Brazil - Parque Das Aves - Iguacu

Brazil - Parque Das Aves - Iguacu

The eco park for Amazon birds - gorgeous toucans, hyacinth and red macaws, flamingoes, golden pheasants. Coming from a more deciduous clime, where one is used to more sedate colors, the brilliant azures, crimsons and goldenrod yellows on these seem almost painted on. The TocoToucan is by far the more naughty bird, playing with my camera strap and generally courting annoyance

Brazil-Iguacu Falls

I enjoyed a short yet stunningly beautiful visit to Southern Brazil - Iguacu Falls bordering Argentina and Paraguay. The Iguacu falls carry the waters of Iguacu river on its thunderous way towards the Parana river on the borders of what is now a controversial Itaipu dam. The falls are scattered across a wide swath with lovely forests, preserved by eco-tourism sans the mess that is now the Niagara. You can hike up the short way alongside the falls and get a birds eye view...or like me, take a death defying trip in a rubber dinghy straight into the mouth of the falls. This was pure terror and ecstacy!