travels: encarnación, paraguay and cataratas do iguaçu, brazil

It finally happened. I finally, on my third trip to Paraguay, got to visit the nothing less than spectacular Iguazu waterfalls. Really, there's something great about seeing the world's wonders. 
At the end of our first week  back in the heart of South America, we as a family began our road trip around the southern end of Paraguay beginning with ​Encarnación for Opa's 85th birthday, a vivid pink sunrise and making a new friend over ice cream, then moving on to South America's largest hydroelectric plant (Itaipu), Ciudad del Este, and finally, Iguazu Fallls in Brazil! 
This trip was incredible. A once in a lifetime opportunity. And in the process we were all sandwiched in a rental bus together with books, guitars, and terrere. We stopped what seemed to be about every couple of hours to pick up roadside empanadas or four-cheese chipas, and laughed when our bus drivers (two 35+ year old women) replaced their sunglasses with "little old lady" glasses so that the Brazilian security would be less likely to make us stop a border control (which worked, by the way). 
Once we got to the falls, I knew that these moments were probably not going to come again. My eyes and mouth were wide as we walked (okay, I basically jogged) down the trail to the main part of the falls. I wanted to feel the fall's mist on my face and be close enough that the noise of the rushing water silenced the other sounds. Ultimately, it was a huge success. We're so thankful that we got to do this. 
​Here are some pictures of our experience. 

Some phone pics: 

Christian's mom's side of the family to celebrate Opa's 85th in Encarnacion

Because in Paraguay, this is how afternoons are spent: siestas, terrere and guitars

Itaipu hydroelectric facility

On the bus from the tourist center to the Falls trail

The whole fam at Iguazu

Matthias being Matthias

A wild Coati (the raccoon of S. America)