Brasil - January 18 to 26, 2008
Brasil - January 18 to 26, 2008
Iguassu Falls consists of 275 water falls and borders the state of Paraná, Brazil and Argentina. It is known as Foz do Iguaçu in Brasil and Foz de Iguazú in Argentina.
The observation deck over the Iguassu River gives you an amazing view of the falls.
This is a mosaic of Foz do Iguaçu from the observation deck on the Brasilian side.
This is a mosaic of the Argentina side of Foz de Iguazú and it's many water falls.
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The Itaipu Hydro Electric Power Plant is the largest hydro electric plant in the world in terms of capacity. It is 38 kilometers from Iguassu Falls and borders Paraguay. Construction of the eight kilometer dam on the Paraná River began in the 70's with the last two turbines installed in 2007.
Several penstocks and a 700 MW (megawatts) turbine generator shaft turning at over 90 rpm (revolutions per minute). Twenty generators give the complex a capacity of 14,000 MW. The generators supply 50 Hz (cycles per second) electricity to Paraguay at 90.9 rpm and 60 Hz electricity to Brazil at 92.3 rpm.
The above two photos were taken from a wall display in the plant and show an impeller on the left and a generator rotor on the right during installation.
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The Oscar Niemeyer Museum also known as The Eye is the largest and most modern museum in Brazil. It was designed by Brasilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.
The city of Curitiba, in the state of Paraná, has one of the most efficient surface transit systems in the world. Transit riders pay to enter modern elevated fully accessible bus shelters (tubos) before boarding large articulated buses which run on their own right-of-way.
Curitiba has honoured past immigration to the area with several memorials. The pink building on the left is a tribute to Arabian Immigration. It houses a library. In the centre photo, astronomer Copernicus stands among seven log homes in the Memorial to Polish Immigration. The wooden church on the right is located in the Ukranian Memorial.
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Sandstone sculptures in the Vila Velha State Park southeast of Ponta Grossa in the state of Paraná.
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