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Published: November 4th 2010
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Iguazu didn´t disappoint, although it did get off to a slow start with the Devil´s Throat, but after that it all slowly sneaks up on you. Being the fourth one through the gate meant that my plan of an early arrival worked to a tee. Jump the El Practico public bus (5 peso) to Cataratas and get dropped off at the gate the journey out to the falls couldn´t be easier. Pay the 85 peso entry fee and it´s off to the little train that takes you down to where you stroll along the elevated walkway to the Devil´s Throat. Oh and on the way you pass the other elevated walkway that was washed away in 1992, which looks just as substantial as the one that you´re now walking on.
Devil's throat is as impressive as it is mesmerising, although it's not as mesmerising as Niagara Falls when you're standing a metre away from a phenomenal amount of water going over the edge with only a small "fence" between you and the water. The Devil's Throat is captivating in that you get covered in a shroud of mist one minute and then the next you're in the clear. The beauty
about Iguazu Falls is that there's more than just the Devil's Throat to see. A wonder along the walkways leads to more waterfalls along the three kilometre rim. One minute you're walking in the bush and the next you're staring at all this water pouring over a cliff. None of the others compare to Devil's Throat in the sheer volume of water being moved but they are impressive in their own right. Add to that the number of them and you start to get some idea as to the magnitude of this place and the wonder of nature. All that's missing is a big hydro scheme.
Regular readers will know that I have this theory of wherever there's a spectacular natural or manmade feature there's an equally disappointing town beside it. For example Agra, you wouldn't go anywhere near the place if the Taj wasn't there. The same goes for that place near Petra, spectacularly disappointing on it's own and you only visit it because Petra is so amazing. But Puerto Iguazú may be the exception to the rule, it's not a bad place. Considering it revolves around the tourist trade it's not totally absorbed in being a tourist
place and you'd probably visit it if by chance it wasn't conveniently located near some impressive waterfalls. Although a note to self if there´s a restaurant that has a panpipe band there´s a good chance that it may not be the best of cuisine. You would think that I´d know better by now, but it was such a short walk from the hotel, well Basil´s residence. It all started to go downhill when the panpipe band was playing the theme from Titanic and sinking it was. The steak was delish as per normal although not as good as my favourite parilla in Buenos Aires. But their interpretation of what a fillet mignon should look like included not really worrying with cooking the bacon and throwing some shredded cheese on top. Lucky it´s back to my favourite parilla Thurs night for the last supper South American style.
As for Basil´s residence or the multi star hotel that I decided to blow the budget on here. The bed is as big as the room I had in Buenos Aires and the price for two nights is the same as what I paid for six nights in Buenos Aires. But unlike Buenos
Aires there´s been a couple of discussions in my best Spanish about the shower and the need for water to come out of it in a direction that will vaguely make you a little damp. It all started the first night in when I turned on the shower and the shower head fell off. After taking it down to reception they kindly got the maintenance man to come and "repair" it. This involved using silastic to "glue" it back together and the suggestion don´t use it for a while til the silastic sets. Mr maintenance´s idea of repairs didn´t really fix it and come morning the ability to get anywhere near covered in water was seeming like mission impossible. Some more discussions and they promise to fix it. After coming back from tramping all around the waterfalls and feeling like a bit of a wash down I discover nothing had been done to fix up the little shower issue. Back to reception again and with my best persuasive ability suggest to them that it may be a good idea to fix up the shower. I don't know who is now missing a shower head in their room but I've got
it and it's working a treat.
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