Subject: Butterflies, birds, mosquitoes, pears, empanadas del pollo, AND A WHOLE LOT OF WATER!
Date: Sun, February 14, 2010 12:21:24 AM
Hola,
I checked into the hotel and freshened up, and around 4pm or so I left for a walk to the falls. By the time I started walking it was drizzling slightly but I didn't care -- I knew I'd get wet later anyway! The cab driver had given me a tourist map which showed all the walking trails around the falls. Everything is on Argentina side, since I don't have a Brazilian visa -- although I can see Brazil across the river.
The map has 4 trails marked out, and I followed the "Upper Circuit" trail which goes along the rim of the Upper Iguazu River just as it falls about 200 feet down to the Lower Iguazu River. There are more than 25 individual waterfalls all along this route, and that's about half of what makes up "Cataratas del Iguazu". And I'm counting the "multi-story" falls as separate waterfalls to get that 25 number -- not that this place needs any embellishment! The cab driver had told me that the "Upper Circuit" trail will take about 2 hours round trip. I took my time, strolling through, taking more than 200 pictures (that have since been condensed to less than 100), and slapping mosquitoes. Along the way there is a lighthouse, and another person had told me that you can climb it for a good view of the whole falls (my guess: more than a mile long)... but when I got to the lighthouse the door to go in was locked... so maybe I'll try again tomorrow.
The falls were fantastic! I've never seen any (combined) waterfalls this wide before -- or with so many "layers" to it! It was drizzling off-and-on and I was wet throughout... when it wasn't drizzling, there was plenty of mist from the falls... I don't remember how many times I kept wiping the camera lens or my glasses! The trail is also somewhat unique. The walkway is a metal mesh in most places, about 10-15 feet above the river and in many places at the edge of the falls, so you can look straight down at the falling water! The "Upper Iguazu River" falls down into the "Lower Iguazu River" across a distance of 2.7km (1.67miles) and there are 275 individual falls in that, the biggest one being "Devil's Throat falls" which I haven't seen yet. This is the wikipedia site which gives a lot more details and comparisons to Niagara and Victoria Falls:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazu_falls
It was close to 6pm by the time I got back from the trail, and that's when I realized how hungry I was -- I hadn't had a real "meal" since about 7am this morning, with just 1 slice of a lemon pie before my flight to Iguazu. There are 2 restaurants within the national Park, and one of them was closed. So I went to the other one -- if it can be called a restaurant! I ordered a couple of empenadas after asking "que es?" -- they were in the shape of samosas! I've never seen empenadas in the shape of samosas before! Anyway, I was the only person in that "cafeteria" and took my time eating my "lunch+dinner" while waving away mosquitoes and other flies.
After that it was time to get back to the hotel and enjoy the view from here! (There are signs everywhere that say you're not allowed on the trails after 6pm). I have a balcony overlooking the "hotel grounds" and the waterfalls and rising mist about 1/2 mile or so away. And 90-degrees to the left: Brazil (across the Lower Iguazu River). This is a fantastic room!
Tomorrow, I want to do the "Lower Circuit" (views from the bottom looking up) and the "Devil's Throat Circuit" (top of Devil's Throat Falls) and then a drenching speedboat ride (view from the Lower Iguazu River looking up). And if time permits, an ecological jungle tour too! Today was only about 1-2 miles of walking... tomorrow might be closer to 6-7 miles! But I have all day...
I've uploaded all the photos so far, it took me a while to go through all of them and remove duplicates/bad pictures... There are about 49 from yesterday and 83 from today (not yet available, will be after 5 minutes). Just follow the South America link from my website.
I cannot see the falls or the mist at night.
Adios,
-yo.
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| Feb 12 | Contents | Feb 14 |