Argentina – Part Six

Iguazu Falls continues 

This morning we got up early and looked out to see a very misty view from our balcony. It was overcast and the weather report mentioned rain. It was also chilly. We dressed in our warmest layers. I had my jacket, hood,umbrella, heavy shoes and plastic bag for my camera. Barb had her rain clothes but for some reason the only shoes she had with her were sandals that she wore with heavy socks. We should have thought about putting plastic bags over her shoes. Anyways, we went down to a quiet breakfast and then met with Sergio, our guide.

We started out walking and thankfully it wasn’t raining yet. We met the golf cart and were taken to the snack area. Our guide had to meet us there walking. Since we had been there yesterday, we knew what to expect. We took a few more photos of the Coatis and then started on the trail where we saw several more foraging in the woods.

It is hard to describe the amazing power and force of the largest set of falls in the world. Just a word about the origins – the torrential Iguazu River crosses the state of Parana, southern Brazil from east to west and a few miles before its junction with the Parana River – it forms the most stupendous natural wonder of the world: Iguazu Waterfalls. It is over 2.7 km long with an average flow of 1.750 cubic meters a second. It became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.

There are two sides – Brazilian and Argentinean. Our guide was Brazilian and I asked him about going to the Brazilian side but he said it was so misty that I wouldn’t see that much. I have a Brazilian Visa from my trip there a few years ago.

So we began our walk along the walkways and came upon fantastic views. There are many walkways to explore and one can get close to the falls, with routes around, next to and over the top. The rain began to fall and it became very crowded as we proceeded slowly taking photos and meandering along. We first took the lower route and it took more than an hour and a half to see it all. Sergio was so nice and so helpful. He helped Barb and held our things and generally made our exploration as smooth as he could under the circumstances. When you see the photos you will know what I mean about the beauty of the Falls. We ended up back where we started from – snack bar area. Barb and I bought a plastic raincoat. We waited under an umbrella while Sergio went to get the driver of the golf cart. It was absolutely pouring now. I kept my camera in a plastic bag and Sergio carried my bag but in spite of his umbrella – it got soaking wet.

There were quite a few large tour groups and individuals walking around but mostly standing under the table umbrellas. Finally, we got on the golf cart and went to the higher level to begin our second exploration. This level also took about one and a half hours to complete. The area called “Devil’s Throat” had been washed out a week ago because of recent flooding. I don’t think we could have done it. By the time we were finished, we were exhausted. I know Barb’s feet were soaked. My camera bag was pretty wet but the inside was ok. We took tons of photos and actually enjoyed it all in spite of the inclement weather. Barb told me later that she was emotionally affected by the tremendous views and had broken down and cried. Sergio was so sweet to comfort her. He was very concerned about her as the walkways turned slippery with the rain. I walked either far behind or way ahead of them taking lots of photos. I was glad he was there to help her so I was free to take all the photos I wanted. Once again we got into the golf cart and were happy to have a ride back to the hotel instead of the uphill walk. We said good by to Sergio and promised to meet him on time at 9am for our trip the next day to Posadas

We went to our room and dried off and changed clothes. My raincoat was a bit torn here and there and when I pulled it off the clothesline in the bathroom – it tore in half. It served its purpose. We dressed and went to lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon resting and sending e-mails. I think Barb took a nap and I read a book. Now we couldn’t see the falls from our room as it was so misty and rainy. We went to dinner around 8:30 and picked a quiet area without children. Barb had the buffet but I just had soup from the menu. She shared her desserts with me. We did have our usual glass of red wine. The rest of the evening was devoted to packing and getting ready to leave the next morning.