Enjoy a mediocre night in dorm-land. Thankfully the staff at the front desk inform Christi and I that a double room is available for tonight, so we rush back to our dorm, quickly pack our bags (while hopefully not disturbing our still snoring dorm-mates) and put our packs in storage. Follow this with a quick breakfast and then catch a bus to Iguazu Falls National Park, some 15 km away, in buoyant mood.
We arrive just as the park is opening for business. Unfortunately Christi and I are not the only ones seeking early morning solitude as many tour buses arrive simultaneously. Our immediate goal is Garganta del Diablo, the horseshoe-like part of the falls that are similar to Niagara. An uncomfortable toy train full to bursting ferries eager visitors ever so slowly to Garganta station and from there it’s another click along a walkway over the superior Iguazu River to reach the falls themselves. And they are mighty impressive: the walkway is perched literally over the falls in places and we are drenched repeatedly as the spray mushrooms up from the base of the churning monster. It is also crushingly loud, but really there is no need to talk here. It’s all about soaking up the atmosphere and the spectacle. Across the falls from our viewpoint is the Brazilian side of Iguazu (70% of the falls belong to Argentina, a mere 30% to Brazil). We will explore that side in a few days.
Butterflies offer a delicate counterpoint to the power of Iguazu Falls, but both live in harmony with one another. Indeed, I have never seen so many butterflies before and they are quite fearless, landing on us and using their long proboscis to extract salt and other minerals from our skin. The photographic opportunities in Iguazu Falls National Park are as immense as the falls themselves.
Next up we take the Circuito Superior to view another set of waterfalls. Along the way we see lizards, more butterflies, iguanas, and coatis (members of the raccoon family). By this point it’s mid-morning and the real tourist hordes descend – wave after wave of buses disgorge their contents making it impossible to photograph anything or to enjoy a few tranquil moments in this little slice of heaven. We escape the turmoil and enjoy some much-needed air-con and cold drinks at the Sheraton hotel, which is actually located inside the park. We even stay for a turkey club lunch turning our brief visit into an expensive slice of luxury (A$100).
Back out in the real world of oppressive heat and excessive tourists (and I don’t know which is worse) we take the last of the major waterfall trails, Circuito Inferior – not that there’s anything inferior about the views at all. They are close-up, spectacular vistas. It is also possible to take the walkway to beneath Bossetti waterfall, which gives off a cool refreshing mist. Theses refreshing mists and sprays which are invaluable for keeping Christi and I cool as we explore the park pale into insignificance in comparison with our next activity: a speedboat ride into the Devil’s throat and the Adam and Eve falls (A$100; 12 mins). The force of water plummeting over these falls is terrifying. It’s hard to breathe let alone keep my eyes open as the monstrous flow of water pounds the rocks all around me. I think I’ve just paid to be waterboarded!
Tired, wet, and hot we decide to call it a day and return to a deliciously cool double-room at the Marco Polo Inn. Lie there and let the cool air envelop me, but the pleasure is only temporary as we have to give up this room in the morning. And who knows where we’ll sleep tomorrow night.
Blog post by Roderick Phillips, author of Weary Heart – a gut wrenching, heart-wrenching, laugh-wrenching tale.
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