I saw monkeys!!!

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The first stop on my trip, Iguazu Falls, at the triple border between Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil, has been a very Natalie-appropriate destination, one full of wildlife and walking. Before I leave for Paraguay, I'd better at least tell you about it, just in case I'm never seen or heard from again after being kidnapped by Bin Laden's crew in the desolate Chaco of Paraguay (that was just a joke, meant for Mom...hope it inspired a laugh, not fear!!)

I pretty much knew what to expect from Iguazu, since family members, friends, and lots of the Argentines I know have visited it. I've seen the astounding sights through their pictures and shared my ooh's and aah's in response to, ¨No, but really, nothing can compare!¨

Maybe this is why I was not exactly stunned at first sight. My feelings changed, but at first everything seemed like any old trip....My bus was of course late arriving to Retiro Station to pick up its passengers, and it made me somewhat nervous because I was running on exactly 35 minutes of sleep and a bit jittery from my last cafe con leche in Buenos Aires (the last until January). Once I got on the bus, everything was fairly typical--sleep, eat, movie, read, repeat. When I opened my eyes close to the supposed arrival time, they didn't want to close again because the green of the landscape was just too stunningly bright! While I watched the bus attendant trying to serve facturas and coffee to all the dead-asleep foreign college kids, it finally hit me that I was on a trip! Soon I would be wandering an unknown town, Puerto Iguazu, Argentina, and discovering who knows what. Well, soon came and I found that the town itself doesn't have to much to discover, so I set to work right away on my first challenge: how to illegally enter Brazil to see the Iguazu Falls from that side of the border.

It's actually not much of a challenge, since people do it all the time, but I admit I felt a bit daring, a bit dangerous, but that faded. It was all so easy. The hostel receptionist made a quick phone call and, 10 minutes later, an innocent cabbie in an innocent white car was waiting for me. At the border, he just took my passport to some window while I waited in the car. Nothing to it! (Nothing to it but some plata....a lot, but worth it, to see something you can't see anywhere else)

There I was in Brazil. I had two hours to see the falls from the side that shows them all. When I turned a bend in the path, the first set of cascades came into view. It was gorgeous but, as I mentioned, I wasn't utterly impressed. It felt so strange! I wanted so badly for my jaw to drop open, for my heart to skip a beat, because that was the reaction I expected. Nope. Luckily...I then came across more and more falls and got that reaction I wanted, over and over again! There isn't much to say about the waterfalls, everyone has seen waterfalls, but it is just the sheer enormity, combined with the blue skies, green everywhere, the immense crashing sounds, and even, yes, the approach of the park. Brazil has a nice route to follow to see the falls well, I thought, as I sidestepped lizards and dazzling butterflies flitted by my ears, but I hadn't yet seen the Argentine side...

Luckily, I had started my day early enough that when I arrived back to Puerto Iguazu, there was way too much time left in the day stay sane in that beautiful but little town of red earth and excessive humidity. So I decided to take advantage of the special offer the Argentine park had - if you go two days in a row, you pay just half price the second day. It was entirely, completely, do doubt about it, worth it! I got to do everything I wanted in the park, and enjoyed every second, even the slighly less comfortable moments, or should I say hours (more on that later). So what is it that I loved so much...?

On my first visit to the park, I followed the Sendero Superior and its counterpart, Sendero Inferior, which take you, respectively, on a walk above some falls and on a longer walk below the falls. Along the Sendero Verde, which is a short (and yes, green) trail that takes you to the others, I made my first close acquaintance - una avispa. Barely 15 minutes in the park, and I got stung by a wasp!!! It hurt, I didn't see the bugger and, considering I was in the jungle, I decided it would be a cautious move (see, Mom, etc., I am being careful) to stop at the Guardaparque booth, where a park ranger probably had the most exciting job of his day rubbing calamine lotion on my arm (they don't do much in that little log cabin).

Well, I continued along the way and met more friends, who were less aggressive in their approach - tons of lizards, even more butterflies, one coati (the only one I saw the whole time...whereas everyone else who has gone has seen dozens...strange), some things that looked like guinea pigs, a toucan!, some other interesting birds, and tiger ants, which are scary in size and for their menacing pinchers. Oh yeah, I also saw waterfalls!!! Really incredible, I won't say much, look at the pictures and, better yet, GO!

Before leaving the park, I stopped by the information center to read displays about the animals, Guarani life, and the decline of the zone's natural areas over history. On the bus, I made some German friends, who had been crossing paths with me all day, but then our plans for the evening never materialized because the last bus betwen Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, and Puerto Iguazu is at 7pm! How strange in two countries whose life barely starts by 7pm. So it was a quiet evening, as was Tuesday evening...But Tuesday evening was quiet more because I needed it to be.

Tuesday was an even better day than Monday! Seeing the falls again was just as astounding, and this time more up-close and personal. I started the day early, again (it's so much easier to wake up when you have these kinds of days ahead of you...) and walked along the Sendero Inferior to reach the embarcation (I think I made that word up...help! Spanish influence!!) point for a little boat to Isla San Martin, which sits at the bottom of the falls. On the island, I hiked and took a swim with the backdrop of gigantic cascades falling behind me. Soaking wet already, I decided it was a good time to get the official baptism of the park, in another boat that speeds around splashing everyone, then passes under one small waterfall, and then twice under a bigger one, the Salto San Martin. It's amazing to feel the power of the water, but really this experience just brings out the kid in everyone. As we docked, an Argentine behind me asked his son if he would want to do this kind of thing every day. The kid nodded eagerly. I said to him, 'Yo, tambien!' (Me too) It's true.

To dry off (which is going to sound VERY ironic to you in just moments...read on...) I headed to another side of the park, to the most off-the-beaten track part possible (within the park's legal limits, that is), Sendero Macuco. Although I praise the system of catwalks and trails that allow visitors to access the falls in such an intimate way, it was also nice to hike this traditional path, deep into the jungle. Deep, without seeing more than 6 other people on my way in, deep so that there is nothing but you and the trees. So when it started to rain, I didn't have much choice but to take refuge under a tree (not much help, but a little). And when it started to POUR, I assumed it would be like the previous day, when the sky opened for about a half hour. I waited it out and, yes, the rain stopped. Walking along the path again, with the goal of reaching a secluded bathing pool beneath a waterfall (how tempting does that sound!!), I was stopped in my tracks by I don't know what! I think it was an aguti (I need to look that up) but I'm not sure. He was crossing the trail, then ran deeper into the trees when he spotted me. Still, I didn't seem to worry him much because he just sat there shaking the rainwater off his brown, furry coat, and cleaning his semi-pointy snout with his little paw. He looked like a capyberra (the biggest rodent in the world) but much smaller. A cutie-pie, really.

My next sighting was even more incredible. I was just lost in thought about how the insects and birds seemed to have reopened their squawking, buzzing, and chirping lines of communication after the rain, when I heard a different sound - tree branches colliding, then flying through the wind. I knew instantly it had to be a monkey!! But everyone had been telling me how extremely rare it is to see monkeys, so I didn't believe it until my eyes landed on one, two, three, four monkeys swinging through the trees, stopping to groom once in a while. I didn't have a great view, but they seemed black, medium-sized, and maybe with whitish or tannish fur on their faces...hard to tell. They were either capuchin or howler monkeys, the two species that exist in the park. I think howlers, because those are bigger, but then again, they weren't howling. But--I saw monkeys!!! If you know me well, you know that is a big deal for me.

Wow. Invigorated by my wildlife sightings, I continued down to that pozon, or bathing pool. When I arrived, three other people were there, but I had the whole pool to myself to cool off in. It was magical, floating around with bright yellow butterflies overhead and water spritzing me as it bounced off the boulders.

As soon as I got out...the rain came back! Quickly, I scurried to a source of cover I had spotted earlier - a big boulder leaning over precariously. While I waited for the storm to pass, I thought how fortunate I was with the rain. Without it, I probably wouldn't have spotted the aguti or the monkeys. And without the perfect timing of the calm before the (next) storm, I would not have enjoyed that beautiful swim. It was tough to continue feeling positive as the rain kept coming, but I had enough thoughts to fill my mind. Eventually, after an hour or so, I realized that the trail was starting to flood as my day was running out of time. I could not let myself miss out on the last planned activity of the day - seeing the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Mouth) from close-up. The rain was fierce, my intentions were stronger. Trudging through mini rivers that used to be parts of the trail, trying vainly to block the rain pelting me from above, I made my way back to the central area of the park. I arrived drenched so badly that I left puddles everywhere I stood and the poor cleaning guy was following me around with his mop...And then I turned into a sucker and bought a poncho for 13 pesos. Makes no sense, since I was already wet, but I was FREEEEEZING and I really have no tolerance for that.

I ended my Iguazu experience perfectly among the impressive gushing of all the water in the world that joined to make the Garganta. Soaked but happy, I headed back to the hostel to warm up and figure out how to dry all my clothes before having to pack them the next morning....when I would set off for Paraguay.

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Photos

You have to see it for yourself!
After my first feelings of disappointment, I really couldn't stop staring at them...

Mariposa
Black, blue, yellow, hot pink, white, orange....

Wow.
The mists, the columns of powerful water, it's a true natural wonder.

Arcoiris
If I repeat the word enough, I will remember it. Looking down from Isla San Martin, I saw this full rainbow in all its morning glory.

El Pozon
Swimming in a secluded pool beneath a waterfall...Sounds good, no?

Lagarto
Everywhere!

Devil's Throat
Soaked but amazed! (by the way, that is my backpack under the 13 peso poncho, not a monkey I tried to smuggle out)

Comments

[Elvira]

I get it now!
Now I understand why your trip had to be so long… you allocated time to write this wonderful journal. I am glad that they not only have electricity there but Internet as well :-). Keep writing and sharing your photos. I love it!