Iguazu Falls

Coming from Victoria Falls, we thought we knew what to expect when we finally arrived at Iguazu Falls. We paid our admission, boarded the brightly colored shuttle, and trundled off through the forest to viewpoint 1. Following the rest of the travelers, we wound our way down a short switchback ramp to arrive at a viewing platform. Paul and I spent quite a while there, enjoying the view and watching a small motorboat make its way into the mist of the falls a few times. Then we meandered to viewpoint 2, where we were fascinated by all the gorgeous butterflies we found as well as the changing views of the falls.

Little did we know that this was the smallest part of the falls. So (comparatively) small in fact, that none of the pictures of that part of the falls have made it into this entry. As we wound our way to further viewpoints, we became more and more astonished. All of this water seemed to flow from nowhere, endlessly spilling out over the ridges and creating these spectacular falls. Then we turned a corner and saw the sight in the picture below. We knew it would get even better!

We actually restrained ourselves from seeing the final viewpoint until after lunch because: (1) It was almost 3pm and we hadn't eaten (2) I was getting very hungry and needed food to take my meds for my nerve/sinus issues (3) I'm extremely grumpy when I'm hungry, and Paul knows it's best to just get me fed. So we temporarily skipped the finale and went above the falls, to the calm, muddy brown water that flows downstream and ate at the restaurant there. After lunch we made our way back, to the cherry-on-top of the day...

We started out by taking an elevator down to be next to the falls, surrounded by people (and butterflies!) and just marvelled at how so much water could be continuously flowing. Then we packed away our things in the dry bag I had brought and walked across the mist-drenched walkway to the main viewpoint. On the way we saw gorgeous rainbows!

Then we got to the main platform, which is sitting above another tier of falls and looks straight into the grey misty haze of rainbows and water falling downwards so forcefully that you can barely hear yourself talk (one even think!). Even though you are getting slightly less wet than on the walkway, it is not a dry place. It is a place that makes you remember how small you are and how powerful nature is. It's mesmerizing, and a bit dizzying, watching the water constantly race down the sides of the cliff. I've seen a lot of waterfalls, but I've never seen anything like this. As in many cases, the pictures just don't do it justice. You have to be there, you have to stand there looking up and feel the cold mist on your face and the rumbling in your ears to understand the magic that is Iguazu Falls.