Some dreams stay with you forever.
Others quietly fade away, only to return years later when you least expect them.
As a child, I watched a film that featured a towering statue standing high above a city. I didn’t know much about Brazil then, but I knew one thing—I wanted to stand beneath Christ the Redeemer one day.
Life moved on, and that childhood dream quietly faded into the background.
Years later, while visiting Lisbon, we stopped at Cristo Rei. As I admired the statue overlooking the city, I learned that it had been inspired by Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro.
The forgotten dream came rushing back.
On the flight home, I turned to my husband and said, “Next stop… Brazil.”
He smiled.
“I knew you were going to say that.”
Curiosity had found a new direction, and my curious compass had quietly begun to guide me again.
While discussing our itinerary with a friend, he asked,
“You’re going to Iguazu Falls, aren’t you?”
“Iguazu what?”
That single question unexpectedly added another unforgettable destination to our journey.
Rio de Janeiro – Where the Dream Began
By the time we landed in Rio, it was already dark. Most people would have gone straight to bed after a long journey.
We did the opposite.
Our first evening was spent watching the Ginga Tropical Samba Show, where colourful costumes, energetic dancing, and rhythmic music introduced us to Brazil’s vibrant culture before we had even seen the city in daylight.
As I watched the performance, I learned that samba had deep African roots, brought to Brazil centuries ago.
Travelling has a wonderful way of revealing unexpected connections. Portugal had influenced Brazil, Africa had shaped its music, and centuries later I was watching those cultures come together on one stage.
The more I travelled, the more I understood the meaning of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family.
The connections had always existed.
I was only just beginning to notice them.
The next morning, we headed towards the moment I had imagined since childhood.
Christ the Redeemer.
As our vehicle climbed Corcovado Mountain, excitement slowly gave way to disappointment.
The statue was hidden behind thick clouds.
For a few minutes, all we could see was white mist.
Then, as if someone had pulled back a curtain, the clouds slowly drifted away.
There it was.
Standing tall above Rio, just as I had imagined all those years ago.
Some dreams are worth waiting for.
⸻
Discovering Rio
With the childhood dream fulfilled, we spent the next few days exploring the city.
The Botanical Garden became one of my favourite places in Rio. Towering palm trees lined the pathways, colourful birds filled the gardens with sound, and every corner seemed to reveal another tropical surprise.
One tree immediately caught my attention.
A jackfruit tree.
Seeing a fruit so familiar, thousands of kilometres away from India, felt wonderfully unexpected. I later learned that the Portuguese had introduced jackfruit from India to Brazil centuries ago.
It was another reminder that history often travels quietly, carried through people, plants, and traditions.
Nearby stood a wishing tree.
Of course, I made a wish.
Whether wishes come true or not hardly mattered.
Travel has taught me that sometimes the act of hoping is enough.
As Christmas approached, Rio transformed into a celebration. Streets sparkled with lights, families gathered outdoors, and despite the summer heat, the festive spirit felt wonderfully familiar. One sight especially stayed with me—people celebrating Christmas carrying fresh coconuts instead of mugs of hot chocolate. It was the same holiday I had always known, yet it felt completely different beneath the Brazilian sun.
Before leaving, the hotel manager smiled and said,
“You have to come back for New Year’s Eve. It’s bigger than Times Square.”
There was such pride in his voice that, for a moment, I almost wanted to change our flights.
We hadn’t even left Brazil, and it was already giving my curious compass a reason to return.
Iguazu Falls – Seeing Only Half the Picture
Our next stop was a place I hadn’t even known existed until a friend casually mentioned it while we were planning the trip.
Iguazu Falls
We checked into the beautiful Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, where we were welcomed with champagne. Parked in front of the hotel was a charming vintage blue bus that immediately caught my attention, adding to the timeless elegance of the setting. I recommend this hotel to stay for anyone going there as it is the hotel within the National Park with a direct view of the Waterfall. Once the park is closed for everyone, the waterfall access and park is still open for the hotel guests.
From the hotel grounds, I could already see waterfalls in the distance.
I smiled.
“So that’s Iguazu Falls.”
The following morning, our friends left early to visit the falls.
“I’m on holiday,” I laughed. “I’ll go later.”
When they returned, they casually announced,
“We’ve already seen the falls.”
Panic.
Had I already missed the main attraction?
Soon enough, we walked the Brazilian side ourselves.
Rainforest trails gradually opened onto one breathtaking viewpoint after another. Every turn revealed another waterfall, each one larger than the last. The closer we walked, the louder the roar became until the spray surrounded us.
I stood there thinking,
Wow.
Surely this was everything Iguazu had to offer.
The next day we crossed into Argentina.
A small ecological train carried us deeper into the national park before we continued on foot across long boardwalks.
Then we reached Devil’s Throat.
Nothing had prepared me for it.
This wasn’t simply another waterfall.
It was nature at its most powerful.
Water thundered endlessly into a vast chasm, filling the air with mist and sound so overwhelming that words seemed completely inadequate.
Brazil had shown me Iguazu’s beauty.
Argentina revealed its power.
It was majestic.
Only then did I realise something much bigger.
I hadn’t seen two different waterfalls.
I had seen the same wonder from two completely different perspectives.
The statistics were impressive.
Nearly 275 waterfalls stretched across almost three kilometres, with millions of litres of water cascading every second. Further downstream, the Itaipu Dam would eventually harness this incredible force to generate electricity for Brazil and Paraguay.
The statistics helped me understand the power.
The experience helped me understand the magic.
Some of nature’s greatest wonders aren’t meant to be understood through words or numbers.
They have to be experienced.
They have to be felt.
The next morning at breakfast, another unexpected encounter awaited me.
A giant iguana sat calmly beside a chair while everyone around it continued eating as though nothing unusual was happening.
I, on the other hand, wasn’t nearly as relaxed.
The iguana completely ignored me.
If anything, it probably wondered why I was making such a fuss.
The iguana wasn’t out of place.
I was.
I felt it.
But breakfast was over, and it was time for my next scary adventure.
At the time, I couldn’t swim, which made white-water rafting beneath the waterfalls seem like one of the worst ideas I’d ever had.
As our boat surged through the rapids and straight beneath the crashing waterfalls, every instinct told me this had been a terrible idea.
Seconds later, I was laughing.
Sometimes courage doesn’t mean feeling fearless.
Sometimes it simply means doing something despite the fear.
Brazil had already shown me that courage often begins long before confidence arrives.
Looking Back
Some childhood dreams quietly fade away.
Mine simply took a little longer to find me again.
Curiosity led me to Brazil, where my curious compass captured more than places—it captured moments, connections, and quiet realisations. Along the way, I discovered that the most meaningful journeys are not measured by distance, but by how deeply they stay with us.
If reading my journey leaves you just a little more curious about Brazil, then perhaps your own curious compass is already beginning to stir.
And somewhere along the way, it might even guide you back to a forgotten dream of your own.
Curious Compass Captures
Most Memorable Place
Iguazu Falls — Brazil revealed its beauty, while Argentina showed me its overwhelming power.
🌿 Favourite Discovery
Learning that jackfruit had travelled from India to Brazil through Portuguese history. It reminded me that cultures are connected in ways we often don’t notice.
✨ A Dream Fulfilled
Standing beneath Christ the Redeemer after carrying that dream quietly since childhood.
🎄 Christmas Memory
Celebrating Christmas beneath the Brazilian summer sun, where fresh coconuts replaced hot chocolate and familiar traditions took on an entirely new look.
🦎 Wildlife Moment
The giant iguana beside my breakfast chair, completely calm while I was anything but.
🌊 Scariest Adventure
White-water rafting beneath the waterfalls when I couldn’t swim.
🌎 Unexpected Lesson
The same place can feel completely different depending on where you stand.
✈️ A Reason to Return
To experience Rio de Janeiro on New Year’s Eve.
Leave a Reply