It was later night when the plane took off from Zurich. And it was still night, when it landed about 11 hrs. later – on the watch just 6 hrs. – in Sao Paulo. Inside the plane it felt like being in some abstract space; only once when I could glance through the window there was the coastline of Portugal as a sign that the outer world was there below.

I was traveling with a friend of mine to a seminar with Sri Kumar at Iguazu, a beautiful place with its famous huge waterfalls at the border between Argentina and Brazil.

At Sao Paulo airport we met Sri Kumar with his son and three accompanying friends – and the group of friends who were coming via Frankfurt. Outside, it was fresh, 15° C, and later, at Iguazu, it was even a bit colder.

Approaching Iguazu – above the triangle between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay

At the airport, members from the Argentinian group gave us a warm welcome and then a bus brought us to the nearby Hotel. I had been there already at a seminar with Sri Kumar in 2001, during my first visit to South America, but the hotel had been renovated and enlarged since then. There is a beautiful park going down to a little river in a jungle-like surrounding.

It is always very touching to meet the many friends from different parts of the world uniting at these group lives with the Master. Hearty exchanges, many faces who remember, partly vaguely, and many names washed away in my brain to be slowly retrieved.

In the evening we had our first meditation in the beautifully decorated hall – dipped into magical blue light.

The night was fresh, also inside the hotel – I had not discovered that the air condition could also work as a heater. After morning meditation nature greeted us with a gorgeous sunrise shining into the fog over the brook.

After breakfast our small German speaking group set out for a first visit to the Argentinian side of the waterfalls. All clouds had been pushed away from the sky and a brilliant blue vault was filled with light. I had to get accustomed that in the southern hemisphere the movement of the sun is different from what we are used to in the northern hemisphere – its highest point is in the north, not in the south.

When we got out from the bus which brought us into the national park there were some coatis running around, waiting for some food falling down from the bags of visitors – or they tried to catch it directly from the bags or hands…

And then, like a curtain opening, the view fell on the vast panorama of the falls – breathtaking scenery. All tourists, including me, were standing, fascinated, and taking pictures. Plants were growing along the way which at home are just found in small pots. We walked along the slope where the foliage opened changing views over to the Argentinian side of the falls. And then the climax approached – the “Devil’s Throat”, Gargantua del Diablo (it should be called “Angel’s Throat”) with the thundering roars of water decorated with resplendent rainbow bridges. The rising sun slowly increased the intensity of the colours.

Early afternoon we returned to the hotel. After lunch, a short nap, and then saying “hello” to more members arriving. About 270 persons mainly from Argentina but also from other South American countries, different parts the US, the Caribbean, of Europe and even of India.

Some intense exchanges, evening meditation and dinner, then I dropped into bed – the jetlag was still in my system.