Advertisement
Published: February 1st 2008
Iguzu can be found at the northern tip of Argentina in the state of Misiones where it borders Brasil. The two countries share the distinction of having within their states the most magnificent phenomenon. Whereas Niagara Falls was caused by the weight of ice depressing the earth and causing an escarpment, Iguazu Falls had much more violent origins. Caused a volcanic eruption which left a large crack in the earth, the waters of the River Iguazu hurtle over the edge causing a display greater in magnificence than Niagara.
The sound of crashing waters, the power of the roiling successions of tonnes of liquid, the height of the underlying basalt rock formations and width of 3M make Iguazu Falls an experience that can only be termed transindental ... very Nietzsche …
The bus ride from Posadas was uneventful. The bus station had only one exit. Young ladies in pert uniforms and small hats blew whistles if anyone tried to go out via the vehicle entrance.
My lodging of choice was visible from the bus so there was no difficulty finding the place. At the hotel I met for the third time a couple that lives 100km from Bariloche. They
have travelled 5.000 km with their motorcycles. They are both teachers and have five children at home. Three of them are at university. Absolutely lovely people who I will happily torture with my fractured Spanish.
I visited the Argentinian side of the Falls three times. On the first day I covered the upper path along the metal walkway. The whole area is wheelchair accessible. I counted five wheelchairs on day one. During the other days there were more wheelchairs in evidence.
The catwalks vend their way over the edges of the precipitous drop of the individual falls. As the 275 cascades spread in a horseshoe shape hurtle over the 1000m drops, rainbows appear in the rising mist. During seasonal rains, 12,750 cubic m of water go over the edge per second.
“At the spectacular Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat), fourteen falls drop 1050m with such force that there is always a 100 foot cloud of spray overhead.
The name of the falls comes from the Guaraní word for ‘great water. ‘ The first Spanish explorer to see the falls (did you see the film The Mission?) was Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541.” … Bonnie Hamre,
About.com … from the internet.
Cold bottles of water, postcards, picture CD’s, hand painted fridge magnets, carved figurines, woven bags, poison dart throwers, boat rides into the Falls and photographs taken by men on ladders are some of the services set up to lure the pesos out of tourist pockets.
I succumbed to the boat ride under the falls, the picture CD and the posing for the man on the ladder ….all for 130 pesos.
The National Park fee was 40 pesos the first day and a discount price of 20 pesos for the second visit. The third visit was not to be had for 10 pesos. I paid another 40 pesos. It was not a fee to be begrudged . A site so well kept and so wonderfully organized deserves the extra 40 pesos.
If this site was on the list of paid attraction no money was received for the third day I visited with the truck.
During the second visit I went to the Devil’s Throat. It was a long way on the catwalk after taking the train further than for the area of upper and lower view points and walks..
The river was running with high water levels. Catwalks from decades ago stood in disrepair having been ravaged by floods. Last year or the year before there was a drought and the flow of the river was reduced to a trickle.
A lot of people were visiting. It was hot and stifling. The spray from the falls was a welcome relief. The grandeur of the spectacle en vivo = live is beyond description. Thinking about the volume, the speed of the never-ending flow, the endurance of the basalt and the work that went into making it accessible for all, one can become slightly overwhelmed!
The men on ladders with their raincoats on and cameras covered in plastic bags have a thriving business. They have no difficulty moving the sightseers out of the way so that their paying customer is the only person in the shot … and everyone moves willingly … they might be in the next shot!
The man who took my picture said he would deliver my photo to the hotel. He did spot me in the crowd leaving the park. I paid him then and there and am now trying hard not to crush
my 20 peso portrait.
The boat ride under the Falls was a wetting experience. The boat came so close to the hurtling water that all one could do was close ones eyes against the force of the falling water. Of course no picture taking took place here unless you had a waterproof camera and then the force and vigour of the situation may have resulted in having the camera crashed from ones grip.
After the boat ride the lunatic driver took us down the river executing many breathtaking, swerving, sharply-banking manoeuvres. He seemed encouraged by the screeching of his passengers. I was among them!
The ride thru the ‘jungle’ was just that a ride. No animals were spotted. The guide, even though he used three languages and spoke a lot, seemed to impart little information.
Walking once more past the many craft vendors, I was ready to take the local bus back to the hotel, TV, buffet dinner and internet. Next day I had to meet the truck in the morning. The info was that they would visit the falls in the morning and then be off to Paraguay in the afternoon.
I waited around in
the campground until after 14.00. Some had left the campground at 09:00.
Finally the truck made its way to the Park. I went in for the third time, revisiting the Devil’s Throat and the upper catwalk. I did not mind having another quick look. Pity the person who only had such a protracted experience of this magnificent display of the might of nature … it can be equalled to the opportunity of seeing the Grand Canyon in half a day. This apparently occurred while I was not on the truck in June.
By 17:00 we were on our way to the Brasil and the Foz de Iguaçu.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.068s; Tpl: 0.017s; cc: 12; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0445s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
