I have to admit that I tend to be one of those people who thinks that if you have seen onewaterfall, you have seen them all. Not that I don’t cease to be amazed by the beauty of waterfalls, but I sometimes don’t see the need to visit every single waterfall. Boy am I glad that I made the trip to see Iguazu. It is like nothing else you can imagine. The power and beauty of these falls is beyond words. God is an amazing creator!!
We left Rosario on Friday afternoon after Spanish classes were over and began our 20 hour bus trip (yes, we did realize that this was like flying to Australia and then some) to Puerto Iguazu. For those of you who need a little help with the geography, the falls are on the boarder between Brazil and Argentina. They are actually very close to where the rivers create the boarders of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. Needless to say, it was a very long bus ride, but we were able to sleep for a good chunk of it, and arrived, tired, but excited to Puerto Iguazu at 10am. We left our stuff at our hostel (my first experience staying in a hostel), freshened up a bit and then set out for the Parque Internacional de Iguazu. I have never seen a National Park so beautifully arranged. Even though there are hundreds of people there each day, the park still has the feel of being out in the middle of nature. The walkways have been created with the least amount of interruption to the wildlife, and they are arranged so that you can see the waterfalls from every possible angle (above, below, to the side…).
The first day there we visited “La Garganta de Diablo” or “Devil’s Throat.” This is a group of waterfalls that are situated in a tight ‘u’ shape, and create a powerful burst of water. You view them from above, from walkways that are practically on the rim of the waterfall. It was amazing to hear the rush of the powerful water and to feel the bursts of mist that are created from thousands of gallons of water tumbling over rock. The walk out was also amazing as you cross what feels like miles of river, winding its way beneath your feet. I still haven’t figured out how they laid the walkways through this fast-moving river.
We then walked the Upper Circuit, a pathway of steel bridges that crosses above the tops of several of the other waterfalls and enjoyed amazing, picturesque views of San Martin Island (in the middle of the falls) as well as the many waterfalls. God was sure demonstrating His beauty and promise because I have hardly any pictures without a rainbow in them. It looks like paradise with large birds circling around the island situated in the midst of multiple waterfalls.
We completed our day by returning to the city of Puerto Iguazu and venturing out to the Tres Fronteras. This is a small park where you can sit and see Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. We were able to watch the sunset there and I marveled at the fact that I am in a place I never imagined I would be. Of course, everyone else staying at the hostel we were at is actually venturing over to those two countries, but it was enough for me to sit and look at those crossroads (at least for now).
Our second day in Puerto Iguazu began with a tour that we had arranged the day before. After passing up zip-lining in the rainforest of Costa Rica, I knew I couldn’t pass it up again when one of the girls wanted to go. So, for $35 American dollars, we joined a group of people who went out to the Iguazu Jungle (not quite the same as the Amazon, or tropical Costa Rica, but similar) and enjoyed some repelling, trekking and zip-lining through the Argentine jungle. It was actually a lot of fun and we had a great time.
This ended before noon so we were able to grab a bite to eat at the local panaderia (empanadas and chipa, a kind-of cheese bread Iguazu is known for) and headed back to the park for a second day. This day we hiked the Lower Circuit, which takes visitors past the bottoms of the waterfalls, and practically under the waterfall if you dare to go. Also on this circuit you can join the Nautical Tour, which consists of a jet boat tour under the falls. Needless to say we were soaked when we were done with this, but it is an experience I will never forget. Viewing waterfalls of that size from the bottom reminds you of how awesome our God is. One girl during class today mentioned that the trip was amazing because for nature to create something of that magnitude was unbelievable. I almost spoke up and said that it is unbelievable, which is why you have to believe in a God with infinite creativity. I am reminded of the song that in Spanish says, “Mi Dios es muy grande, fuerte y poderoso, No hay nada que no pueda hacer” or the more familiar English- “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do.”
The boat ride under the falls.
This almost perfect day ended with a view of the sunset over the jungle/forest of Argentina and then one of the best beef dinners imaginable (my favorite part was the proprietor bringing out the raw cuts of meat to explain which ones were the best before we ordered). All-in-all I think it was worth the 40 hours on the bus to and from in order to experience what should be one of the Natural Wonders of the world.
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