Foz do Iguaçu Local Customs

Taking the road BR 277 from Foz to Ciudad del Este is a quite particular "adventure"... Close to the Friendship Bridge you will find the "real" Foz, not the tourist one. Big wholesalers and replacement parts shops go along the road, and all kind of peddlers weave among the cars, buses and trucks trying to sell everything... Closer to the bridge, the characters become more and more "peculiar"... then you begin to find the smugglers crossing the bridge.
The picture shows some of the peddlers having a rest under a shady tree.

Tomar la ruta BR 277 desde Foz hacia Ciudad del Este es una "aventura" bastante particular... Cerca del Puente de la Amistad encontrarán el Foz "real", no el turístico. Grandes almacenes mayoristas y casas de venta de repuestos bordean la ruta, y todo tipo de vendedores ambulantes zigzaguean entre los autos, buses y camiones tratando de vender de todo... Más cerca del puente, los personajes se tornan más "peculiares"... entonces comienzan a toparse con los contrabandistas que cruzan el puente.
La foto muestra a varios de los vendedores ambulantes descansando a la sombra de un árbol.

The largest mosque in Brazil (according to a cabbie) is located here in Foz do Iguacu. I saw it from a distance and the gold dome is pretty impressive. You'll also see signs for a Buddhist Temple on your way out to the Itaipu Dam. And, of course, this is Brazil, a Catholic country, so you'll see a few churches in the area.

All of these religions seem to exist rather peacefully, but the area does have a reputation for housing some troublemakers.

You might also notice that the population here is more bilingual than in most parts of Brazil because of the location being so close to two Spanish speaking countries. Still, most people don't speak English, but if you can get by in Spanish you'll find communicating is easier here than in places like Rio.