IGUAZU FALLS
Argentina-Brazil

On June 22, 1989, we flew from Rio de Janeiro to the Iguazú Falls. We were in our way to Buenos Aires, Argentina and arranged for a stop over the Iguazú Falls. We arrived early in the afternoon and the pilot offered us to take an low aerial view of the falls as we were approaching the landing field at Port Iguazú.

Although we read a lot about this place, we really were not prepared for this visit. We had read about them, we had looked at pictures, watched movies... however, to experience these Falls is something different. I don't think anyone could really understand the magnificent spectacle that Iguazu would offer to the visitors. You need to be here and let all your senses perceive the sight, the resounding torrential waters running and falling all around you, to let the jungle touch you and even taste the delicious food and fruits of this paradisiac place.

I will present some pictures, only a few, convinced that unless you visit this natural miracle you won't be able to fully appreciate what I'm trying to offer here. Honestly, this is one page, I am creating primarily for me, for my own recreation and satisfaction and do not the interests of the visitors that I may draw into this site. I ask your forgiveness for my self-motivation in doing it. However, I hope that you will enjoy it as well.

From the airport, a taxi took us to the five-star Hotel International Iguazú. You can select your rooms to look into the jungle or to the falls. We selected a room looking toward the falls. In the afternoon we took a tour to the upper side of the falls in the Argentine side. A boardwalk allowed us to walk almost to the same drop of the deafening and famous "Devil's Throat" (La Garganta del Diablo). This is an impressive waterfall of 84 meters.

The following morning a tour took us to Itaupú, a hydroelectric project in the Paraná river, we crossed the International Bridge and went to Ciudad del Este (formerly Puerto Strossner) for some shopping. This is a border town in Paraguay. After having lunch and watching a folkloric show at "Las Tres Fronteras", we crossed to Brazil to look at the Falls from the Brazilian side. As we were looking at the Falls from Brazil, we were able to understand a saying that the local Brazilians say, "cataratas e muito mais" (the falls and much more). To visit the falls is a sensitive wholistic experience. The photograph at the right is the Rivadavia Fall as seen from Brazil. Late in the afternoon we returned to our hotel in Argentina.

The morning of the next day, we went out to explore the falls from the Argentine side. A well-marked trail leaves the hotel gardens. This trail goes down to the falls and we were able to cross over the different branches of the river by boardwalks. Iguazú is not just one big fall, there are hundreds of magnificent falls some of them alone will give fame to any place in the world.

Eventually, we took a canoe that allowed us to approach almost the base of the San Martin Fall and then landed in an island surrounded by the falls and the rushing rapids. After exploring the island we walked up to one of its ends to look at the Rivadavia Fall through the "Window of the Iguazú" (La Ventana del Iguazú). You can see the Window in the photograph at the right. The fall in the background is "Hidden Fall" (Salto Escondido).

From the island we were able to have a magnificent view of the "Devil's Throat" from a downstream perspective.

The photograph at the left shows the "Devil's Throat Falls" covered in permanent fog as seen from the island in the middle of the river just in front of the San Martin Fall.

I will not take sides in the everyday common local discussion regarding if the view of the Falls is better from Brazil or from Argentina.

I would say that they are two completely different experiences. From Brazil you have a better panoramic view, however, as you walk through the falls in the Argentine side you are almost inside the falls. You need to get wet and feel their force, but also you have to step back and look at them from a distance to appreciate their full beauty and magnificence.

The photo above shows the double fall of the San Martin, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful of the complex.

Walking amidst the falls, the river, the rapids, the jungle... we were able to observe toucans flying over us or perching on the trees growing on the upper side of the falls... hummingbirds or butterflies flying from flower to flower...

In the afternoon of our third and last day, we went back to the airport to take a plane for Buenos Aires. We were not the same, an awesome feeling went out with us... we were careful enough to leave no trace of our visit to the falls, however, the falls marked us for ever: Our appreciation and love for God's creative power grew deeper and deeper in our hearts. After all our love for nature is our love for God's creation!

Photographs © 1989 - Antonio Fernández

SOME LINKS TO OTHER IGUAZU FALLS PAGES:

• Description of tours to Iguazú Falls offered by Uniglobe.
• Snap shots from Iguazú Falls, Argentina prepared by the White Falcon Project.
• Photo Gallery of various points of interest in Argentina.

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