Place To Falls in Love
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mapickfordPlace To Falls in Love
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mapickfordSUNDAY MAIL SEVEN DAYS AUGUST 10, 2014 21
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MARY ANN PICKFORD
But the love for the beautiful game is
not the only thing South Americas
largest country has to ofer.
Of course, more adventurous
travellers might make a beeline for the
Amazon Rainforest, of which 60 per
cent lies in Brazils northern region.
But the biggest buzz we got from our
trip was at the Iguassu Falls UNESCO
World Heritage site.
Tis magnifcent show of nature,
which is framed by national parks, sits
on the border between Argentina and
Brazil and takes just two hours by
plane from Rio.
Having arrived at Foz do Iguacu, the
gateway to the falls, our smiling tour
guide Reggie greeted us then drove us
to our hotel, the Recanto Cataratas.
Although located a bit away from the
falls and the city centre, the four-star
spa and resort had everything youd
need for a self-contained holiday.
Its angular roof oozed modern
architectural style while our room was
sumptuous with a hot tub and
fantastic views over the outdoor pools.
Te hotel had a mini bowling alley, a
games room and a small club/bar.
But really, who needs those when you
have one of the worlds greatest sights
on the doorstep?
Although we originally intended to
see the mighty Iguassu Falls from just
the Brazilian side, we decided to check
out the view from Argentina.
And we were glad we did.
Taller and more than twice the size
of Niagara Falls, Iguassu (meaning big
water) is an unmissable treat.
You can see about a third of the total
length of the falls from Argentina and
get right up close to the water as it
plunges down the rocks. It creates a
thunderous sound as it goes and no
wonder, as around 1.3million litres per
second cascades into the basin.
But from the Brazilian side, you can
walk on a trail alongside the length of
the falls and see it in all its glory.
We followed the path to the part
named the Devils Troat, the falls
piece de resistance, where a walkway
takes you across the river to the edge of
the point of no return.
Here you could get a little soaked but
its all part of the thrill of Iguassu.
So I reckon its well worth seeing it
from both vantage points.
Not only are the tropical forests
mesmerising but you can also catch
glimpses of monkeys, rare birds and
sometimes even jaguars.
Back in Rio, nothing seemed to
compare to the magnifcence of
Iguassu Falls but the city does hold a
number of its own charms.
It is home to around 6.32million
people and many diferent kinds
of neighbourhoods.
One of my favourites is Santa Teresa,
a distinctly arty area sitting pretty on a
hilltop near Lapa in the centre of Rio.
Its quaint cobbled streets wind up to
the historical buildings, which hint at
the citys colonial past.
You can buy relatively cheap
souvenirs here and check out some
interesting art galleries.
Or you can simply enjoy the sounds
of a live samba at a traditional bar.
Tats what we did on our last night,
joined by our fantastic new friends
Biba and Luciano, our hosts in Rio.
As the seemingly ragtag but talented
band played the familiar rhythms and
revellers danced and sang along, I
lapped up the sights and sounds.
And fell in love with the Marvellous
City all over again.
MARVELLOUS
Statue of Christ
looking over Rio
Place to falls in love
The football result for Selecao might have been disappointing but
everything else about Brazil more than lived up to expectations.
July 8 in Rio de Janeiro was
the day I fell in love and
got my heart broken at the
same time.
It was the day Brazil lost 7-1 to
Germany in the World Cup semis.
Marvelling at the green and yellow
spectacle around us, my boyfriend
Mike and I settled in at a bustling bar
in Tijuca in the North Zone to watch it.
We had a huge Brazilian fag draped
over our table, with two caipirinha
cocktails and we were kitted out in the
national teams footie tops.
We along with the rest of the
supporters were hungry for a
home-soil win.
At this point, a few days into our trip,
Id been completely bowled over by
Rios relaxed atmosphere and the
carefree attitude. Who wouldnt want
to be immersed in that on holiday?
And Brazils second largest
metropolis the frst is Sao Paulo is
not called the Marvellous City for
nothing. Tere is the famous
Copacabana beach, as well as the
Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the
Redeemer attractions, plus an
outstanding culture and nightlife.
It also has a strong history of music
and dance, most notably samba and
capoeira, both of which stem from
African culture.
It may have been the cocktails but I
was giddily happy and blissfully
hopeful. Tis was my type of heaven.
So when the Selecaos blundering
shock defeat unfolded before our eyes,
it was a huge blow.
We were foundering amid a sea of
stunned faces and it was just
heart-wrenching to witness. Its clear
Brazilians take football very seriously.
IGUASSU FALLS
ARE JUST A HUGE,
UNMISSABLE
TREAT
MAGNIFICENT The Iguassu Falls
COLOURFUL Arty district of Santa Teresa
KITTED OUT Mary Ann goes nuts in Rio
Mary Ann
travelled to
Iguassu Falls
with RealWorld,
who provide
tailor-made
holidays to
Brazil and other
destinations in
South America.
For more info
and ideas for
holidays in
Brazil, visit
www.real-
worldholidays.
co.uk/brazil
or call
0113 262 5329.
For details on
Rio de Janeiro
and its sights,
go to www.
visitbrasil.com
Mary Ann and
Mike found
Luciano and
Bibas B&B in
Rio de Janeiro
through www.
bbrasil.com