The name 'Iguazu' comes from the Guarani words 'y' meaning water and 'uasu' meaning big. Guarani legend says that the falls originated when a jealous forest god caused the riverbed to collapse after being enraged by a warrior and his lover escaping downriver by canoe. The god sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemned the lovers to an eternal fall. What a load of nonsense...

In southern Brazil, the Rio Iguazu passes over a basalt plateau that ends just above its confluence with the Parana . Before reaching the edge, the river divides into many channels to form several distinctive 'cataratas'. The most awesome is the deafening, immensely powerful, semicircular 'Garganta del Diablo', best viewed close-up on the Argentine side of the falls. The Brazilian side provided us with the most impressive panoramic view.

We were blessed with a sunny day and spectacular rainbow formations danced upon the spray created by the waterfalls. Not content with the many pretty vistas, we had a very wet, exhilarating experience when we took a speedboat into the falls. The stupendous roar is something unforgettable. Iguazu Falls - a definite highlight of our trip so far.

Onward bus to Asuncion, via Ciudad del Este, 7 hours.