Iguazu Falls, February 11 2012

We are done with the self propelled adventures and now are ready to see one of the runners up to the new seven natural wonders of the modern world, at least as determined by voters encouraged by tour promoters...

It is after dark when we arrive and a we enjoy a 25km taxi ride to our Puerto Iguazu, Argentina accommodation ( Hotel Jardine), this will be the priciest accomodation of the entire trip.... Iguazu Falls is expensive, bring money.... we find a place open and replenish with the usual beer and pizza. Even after 11 PM its 28 degrees and the beer bottles are served in insulated cozies. Tomorrow the falls... We arrange for a taxi to get us to the Nacional Parque for 8:30.

It is $200ar return taxi ride to the park, where a $100ar entry fee per each fee is extracted... You are then free to roam as you wish to see the magnificent falls from a number of vantage points and positions We start with the micro train to the devils throat walkways. at 8:30AM already jammed full with eager riders, looking forward to a glimpse of the fabled falls....

The train pukes out its cargo at the station and the folks race purposefully toward the rising mist some 1100m distance as recorded on signs. The walkway is an engineering marvel itself, possibly could be recognized in its own right the next time civil engineers vote on the 7 wondrous walkways of the world.... 

It is a series of bridges, trail and boardwalks that span river, rock and vegetation to get the lookers to the brink of the falls.... There is an amazing number of people here, I see a guy carrying a step ladder, wonder what that might be for? It soon becomes apparent.... at the main lookout photographers and guides use the ladders to see and take pictures over the mass of humanity pressing against the fence to see the water falling...

And the falls do not disappoint, there is indeed much water heading rapidly over the precipice... Again, not a solar eclipse.... But still awesome.... We take many photos, mostly of people taking photos as there are few unobstructed views and nobody without a camera or 2. The video below shows the view from the Devils Throat lookout.

For wildlife, there are large catfish type fish in the river as well we saw a bat caught in a large spider web spanning a 20 foot space... we wondered if the spider was the size of dinner plate, but the local guides we asked later said no, it is a small spider but builds extremely strong and large webs....

We work our way back to the start of trail and board a raft we had arranged to return us to park centre... Now this is a cool trip, for maybe 30 minutes, even though you are in close proximity to thousands of other falls lookers, (I understand that there is capacity for 12000 daily visitors to this attraction, and no doubt a similar number on Brasil side) you feel you are almost in a wilderness. The float on a 12 man oar boat is wonderful, the water is quiet, the oarsman/guide experienced and knowledgeable... We see an Alligator, Turtle, many plants and birds... delightful....

Too soon we are back in the fray, to peek up the skirts and over the shoulders of most of the reported 275 water drops from as many angles as engineeringly possible. The upper trail follows the upper rim of the falls for some 650m providing, some vertigo inspiring views as well as great panoramas of the many cascades.... Not quite as many folks on this trail, maybe the lack of a train to the start puts them off.... Many folks were posing for photos, a few are included here.... Folks also wear interesting headgear...

From the upper trail we head straight for the lower trail, hoping to see all the glory that is Iguazu Falls before powering out. The lower trail is longer, some 2.2 kms which takes you to the base of the falls and glorious panoramic views of the network of falls, you can even get wet in the spray at the closest viewing point....

And it is now time for the highlight event, a side trail from the lower trail takes us to the launch area for a power boat ride up the river (a package deal with the previous raft for $160ar). An opportunity to take photos on a relatively quiet pass and then a christening under the falls themselves.... This did not disappoint, we get many more photos and we are thoroughly soaked by the river.... Some might say almost a religious experience..... Or maybe not...

And it is over in 12 exhilarating minutes.... We make our way back to the park gates, decide we don't need to get our passes stamped to get a 50% discount on an entry tomorrow... Would be hard to recreate the excitement twice in row.... Some use a second day to go to Brasil and look at the falls from the vantage point on that side of the river. An entry Visa is required, costing some $70US...The Brasil vantage point is said to be a more panoramic view as it is from farther away, and you can also see the falls from a helicopter there, which is not allowed by Argentina... Seemed unnecessary to us as had already seen falls up close and personal and from afar....

The remis/taxi is more than 30 minutes late for our pre-arranged pickup time with no explanation, although we see him go by toward the big Sheraton Hotel in the park with a passenger 20 minutes after he was supposed to pick us up....fricking taxis, they are all unreliably the same...

We think an extra day at Puerto Iguasu is not really necessary, we phone the Aerolinus Argentina helpless line to try and get a flight the next day to Buenos Aires and get there a day earlier than planned... They do not disappoint and tell us they can't help us, they suggest that maybe we can get a first class flight if we go to airport but they don't know the cost....wtf? We decide to stay with the original plan....

A couple beers by the hotel micro pool and then to eat. Dinner is indeed a religious experience at restaurant Aqva, a delightful mystery appetizer platter, a glass of wine and an entre of delicious river fish and potatoes, again no cluttering vegetables...a dessert of passion fruit mousse that was a 10 out of 10 and I'm not a dessert fan....

We hang around by the hotel pool on the final day, enjoy the sun, some get sunburned.... Daytime temperatures are 34 degrees, most services open only late in afternoon. 

Dinner again at Aqva, should have stuck with rule of never dining at same place twice.... The same magic was not there.... Maybe the chef gets sunday off?

Rising early we are at the airport by 8:30 and on the scheduled 10:15 flight to Buenos Aires by 10:45...