Large Water: Foz do Iguaçu
the best for last? No, that would all the many wonderful places we have visited in the last twelve months, are not sufficient. Let's say rather like this: Another high point, which rounds off the list of our excursions. Is the city of Foz do Iguaçu with the naheglegenen world famous Iguaçu Falls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The distance from Campo Grande is about 720 km. google maps recommended to quote ten and a half hours to drive. Plus breaks. Should therefore be feasible in one day. Early break provided, especially as it goes south. There is now in the winter, still dark earlier than in Campo Grande. 
Before leaving, a quick look at the weather forecast. After over a month without rain, with pleasant temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees now a significant slowdown is coming up. Maximum temperatures of around 15 degrees ¬ is the question. So, pack a warm sweater necessarily the case. The route is as so often quite simple: leave town to the south, then go straight to der Bundesstraße 163 (»BR-163«)
Nach knapp 500 km gelangen wir an den Rio Paraná, der hier die Grenze zwischen den Bundesstaaten Mato Grosso do Sul und Paraná bildet. Die Flussüberquerung wird uns ermöglicht durch eine Brücke, welche den Namen des 1994 tödlich verunglückten Formel 1-Piloten Airton Senna trägt. Knapp 4 km ist der Fluss hier breit.
Nach weiteren gut 50 Kilometern sind wir zwar immer noch in Brasilien. Die Region könnte aber auch irgendwo in Bayern oder Thüringen liegen. Viele deutsche Namen, ordentlich herausgeputzte kleine Städte, Alleen mit Laubbäumen, die auch auf der Südhalbkugel im Winter ihre Blätter abwerfen. Nun ist es nicht mehr weit.
We achieve our goal shortly after sunset. The location of the city of Foz do Iguaçu ("mouth of the Iguaçu") is determined by the estuary of the Rio Iguaçu in Rio Paraná. This estuary is also a triangle between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.
A bridge to the west, the "bridge of friendship" (port "Ponte da Amizade" English "Puente de la Amistad") over the Rio Parana leads straight to Paraguay. On the other side is the second largest city of Paraguay »Ciudad del" Este. Founded as "Ciudad Flor de Lis" ("City of Lilies"), they had to later decades bear the name of the dictator Stroessner ("Puerto Stroessner"), then in 1989 the present name ("City of the East") to accept.
Another bridge on the south. The "International Bridge of Brotherhood" (port "Ponte Internacional da Fraternidade"). Officially, her name is actually "Ponte Internacional Tancredo Neves," named after the Brazilian politicians, the 1985 first civilian president after the military dictatorship and thus to end this dark chapter of history. Tragically, he fell seriously ill on the eve of taking office and died a few weeks later.
This bridge leads therefore to Argentina in the city »Puerto Iguazú." Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina are yes, find Uruguay and Venezuela recently, the economic union Mercosul. This has led, subsequently, to a substantial reduction of border controls, so you can move freely as a traveler almost.
The city of Foz do Iguaçu is with some 300,000 inhabitants as very multicultural. After Rio de Janeiro is the most visited by foreign tourist destination in Brazil. For this rush, there are in addition to the aforementioned waterfall is another reason: the huge Itaipu hydroelectric plant on the Rio Paraná - to the completion of China's Three Gorges power plant is the largest seiner Art in der Welt.
Im Moment interessieren uns jedoch keine Super-lative. Wir wollen nach einer langen Autofahrt unsere Pousada finden, warm duschen und etwas Ordentliches essen. Das Angebot an Hotels und Pensionen ist groß, sehr groß. Von der einfachen Jugendherberge bis zum Luxushotel mit direktem Blick auf die Wasserfälle. Mit unserem Hang zu familiär geführten Pousadas, möglichst im Grünen, fällt unsere Wahl auf die »Pousada Sonho Meu«, zu deutsch »mein Traum«. Eine solide Wahl. Die Einrichtungs¬gegenstände sind aus Bambus (»bambu«) und Lianen (»cipó«) gefertigt. Ein rustikales harmonisches Ambiente, ganz to our liking.
Our Haupaugenmerk is now, however, the air conditioner that can heat and happily. We have in fact "lucky" and experience the coldest days of the year. Not only the maximum temperatures from one day to the other fallen by about 15, but the minimum temperatures. The following night, the thermometer should fall to zero degrees redorkverdächtige.
We survive the freezing cold night. In contrast to the rooms, the breakfast room is half open and unheated. Shivering, we take our "café da Manhã" to us, and quickly, before everything gets cold. 
The first day of first things first: The visit of the waterfalls, nestled in a national park, about 20 km outside the city. The word means "Iguacu" in the language of the Guarani Indians "as much as" great water. A fairly comprehensible naming. The Rio Iguaçu is well with 1300 km longer than the Rhine. The waterfalls are only a few miles above the mouth. The African Victoria Falls are ostensibly a little higher, this is the Iguaçu Wasserrfälle wider. Now anybody can pick which ones are the largest in the world.
overthrow Thousands of cubic meters of water per second up to 75 meters in depth and provide a backdrop of deafening noise. Entertainment is possible only through sign language or shouting. The greater part of the falls is on Argentine territory. The most beautiful view you have - of course - by Brazilian side. Therein all Brazilians are united.
is the culmination of the tour, the "Garganta do Diabo", the "Devil's Throat." Here, the waters gush from three sides in a U-shape down. Hard to believe that a bird species, the so-called Rußsegler just in the cliffs behind the waterfall, its nesting sites built. The advantage is obvious. There passes easily through no potential enemy. When passing through the water curtain are the birds suffer though a bit carried away, but no damage. 
the afternoon is a marvel of technology on the program: The Itaipu hydroelectric power plant. The name, again a term from the language of the Guarani Indians, means "Singing Stone. An island near the former site was called Sun The island no longer exists. They sank, like much else in the artificial lake which was created by the gigantic dam, 7 km long, up to 225 m high. With about 1,400 km2 which is about three times as large as Lake Constance. 
The material here built more than 200 Maracanã football stadium and nearly 400 Eiffel towers or the optional 15 € tunnel could have set up. 40,000 workers were on top in the works. Now the amount of water at the Iguazu Falls already unimaginably large. Here again, however this amount is exceeded by several times: to flow up to 60,000 cubic meters per second through the dam.
are thus driven 20 generators with 700 MW capacity. In general, 18 of which operate simultaneously, while the other two are waiting for. This electrical power corresponds, as mentioned earlier, about 70% of the total power all active nuclear power plants in Germany.
Another impressive number: If you wanted to win this amount of energy by burning oil, so you would have to burn unimaginable 434 000 barrels of it, with CO2 emissions of almost 200,000 tonnes. And every day.
little curiosity on the edge: The last two turbines of the Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation from the Baden-Wuerttemberg Heidenheim delivered. Forty years ago, 1970 to begin planning and feasibility studies. In 1978, a channel is opened, the dry places the area where the dam should be built. About 10,000 families have to be relocated. This entstehen die sog. Brasiguaios: Brasilianer, welche sich mit der Entschädigung Land in Paraguay kaufen.
Während der Bauphase existieren zwei Eisfabriken auf dem Gelände mit einer Leistung von 80 Tonnen pro Stunde. Das Produkt diene nicht etwa dazu, die Getränke für die durstigen Arbeiter zu kühlen. Vielmehr wird es dem Beton beigemischt. Dadurch wird, bei Außentemperaturen von über 40 Grad das Trocknen verlangsamt, um spätere Risse im Bauwerk zu vermeiden. Eine damals neue, hier erstmals angewendete Technik. Brasilien übernimmt vertragsgemäß die gesamten Baukosten und erhält im Gegenzug den größten Teil der produzierten elektrischen Energie.
1984 geht der erste Generator ans Netz. 2007 wird das Projekt offiziell für abgeschlossen erklärt. Heute bezieht Brasilien 90% des produzierten Stroms und deckt damit etwa 20% des Bedarfs. Paraguay erhält die restlichen 10%, kann damit aber 90% der landesweit benötigten Strommenge decken.
1992, bei meinem ersten Besuch, präsentierte sich Itaipu als Wasserkraftwerk. Heute, 2010, spannt der Film zu Beginn der Führung einen Bogen von Energie und Technologie, über soziale und ökologische Verant-wortung bis hin zu Tourismus. So sind etwa auf dem Gelände Lehr- und Forschungseinrichtungen entstanden. Falls es zu Beginn des Megaprojektes Itaipu Bedenken oder gar Widerstände gegeben haben sollte – Today, nothing is perceived. On the contrary. An entire region benefits from it, and unsustainable, but get all municipalities whose territory is partially flooded by the dam, was a share of the revenue stream. This attractive bathrooms were about ("balnearios") and set up the banks of the reservoir.
the entrance of the visitor center is a statistics information about the origin of over 15 million visitors, who were in the years 1977 to 2009 the way here. The Brazilians are of course the largest group, followed by the Argentines and Paraguayans. But then come already - who would have thought it - the Germans. One of a visit to Foz do Iguaçu necessarily a shopping spree in Paraguay. Individual family members cherish the hope of being able to buy various electronic devices there at unbeatable bargain prices. In itself a simple task: Cross the bridge, go one after the numerous shopping centers, cross the bridge again - done. That's the theory.
Donnertstamorgen, at 9 clock. We take the ramp to the bridge. The Brazilian tax collector and pay no attention, as well as their Paraguayan counterparts by waving on the other side of the river us. Abruptly we are clear that our Mark us as foreign, and thus presumably exposing inexperienced visitors. Numerous highly motivated seller, and "Buying" ("guias de compras") really make a mad dash to surround us, formally the car and talk at us that we should if you please just go to this parking lot and that business. I expect every moment to the fact that one of those "guias" land on our hood. 
The traffic obeys no rules here. Who discovered a hole encounters into it. Cars, motorcycles and pedestrians form a dense mosaic, from which escape seems difficult. So that is nothing. Somehow we manage to turn our vehicle and the other healing, the saving to reach the Brazilian bank. What a contrast. Here, the civilized Foz do Iguaçu, a town that could also be somewhere in Europe, where the chaotic, even anarchic Ciudad del Este. Now, Ciudad del Este certainly not typical of Paraguay. The country has to offer certainly much more than this busy place. 
And perhaps that first impression is not completely short. The female part of the family will not discuss this issue further. My son and I want to know it and decide to make a second attempt. On foot. Already everything is different. This starts at the border. While motorized vehicles pass through unhindered, we need to identify ourselves. Almost our trip is already over before it started, but needs a parent's written approval of the other, he or she wants to travel alone with a child. The Grenzpolisitin turning a blind eye and lets us pass. See, we can move freely without being harassed. So purely in the first shopping center. The offer is overflowing. It's all there. All brands, all models. Only the prices are significantly higher than expected. It works like this: Electronic devices are in Brazil about 20% to 30% more expensive than in Germany. Now, if these items in Paraguay by a third cheaper to have than in Brazil, is from a German perspective, the price advantage disappointingly low. Considering now that any warranty claim would be difficult, so the buying interest is shrinking by the minute
full with empty hands we want but do not return home yet. We acquire a music and video player, a so-called "MP5", for $ 35. The term is less technical in nature, but is in a creative way, the series continues mp3 and mp4 logical. Now we need to get our goods acquired only by the Brazilian Customs. Once there we lined into the queue of those who had chosen to walk. Fill in the form Purchases register, ready. Finally, I would point out that my next purchase then only possible in 30 days. This is in order.
So our tour ends in the border triangle. For another visit, but please in a warmer season, is still all kinds of remains. For example, the Argentine side of the falls. One should always have something left for next time Feliz Aniversário
Today is the birthday of Deborah, our dear little ones, who is now already really big. We rejoice with her and wish that they continued to perform so beautifully. Jetzt durfte jeder von uns einmal Geburtstag in Brasilien feiern. Hund inklusive.
Danke, Brasilien
Am kommenden Freitag fliegen wir zurück nach Deutschland. Zeit zum Abschiednehmen. Das ist nach wie vor nicht meine größte Stärke. Wer konnte aber auch ahnen, dass nach einem einzigen Jahr der Abschied uns so schwer fallen würde? Und ausgerechnet mir, dem einzigen Ausländer in der Familie? Vom Hund mal abgesehen.
So bin ich erfüllt von wehmütiger Dankbarkeit. Dankbar für all das, was ich in den letzten 360 Tagen erleben durfte.
Da wären an erster Stelle zu nennen die vielen schönen menschlichen Begegnungen, mit dieser so besonderen brasilianischen human heat ("calor humano"). An invisible force, against which even a foreigner, perhaps the time would rather keep some distance, is absolutely no chance.
am grateful for everything else that is rich in Brazil present: joy, optimism and the sun. Although the latter to varying degrees, but all year round presence.
Then the food. The purest hell for vegetarians. Tender, juicy meat, fresh from the grill. With rice, vegetables, salad and an iced beer. Followed by dessert, in which you would like to put inside. Under these circumstances, his body weight is stable to hold requires an almost superhuman effort.
What I will miss beyond? I here the radio resounds anmache and naturally Brazilian music. At least then, if you select the correct station. One of these stations is "104.7 FM," a sense of public service channels of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Here is an outcry spared the annoying advertising, but has to endure the occasional self-congratulation of the state government. to receive at any place in the world via the Internet. Of course I'll
also miss the weather. Warm evenings and nights, not only in high summer, but at least nine months a year.
Certainly I will miss the Samba evenings in the back room of Luis. This is where you can learn not only how long Samba. If you want to. Wednesdays and Fridays, from half past seven. The door is always open.
I guess I am too used to it that most people come here in Brazil very well maintained appearance. It goes in any way to designer clothes. Rather, personal hygiene and clean clothes. Women anyway, but also men. The poet Vinicius de Moraes, author of the famous song "The Girl from Ipanema", it argued for many years already to the point with the words: "The very ugly forgive me, but beauty is fundamental. "
It says beauty is not the innate perfection of bodily proportions, but that grace, which formed in the human soul and finds its visible appearance in the expression.
I hope that I can carry over some of the serenity of the Brazilians and Brazilians in everyday life in Germany. Of these, one can not have enough. Finally, I indulge
will certainly always the overwhelming impressions left by the wasteful nature with its immensity, its heavenly waterfalls and evergreen and ever fertile in me. What remain
is? We have met a wonderful country very intense. Our children have learned the culture, including language very well. We could make beautiful trips. Not
least I have a feeling that my wife and I are beyond the pull of the divorce statistics, may well remain still together, are when the children are out of the house. At this time, this statistic shows the failure of that is again a clear peak. In the past year we have ever tested that is how it is when we sit at home elderly without children. Beautiful it was. Very nice.
Also the relationship between us has parents and our children did well this time. I noticed at first, was mir in den letzten Jahren alles entgangen ist, die Entwicklung meiner Kinder betreffend.
So werde ich mit einer reichhaltigen Menge an neuen Erfahrungen zurückkehren. Erfahrungen aus meiner ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit, aus meiner musikalischen Aktivität, aus zahlreichen intensiven Naturerlebnissen, aus vielen menschlichen Begegnungen.
Noch wichtiger als all das ist jedoch das ganz konkrete Erleben der Tatsache, dass nicht Deutschland und auch nicht Europa das Zentrum des Universums sind, dass es andere Sichten auf diesen unseren Planeten gibt, die ganz andere Einblicke für uns bereithalten. Das lehrt Bescheidenheit und hilft, den eigenen Platz besser zu verstehen. Zuletzt bleibt me and my "Visto Permanente." That helps. When we come back.
The book on the blog
The blog will appear in a revised and expanded version of a book. A publisher has already expressed interest. If fixed title and date of the show, I will inform you on this page about it. I thank you, dear readers, for your interest and your feedback.
