| RIO DE JANEIRO, SAO PAULO AND IGUAZU FALLS |
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| HENRY NOWICKI 8 MARCH 2000 |
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February and March is a good time to visit Brazil as the weather is fine and carnival time adds extra excitement to the country. I flew into Sao Paulo (Ref 1) and Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) amid a beautiful countryside comprised of all shades of green which surrounds sprawling settlements each seemingly with its share of dispersed high rises. Sao Paulo is one of the great cities of the world, perhaps the third most populous, and has been likened to Chicago for its modern appearance, its size and economic muscle. Brazil (Ref 2) is a huge country, comparable in size to the forty eight states, and Sao Paulo - along with Rio de Janeiro - is the vital heart of that country. A regional map (Ref 3). provides an idea of the huge size of the city. Guarulhos Airport is some 15 miles northeast of the city center. Santos (Ref 4), the outport for Sao Paulo, is 50 miles south of the city. Sao Paulo (Ref 5) has more than its share of attractions and entertainment (Ref 6). I stayed at the very comfortable Maksoud Plaza Hotel, just off Paulista Avenida, the commercial center of the city. The city's bus and metro system are easy to use and after exploring a number of attractions, such as South America's biggest zoo, I eventually made my way 10 miles south of the city to the domestic Congonhas Airport (CGH) (Ref 7) to fly some 210 miles west-southwest to Foz do Iguacu near the Argentinian and Paraguayan borders to visit the remarkable Iguasu Falls (Ref 8). Fortunately, the Rio Sul aircraft, a Brazilian-produced Embraer 145, flew right above the huge Itaipu Dam while on final approach and in effect, with this excellent view, saved me a trip to see the installation. The single-strip Foz do Iguacu Airport (IGU) is located midway between the city and the national park and the distance of some 10 miles to the park is quickly negotiated by public bus. A nominal park fee of $3.50 permits one to view a truly awesome sight up close and personal (Ref 9) with viewing platforms right on top of the falls! Tours are available (Ref 10) but the walk along the pleasant trail really needs little guidance. The path is a bit up and down and an elevator at the end of the trail saves some 138 steps back up to the road. It is possible to finish the stroll of less than a mile in an hour or so but that would be the bare minimum. If one stops to study, photograph and watch the antics of the many South American coatis along the path, then more time will definitely be required. Also, the Argentinian side provides a different aspect of the falls for further enjoyment (Ref 11). If one wants to get up close and personal with the falls, then a boat ride to the base of the cataracts should be employed. The huge Itaipu Dam, twelve miles to the north of Foz do Iguacu, is the single greatest hydroelectric producer in the world at 12.5 million kilowatts and might well be visited for its grand scale (Ref 12). It should be pointed out that the Iguacu National Park is a Natural World Heritage Site (Ref 13). and is thereby considered to be of the highest value to all of the world's people (Ref 14). Incidentally, the word Iguacu can be spelled in a variety of ways: Iguasu, Iguassu and Iguazu are just some of the variations. Puerto Iguazu is the name of the closest city across the Rio Iguacu on the Argentinian side of the falls and Ciudad del Este, across the Rio Parana, is the nearest Paraguayan city. Both are easily accessed by bridges close to Foz do Iguacu. I chose to take a bus overnight to Rio de Janeiro which turned to be almost 24 hours in duration. It was a good vehicle with better than adequate rest stops enroute. The meals served at these stops were much better than I would have expected and the prices were indeed reasonable. Of course, the exchange rate of 1.8 realis to the dollar helped on that score. Rio de Janeiro has often been called the most beautiful city in the world and one is hard put to disagree. Certainly an approach from the sea is almost magical under the right lighting conditions. And its port (Ref 15) is convenient for the cruise passenger. Flying down to Rio (Ref 16) also has its charms as the eight-hour flight, covering some 4,000 miles, is a relatively easy way to negotiate the distance. Carnival (Ref 17) or Carnaval as the Brazilians spell it, is late this year as it comes in early March as compared with the usual date in February as happens to be the case during this current ten-year time period. Carnival has been called the most spectacular party in the world and I would not disagree. Residents and visitors alike are most enthusiastic and a visit to one of the bloco or street bands that precede Carnival proper will quickly pursuade one of the intensity and widespread interest in the festivities (Ref 18). Rio de Janeiro (Ref 19) is another huge world-class city, and to get one's bearings, a good map should be consulted (Ref 20) and kept at the ready. The city has myriad attractions (Ref 21) and, as usual, a selection will have to be made. The two obligatory visits, at least for first time visitors, will have to be Sugarloaf (Pan de Acucar) and Corcovado with the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Both sites charge about ten dollars admission that includes two cable car lifts for Sugarloaf (Ref 22) and a train trip up Corcovado (Ref 23). Both offer superb views and can be accessed by public bus. A very late afternoon visit that permits seeing the evening lights of the city would be ideal if the weather cooperates. Fortunately, I experienced beautiful weather although Rio was hot, hot, hot with 30-38*C or 90-100*F daytime temperatures (Ref 24). The beaches (Ref 25) are world famous and should not be missed even if one doesn't want to get wet. The swim suits have graduated from bikinis to what are now known as dental floss. Copacabana must be a quarter-mile wide and doesn't seem to be crowded no matter how many people there are. Friends, who are residents of the city, have suggested that the further west one goes swimming the better; that is, Ipanema, Leblon, Barra de Tijuca would be more desirable in that order. And it is not just the water that is better as the sand seems to harbor some forms of fungi that lessens as one goes further west away from the city. No matter, the beaches are very attractive and should present the short time visitor with a pleasant experience. I took a bus from Rio to Niteroi across Guanabara Bay on the relatively new 10-mile bridge connecting the two cities. From Niteroi, I continued on another bus (#33) to Jurujubu (pronounced shur-u-shu-bu), and transferred to yet another bus, along a most scenic shoreline to an outstanding old Portuguese fort, the Fortaleza de Santa Cruz. It was brought, stone by stone, from Portugal and is a most authentic historic site that is still manned by the army. A guide is mandatory and the young soldier that explained the history of the establishment in Portuguese had his words translated by a Persian gentleman and his German wife for me in English. Ah, the joys of travel. I returned to Rio from Niteroi via the enjoyable ferry ride that is happily still available. The food was invariably good throughout Brazil and their tropical fruits seemed to be different from what I am accustomed to in Hawaii. Even a dinner buffet at the highly-regarded Guanabara Palace Hotel in downtown Rio only cost some $10 so the prices were right. Rio was celebrating its 435th birthday while the country is counting its 500th year since its inception! Congratulations to both. Click on any of the selected items below for additional travel-related information: Frequently Asked Questions about Rio de Janeiro. Map of Rio de Janeiro Environs. Map of Downtown Rio. Rio for Beginners. Rio de Janeiro Images. Map of Rio de Janeiro Region. Destination Brazil. Rio de Janeiro Current Weather. Map of Brazil. (Ref a) NetCafeGuide and (Ref b) NetCafe Directory. CLICK HERE for other short travel accounts by the author. © 2000, all rights reserved. PS: A technical note. Americans are required to have a visa before entering Brazil and they cost $45 for multiple visits over a period of five years once the visa has been activated in the first ninety days of its issuance. The visa is free but the Brazilian authorities charge the amount because Brazilians must pay $45 when they apply as visitors to the US; therefore, this is purely a reciprocal fee. Also, the departure tax for domestic flights is $5 but for international flights the fee is $36. PPS: You might be interested to know that your author works hard on these trips as the log shows I traveled over 22,000 miles on this one jaunt alone! |
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