hostel congratulates us on having missed the last three days of constant rain, we decide to make the most of the sunny afternoon and take a quick trip to the Brazilian side of the waterfalls. Argentina and Brazil share the waterfalls, with the border running right through the middle of the river…

After a short bus ride, we stand before this surreal sight of – depending on the water level – between 150 and 350 waterfalls closely lined up and between 64m and 82m high, falling into the gorge. Elenor Roosevelt is said to have exclaimed “poor Niagara” at the sight, and that’s how we feel. We are almost glad that we are the last of the “big three” here, because somehow we get the feeling that we would otherwise have been disappointed by Niagara and Victoria. Niagara has more water on average and therefore seems a little more “powerful”, and Victoria is impressive because it is the largest continuous single waterfall in the world. But here you get the feeling that if Monet had been commissioned to paint a picture of water cascading down a gorge, he would have painted it something like this… Simply incredibly picturesque, beautiful and impressive….

So there is no question that we will cross the border into Argentina the next day to visit the Argentinian side – this is where most of the waterfalls are located and you can walk over them, whereas you get a panoramic view of the falls from the Brazilian side. After breakfast at the hostel, it suddenly starts raining cats and dogs, but as we are leaving the next day in the evening, we set off anyway.

We take an Uber to the Brazilian border in the pouring rain. Departure. A short wait for the bus across the river to the Argentinian border. Enter the country and continue by bus to the town of Porto Iguazu. Wait for the next bus to the national park – still in the pouring rain. Pay the entrance fee and wait for a break in the rain. We quickly run to the “train” – more like a little train – in the national park to the largest waterfall “Devil’s Throat”. It rains again during the train ride, but we pass the time with a short chat with a group of motorcyclists from New Zealand. As soon as we arrive, the rain stops and we walk on boardwalks across the huge expanse of water, which looks more like a lake, over which the river stretches just before the falls, and then stand directly above the thundering waterfall.

Although we can hardly tear ourselves away, there are still two short hikes waiting for us, which take us along the gorge over some of the larger and smaller waterfalls. Rarely with such a concentrated force as at the “Devil’s Gorge”, but simply beautiful and impressive. It is not for nothing that the waterfalls are one of the 7 “natural” wonders of the world…

We take the same – somewhat strenuous – route back across the border, but we haven’t had enough yet. The next morning we check out of the hostel, but as our bus doesn’t leave until the evening, we want to make a quick trip to Paraguay, which can also be reached via a bridge over another river. Again with the Uber to the border. Departure. This time a short walk across the “Bridge of Friendship”. Entering the country. And we are already in shopping heaven (or rather hell?). We are overwhelmed by cheap electronics, clothes, jewelry and weapons. We stroll about 1km through the stalls and shopping malls, but despite the tempting prices we persevere and end up having a coffee. Back the same procedure, and we have been to 3 countries within 24 hours and have added a few new stamps to our passports

Back from Paraguay, we still have some time and visit another wonder of the world somewhat unexpectedly. The Itaipu Dam, which is one of the largest and most efficient power generators in the world and belongs equally to Brazil and Paraguay. We take the tour bus across the restricted area between the two countries, cross the dam twice and learn something about the creation of this 196m high bulwark.

We are then driven back to the hostel and relax for a short hour before taking the night bus back to the coast, to Florianapolis to be precise. This time it’s 15 hours, but a continuous bus and again very comfortable seats…