Iguazu Falls

Amber posts:
Imagine the largest waterfall you´ve ever seen, multiply its size by 10, and imagine hundreds of them, side by side, pounding thousands of tons of water in the middle of a rainforest.

I know I can be a bit generous with my adjectives at times, but Iguazu Falls is undoubtedly the most inspirational place I´ve ever seen in my life. There aren´t words in the English language (but maybe in Mapuche?) to describe their sublime, spiritual beauty, but I will try.

When you walk into a park, paying $40 Argentinian pesos (about $US13), the entrance is a bit deceiving. ¨Is this Disneyland? Where´s the Matterhorn?¨Dad joked as we walked on the paved pathways, humming the Indiana Jones theme song. But as soon as we hurried past the slow-moving, sheep-like tourists, we reached the first viewspot and I was dumbfounded.

An infinite line of massive waterfalls, poweful and mighty, stretch across the landscape. Walking around the viewspots through the jungle on wooden platforms, I was often stuck, petrified; my jaw-dropped at each of the dozens of spectacular, unique look-out spots of the 200-feet tall waterfalls. The thick mist from the each waterfall usually creates a rainbow, and we were blessed with a sunny, warm day.

Birds clung on to the cliffs, dancing in the spray; vultures lurked on nearby branches, silhouetted in the mouth of a tunnel; lizards scattered across the rocks, heads bobbing to a secret song. A butterfly with pink and blue spots landed on Dad´s backpack.

After completing the upper circuit, getting the side and top views of various ´cascadas,´ we headed down to the lower circuit to look up from below. One of my favorite spots was right at the base of one - I stood in front of it for 30 seconds and was immediatly sopping wet. We took the free boat to Isla San Martin, went to a look-out point of 180 degrees surrounded by the falls where we had lunch (apples, locally made cheese, and carrots.) Dad took a nap on the beach while I drew and wrote in my journal.

To end our day with a bang, we hopped on the free train to Garganta del Diablo falls, the largest and most dramatic in the park. After a 15 minute walk on raised platforms above rivers and through forests of trees and ferns, Garganta loomed, infinitly releasing a surge of energy. Marking the border between Argentina and Brazil, Garganta is 262 feet high and U-shaped. The water spills over from a still, wide river, and seems to slow and freeze in time as it eases over into the pit. Somehow it plummets, creating a deafeaning but peaceful, constant thunder.

We took a lot of pictures, don´t worry - but neither the camera or my sketchbook can capture the feeling of standing at the top of such a natural phenomenon. I must have stood there for a half hour. It´s one of those places you have to visit before you die.

I´m using the $3 peso per hour internet here at El Guembe hostel in the city of Iguazu. We´re just 2 blocks from the bus station that makes the half-hour journey to the falls.

Tomorrow we´re going back (for half price!) and I plan on admiring and sketching more and hiking the 7K trail to Salto Arrechea where there are supposedly fewer tourists (though its not so bad once you´re in.)

Much love! Leave us a comment!
Hope all is well,

Amber