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Published: March 2nd 2006
Left BA and headed north through the Pampas of Argentina (where all the cows live!). Couple of long truck days got us to the border with Paraguay at Encarnacion. Once into Paraguay we stopped at Trinidad to visit some Jesuit ruins, which included lots of beheaded statues because inhabitants of the site after the Jesuits left thought the statues contained treasures. Then to campsite nearby, the best one yet, with a lovely pool, plus slide and diving board!! Spent the whole morning at the pool the next day, not leaving the site till lunchtime. Got to Ascunsion late afternoon, but like a ghost town, the quietest capital city I´ve ever seen! I suppose it was Sunday, but still.... Attempted a bit of shopping the next day, very traumatic for us girls trying to buy new bikinis, they are all so ridiculously tiny, even the ones that claim to be "grande"! So gave up on that....
Another border crossing next, into Brazil and to Foz do Iguacu, with the mighty Iguacu falls nearby. The indigenous language of Paraguay is Guarani, and in Guarani "Guacu" means big and "I" means water, so Iguacu is literally "big water", and there really is no
other way to describe the falls! We visited the Brazilian side of the falls first, and started at the top with a helicopter ride right over them - definitely the best way to get a taster! Next we visisted the birdpark next door, lots of large aviaries with toucans, parrots, hummingbirds, and also butterflies. All very colourful, and opportunities to get really close to the birds. Then we went further into the national park, to walk alongside the river, with views of the falls on the Argentinian side, basically lots and lots of smaller falls which just go on for ever. (About 2 miles, and 275 separate falls). The end of the walk took us up to Garganta del Diablo (Devil´s Throat) which is just the most massive amount of water...! It´s 70m high, and since this is the rainy season the water just thunders down at a rate you can´t imagine! At this point we were still some distance from it, but still got soaked by the spray as we went out onto the walkway out across the river.
The next day we visisted the Argentinian side of the falls, and started with a walk right up to
the Devil´s Throat. The noise was unbelievable! I couldn´t believe just how close the walkway took us - amazing. I could have stayed there for ages but we had also booked a raft trip along the Iguacu river above the falls, so we had to get back. The boat trip was very relaxed, we were on the lookout for wldlife and managed to spot a caiman (like a small alligator) and a turtle. Then we got a 4 wheel drive down to the bottom of the falls through the forest and joined another boat trip, but this one was much faster and much wetter!! This was a speedboat which took us along the rapids at the bottom of the falls, and even under one of the smaller side falls, getting us as wet as if we had actually jumped in the river with our clothes on!
Having done the falls from every height and angle it was time for a chilled out day at the campsite the next day, luckily another good site with a pool. And about 5 other overland trucks all staying at the same place! Actually I cheated and upgraded to a cabin, it was definitely
getting a bit crowded on the tent front. Did some shopping and succumbed to the standard "Brasil" top that now seems to be the uniform in the group - oh what a bunch of tourists we are! Still, we all look very colourful...! Went to a show in the evening with music and dancing from all over South America, including women balancing many bottles on their head, which was pretty impressive. Then into town, where it was time to try the local cocktail, a Caipirinha, which is made with lime, sugar, and Cachaca (made from suger cane, like rum). I don´t know if it was just the place we went to, but they were very strong!!! May need to do some more research on this...
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At the Devil's Throat
