NYE at Iguazú

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There were a few reasons why I felt I had to come back to South America, mostly to do with visiting places that I wished I had seen last time around. Iguazú Falls was one of those destinations and it did not disappoint. I have never seen so much water thundering down and over such a vast area. It is a visual feast. There are somewhere in the vicinity of 175 waterfalls at Iguazú and many of them seem to be irrepressibly bursting through the lush greenery of the jungle when first viewed. Many years ago I went to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, but they now seem like a minor trickle when compared to the raging beauty of Iguazú.

An added bonus at Iguazú is the walks you take to the various vantage points, as the jungle is teeming with life and I saw numerous animal species for the first time. The butterflies are also notable for their intricate and colourful designs adorning their wings. Some of them are so bright that it seems like a flash of pure light flutters past your eyes, sometimes in vivid purple or a red reminiscent of the flailing material of the tango dancers in Buenos Aires.

After spending a couple of hours wandering to the various lookouts on the Argentinian side, I was starting to be weighed down by the humidity, as the air is so thick in this tropical region that it seems to stick to you as you walk along. At this moment, I decided it was time to climb aboard one of the boats that get you up close and personal with a few of the falls. The operators must have noticed that I was beginning to turn into liquid matter due to the double barrelled assault from the heat and humidity, as they seated me in the very front of the boat, which meant that I was completely soaked and battered by the hurtling torrents of water from three of the falls. It was loads of fun and by the end of it, I even felt a little cold. That soon changed when I began the climb up the steps of the island known as San Martin in the middle of the falls. This island affords spectacular views and even has a swimming beach, where you can cool off as the falls plummet all around you.

When I thought that I couldn’t be impressed any further, I felt that I should make my way to the launching point for the ecological boat tour, where you drift down the river above the falls. Whilst I was there, I figured I should at least walk along the bridges that stretch for over a kilometre in this section of the river to have a look at what is known as The Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo). What a view! This is where the majority of the water falls, in the shape of a gigantic horseshoe. I have never been so close to such a furious display from nature and was often held mesmerised by the sight before me, seeming to lose myself and become transfixed in the scene. If you found yourself being swept into The Devil’s Throat, certain death is what would await you. To think that I nearly bypassed what turned out to be such a memorable highlight from my visit to Iguazú!

The following day I negotiated border crossings, local buses and a completely foreign language to have a look at the falls from the Brazilian side, which provided a terrific overall view, but really didn’t compare with the experience on the Argentinian side. Still, stepping foot on Brazilian soil for the first time on New Year’s Eve was a buzz in itself. This was then topped by celebrating the dawning of a new year with the local family who ran the hostel where I was staying back in Puerto Iguazú. This family were such sweet and helpful people, always with a ready smile and taking such pride in their hostel. When I first arrived, I thought that it was rather impoverished; however, once I got to know the family and hear their story, I was so glad that my money was going to them. They started with nothing and initially relied upon donations of furniture and odds and ends from hippies who were passing through and they have slowly been adding touches to the place ever since. Every day I saw them sweeping, mopping, painting and renovating – always with a smile and a warm greeting whenever our paths crossed. What I saw was the result of years of commitment between husband and wife on a dream that is finally starting to be realised. These were genuine, down to earth and just plain good people, so I felt privileged to be able to share the evening with them and their extended family. It was a really unique and memorable experience, sitting around a table and laughing with three generations of Brazilians and Argentines, devouring the tasty delights of a traditional barbeque feast (known as asado), complemented with salads, beer, wine and some form of Brazilian passionfruit dessert that I eagerly went back for a fourth serving of – it was that yummy! As the fireworks were about to bring some colour to the black ink of the night sky, I was handed a glass of champagne to toast to midnight as we gathered on the street outside and all smiled in our merriment as sounds and colours exploded in the darkness overhead. This was a New Year’s Eve that I won’t soon forget, primarily due to the welcoming spirit of these wonderful local people.

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Comments

[Angela Beilby]

Great blog
Thanks for sharing - yes it is an amazing place. You were lucky to meet the locals.