In the spring of 2003 I made my first trip to South America!
The first stop was beautiful Rio De Jannero, Brazil. It is hard to imagine a more scenic setting for a city.
Exploring all the city sights was highly enjoyable.
Rio had lots of unique neighborhoods and fun things tucked away in it.
Sipping coconut water on the beach was a highlight.
This museum captivated me.
And I could not complain about the seafood…
It was in Rio that I apprehensively prepared for my first tandem hang gliding experience.
Once in the air, I let the exhilaration take over, finally landing on Copacabana Beach.
The next stop was the incredible Foz do Iguaçu, the largest waterfall in the world!
The waterfall spans between Brazil and Argentina, and may have been my favorite spot in South America.
I spent time below the falls, above the falls, on the Brazilian side of the falls, and on the Argentinian side.
It is hard to get a scope of the falls without taking to the air. This was my first helicopter ride!
I found this little guy on my walk around the area.
After the falls, it was a short trip to the one of two landlocked countries in South America, Paraguay.
Next it was down to the capital of Argentina, and home of the tango, Buenos Aires.
I attended a local soccer game and was impressed by the enthusiasm of the fans.
The fans tended to get a little unruly, and water canons were used to put out the fires set ablaze within the stadium.
Law enforcement was on hand to keep peace afterwards.
After Argentina, it was off to Uruguay and the old city of Montevideo.
Finally, it was back to an island off the coast of Brazil, Florianópolis.
I was allowed to take my rental car on the beach – no problem!
I found the people of Brazil to be friendly and fun loving.
I decided I needed to get back to this continent soon!
