Our second stop on our trip was one I was super excited for, the city of Foz do Iguaçu! Foz do Iguaçu is very different from São Leopoldo, as it is a more touristy area with a lot to do in walking distance. Another unique thing about Foz do Iguaçu is it is located right by the Paraguay and Argentina boarder! We got a better look at this by taking the Ferris Wheel where we got to see the Friendship Bridge, the famous bridge which connects together Brazil and Paraguay. Foz do Iguaçu is home to one of the most beautiful scenes of nature that I have ever experienced, the Iguaçu Falls. As we ventured down a path to the heart of the waterfalls, we got some of the most scenic views. The heart of the Iguaçu Falls is known as the Devils Throat and contains hundreds of waterfalls all cascading down. The scenary was breath taking and I wish I had more time to explore the park and all it had to offer. We were lucky enough that at the falls we did not get completely soaked by the water and were able to see a full rainbow take over the falls. I’ve always enjoyed nature and the outdoors, but I think now no hike will ever live up to seeing the Iguaçu Falls in person. I knew Brazil had its natural beauty when it came to the Amazon Rain Forest, but the Iguaçu Falls was something that was not on my radar before this trip. This experience really opened my eyes to exploring all that a county has to offer, the tourist areas like Foz do Iguaçu and the non-touristy areas like São Leopoldo. Between the two, it will be two different experiences, but they both allow you dive into the culture that the country has to offer in very different ways.
Water was a big theme when coming to Foz do Iguaçu as we toured the Itaipu Dam! The Itaipu Dam sits in a neutral territory between Brazil and Paraguay and is the second largest hydroelectric power plant in the world. At max operation it can generate 14 GWatts, this is so much power that the dam can power all of Paraguay with some remaining power left that goes to the Brazilian side. Before coming on this trip, we looked at several pictures of the dam, but none prepare you for how large the dam is in real life. The dam stretched miles long, and for a man made feature was honestly quite beautify. One thing that amazed me was how signigicat the water difference was between the two sides of the dam. This high difference is equivalent to multiple statues of liberties stacked on top of each other, which in my mind one statue of liberty is already really tall. Inside the dam we got to see one of the 20 turbines operating in real time and spinning at a frequency of 60 Hz. This visit to the dam was really insightful for me for a couple reasons. One, it served as a real world example for concepts I learned in my power class. We had touched on ideas like reactive and active power, but the dam showed examples on how these two different powers serve two different purposes.
This also gave me insight on the environmental state of the world. The Itapiu dam is so large that it requires a spillway to release water to reduce the pressure on the turbine. Due to the lack of water and water being used by other dams up the river, the spillway has been closed for quite some time. This opened my eyes to the climate crisis our world is entering, and how it is affecting countries that truly depend on our world the most. Even though are time in Foz do Iguaçu were short, they were some of the best moments of my life. I forever grateful for this opportunity, all that I have learned, and the people and places I have experienced along the way. This isn’t goodbye Brazil, simply a see you later!
Swanson School of Engineering 