A small bronze plaque at Iguazu Falls commemorates the wandering Spanish conquistador Cabeza de Vaca, who in 1541 became the first European to set eyes on one of South America’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders.

We have no record of what the crusty fortune-hunter thought when first encountering the 275 cataracts that cover a distance of over a mile and a half, including the great arc known today as The Devil’s Throat, where water surges so violently over the rim that visitors today feel the need to wear raincoats on the walkways.  But we do know that when Eleanor Roosevelt visited Iguazu Falls, now shared by Brazil and Argentina, she exclaimed: “Poor Niagara!”  Oddly, this South American powerhouse remained largely off the world radar until the 1986 film The Mission, starring Robert de Niro and Jeremy Irons, which shed some light on the area’s unique colonial history.

It was around Iguazu that teams of Jesuit priests began setting up their mission stations in the 1600s to convert the local Guarani Indians to Christianity.  Compared to other evangelical attempts of the time, it was a noble and humane experiment.  Instead of putting the Indians to work on brutal plantations, the Jesuits created an enlightened system that allowed the Guarani to study, grow grain and carve musical instruments that became famous in the courts of Europe.  At their height, the missions housed 100,000 Guarani, with a standing Indian army to keep out marauding slave traders.  And this system survived for over 150 years.  But when the Spanish king expelled Jesuits from South America in 1767, the missions began to collapse, slave traders pounced and the Guarani fled back into the jungle.

Today the ancient missions remain as poetic ruins on both side of the Brazil-Argentine border, their walls decorated with elegant Indian carvings of angels and stars.  In one, San Ignacio, the gravestones of the priests bear simple but clear messages: “Here lies Father Juan, a good man.”

The last thing you might expect to find in the middle of the world’s densest rainforest is a Italian opera house.  But in the city of Manaus, the Renaissance-style Teatro Amazonas, Amazon Theater, looms above the fast-flowing river like an apparition from a distant world.  Its improbable saga began in the 1880s rubber boom, when the pneumatic tire was invented and Amazon rubber suddenly became a valuable substance.  Pioneers flooded into the jungle by riverboat, and the remote camp of Manaus, thousands of miles from civilization, became a boom town overnight.

In this Brazilian El Dorado, millionaire rubber barons outdid one another to prove their sophistication, ordering the latest fashions from Paris, building art nouveau mansions and lighting their cigars with $100 bills.  In 1881, the local governor decided that Manaus should become the southern hemisphere’s cultural hub by building an opera house along the lines of Milan and Naples, then pumped a fortune into the project.  It took a decade and a half to ship the luxury materials from Europe, including swathes of Carrara marble, 198 chandeliers and 36,000 ceramic tiles, but on New Year’s Eve, 1896, the marvelous house was inaugurated with a  performance of La Giaconda.

The audience sweated through the show in tuxedos and evening dresses, swatting malarial mosquitoes with their theater programs.  But the evening was a huge success: patrons were dazzled by the sumptuous interior, which boasted four levels of Corinthian pillared balconies and Louis XV-style red velvet chairs.  The house curtain was painted with Grecian nymphs lolling at the meeting-place of the Amazon and the River Solimoes, which occurs at Manaus.

In 1982, the theater enjoyed a renewed fame when it was featured in the Werner Herzog film Fitzcarraldo as a monument to human obsession.  Today, operas are still performed here, although the musicians are mostly immigrants from Eastern Europe, lured to the jungle from their chilly homelands.

Monograms provides traveler’s access to a Local Host, so you will have someone on hand to answer those vacation questions pertaining to Iguassu Falls.  Your Local Host is also about to share local Iguassu Falls insights and suggestions for getting off the beaten path, leaving you more time to create lasting vacation memories that are yours alone.  Here are some of the sights a Local Host would recommend exploring while in Brazil:

Bird Park
Located near the entrance of Iguassu National Park, the Bird Park has more than 300 species of birds and was constructed with the intention of offering ideal breeding conditions for birds. Rare and colorful birds fly in the huge aviaries, which have been built to blend in with the humid subtropical forest. Visitors are able to enter these aviaries and view the birds at close quarters. They will also see alligators, anacondas, pythons, marmosets, and butterflies. At present, the Bird Park is the largest in Latin America and is internationally recognized. It is open daily from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Itaipu Dam
A joint venture between Brazil and Paraguay, the Itaipu Dam is responsible for 20% of the energy consumed in Brazil and 90% in Paraguay. Located approximately 30 minutes from Iguassu, the Dam is five miles wide and 600 feet high. It is considered second in generating capacity behind the Three Gorges Dam in China. Since it was opened for visitation in 1977, the Itaipu Dam has been visited by 10 million people from over 165 countries.

Casino Iguazu Argentina
Venture to Casino Iguazu to play some roulette, black jack, poker, baccarat, or slot machines. Or maybe just enjoy its beautiful restaurant serving international dishes. Don’t forget to bring your passport, as you will need it to enter.

Iguassu Falls, one of the most spectacular sights on earth is located between Brazil and Argentina. Meaning “Big Water” in the local dialect, there are 275 falls that cover a distance of over a mile and a half. A photograph cannot accurately portray this breathtaking sight—you must experience it for yourself on a vacation to South America.

Rounding out our must-see sights of Rio de Janeiro, here are some additional places to visit on your vacation in Brazil:

Barra Da Tijuca
Rio’s longest beach, it stretches over 18km along Av. Sernambetiba. A hot spot on the beach is the area around the Barraca do Pepê, a bar named for a famous Brazilian hang glider who died competing outside Brazil.

Recreio Dos Bandeirantes
This is a charming 2km long inlet at the end of Sernambetiba Ave. Sheltered by a large rock, Recreio is safe for swimming.

Prainha
A secluded sandy strip 700 meters long, Prainha is a surfer’s beach. It is an Environmental Protected Area.

Grumari
Enjoy the reddish sand in an unspoiled setting. The sea is often rough here. It is also an Environmental Protected Area.

Burle Marx
Out beyond Barra, the vegetation is almost virgin. If you have time, visit Prainha and Grumari beaches—much loved by the surfers. The vegetation is protected, and building is not permitted. Nearby is the estate where the famous landscape artist, Burle Marx, lived. This is open to visitors and is perfect for an ecological/photographic safari. It contains plants from all over the world, though the emphasis is on wonderful examples of Brazilian flora.

Open Fairs
There are open fairs, such as the Hippie Fair in Praça and General Osório in Ipanema, where all sorts of handcrafts, art, and leather goods can be found. At the Babilônia Feira Hype (in the Jockey Club in Gávea), every fortnight the booths are loaded with clothes—mainly for the young. A typically Brazilian event is the open street market—selling fruit and vegetables—which moves around from borough to borough, so a little local knowledge is needed to know when one is operating near your hotel. The show of fruit and greens is spectacular, and prices are reasonable.

You will be fascinated by Rio de Janeiro because it is rich in culture, history, art, and above all, great natural beauty.  Here are few must-see sights when traveling to Brazil:

Porcão
Visit this restaurant on Flamengo Beach for all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbecue, incredible views of the Bay, and great views of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Forte do Leme
A 20-minute walk to the top of this fort on Leme Beach leads you to one of Rio de Janeiro‘s best-kept secrets. Take in the 360-degree views of Copacabana and Guanabara Bay while sagui monkeys dart around.

Rio Scenarium
Housed in a renovated warehouse that was once an antique store, this bar in the hip Lapa neighborhood is considered to be the most beautiful in Rio de Janeiro.

Aprazível
Chef Ana Castilho hosted a community event at her home in 1996 and never closed the door. Her Brazilian-fare restaurant takes up several rooms in her charming home and trickles out into the garden, where you can enjoy views of downtown Rio.

Rua da Carioca
The berimbau, a wooden string instrument, is one of the most popular Brazilian souvenirs. Rua da Carioca, dubbed “Music Row” due to its numerous music shops, is the perfect place to purchase one.

From the Amazon to the Andes and all of the mystical wonders in between, Mexico and South and Central America are full of stories to tell. Whether you prefer to look for clues to the successes of ancient Incan and Mayan civilizations or take in the unrivaled variety of exotic plants and wildlife, these lands are sure to awaken your inner explorer.

Book your South American vacation before October 26, 2010 and save $300 per person with Monograms.  View offer details today and start planning your trip to Brazil!

Looming above Rio de Janeiro’s most famous beach, the Copacabana Palace would have to be one of the world’s most infamous celebrity hotels.  Modeled on the glamorous resorts of the Riviera, it opened in 1923 and soon became the place to stay for Hollywood stars and European aristocrats during Rio’s “golden age.”

When Orson Welles took a suite here in 1942 with the Mexican actress Dolores del Rio while filming a documentary on Brazil, It’s All True, high drama ensued on and off the set.  The couple fought constantly, and Welles drunkenly threw the room’s entire furnishings from the window into the swimming pool below.  Fifteen years later, in 1957, another room in the Palace was trashed by a movie star, this time Ava Gardner, who was heart-broken by the break-up of her marriage to Frank Sinatra.  (No doubt her mood was not improved when, at one ball, an over-enthusiastic Brazilian admirer came up behind her and tore the back off her dress; when she checked out, her room was found to be strewn with whiskey bottles, the mirrors were broken and furniture slashed).

By this point, staff at the Palace had become accustomed to volatile scenes from its upper crust clientele. The newly-divorced Prince of Wales also became so drunk that he went fishing in the fountain, and Lana Turner was at the Copa when she heard that Howard Hughes had dumped her to marry Jean Peters, pushing her to a nervous breakdown. Today, the Copacabana Palace still dominates the city’s iconic beach. Visitors can still stroll into the splendid lobby and ask to see the “golden book,” a guest register filled with famous names from the glorious past: Errol Flynn, Margot Fontayn, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Clark Gable, Marlene Dietrich, Anita Ekburg, Brigitte Bardot and Brazil’s first international sex symbol, Carmen Miranda.

Carrying on that grand tradition, Copacabana Beach remains an exhibitionist’s paradise – the spot to flaunt your latest eye-popping thong and then samba all night while sipping caiparinhas (a potent mix of lemon, sugar and cane brandy called caxaça).  But be careful.  As Orson Welles would tell you, they really pack a punch.

It’s time to take flight and journey to the exotic country of Brazil, where the welcoming people and the tropical atmosphere will take your breath away. Grab your passport; your trip to Brazil is on!

For the next couple of weeks, we will explore some of the must-see sights in Rio de Janeiro. Soar with us over Iguassu Falls and bask in its 2-mile-wide torrential downpour. Climb the splendor Sugar Loaf Mountain or relax in the comfort and beauty of Rio’s famous beaches. View the awe-inspiring statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain and feel the power of the city’s rich cultural history electrifying the air.

Grab your bags and enjoy your tour of Brazil’s cathedrals, natural wonders, and incredible people. Let’s lose ourselves in the color, music, and vibrancy of this incredible country.

We will discover the infamous Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches, participate in a traditional carnival, and dance the samba in the streets. Whatever comes our way, our vacation in Brazil is sure to be an unforgettable travel experience.

Porcão

Visit this restaurant on Flamengo Beach for all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbecue as well as incredible views of the bay and Sugarloaf Mountain.

Forte do Leme

A 20 minute walk to the top of this fort on Leme Beach leads you to one of Rio’s best kept secrets. Take in the 360-degree views of Copacabana and Guanabara Bay as sagui monkeys dart around. Read the rest of this entry »