Brazil, Second Visit

Brazil, second time The Canadian plane arriving from Toronto flies over Sao Paulo, Brazil, for many minutes before landing there - which says a lot about how big this city is. Here Nicola, Massimo from Massa and I get off the Boeing 767. Nicola takes the chance to buy a camera at the airport; he needed one and the price was better than in Italy. We stay a little longer, without even leaving customs, and get back on board heading for Buenos Aires. A few days later we re-enter Brazil on a tour, and this time too there's no stamp in our passport - this customs is the least controlled on the planet, and thousands of people shuttle between Argentina and Brazil. A shame for anyone who collects stamps. The guided visit to the Iguazu Falls is fantastic - not for the organisation but for the falls themselves, which are simply jaw-dropping.

The only thing spoiling the atmosphere is the crowds of tourists. The lads and I walk on the Brazilian side and can't believe the mere sight of them can give us so much satisfaction. We stay enchanted for a good couple of hours at least, walking up and down at the foot of the falls. The meal included in the tour introduces us to the "spadrillas": they come round with a sword full of sausages or other kinds of meat, sliding it onto your plate. Still in Brazil, we then visit the great Itaipu dam; with its sheer size it generates electricity for half of Paraguay and a good part of Brazil itself. The butterflies and other Brazilian animals fascinate us, including the snake we saw. The heat and humidity are very high; I'd love to dive into the Parana River. Bye