Iguazú Falls or Cataratas del Iguazú

The Hostel driver brought us to the enormous Buenos Aires Bus station for $US10 and once again we went through the process of putting our rucksacks into the flight bags. This works very well and protects the rucksacks from being manhandled and the pockets from prying fingers. The overnight coach cost $US66 and is the most comfortable coach (Via Barilloche) we have ever been on in our lives. Fully reclining massive seats, airline style meals and in flight movies. Definately the way to travel. However the first hostel in Puerto Iguazu was not such a delight. It was called Hostel Sweet Hostel but the only thing sweet about it was the bit of jam we got with our minimalist breakfast the next morning. We were shown to our small dark, smelly room by a young man with a "couldn't care less" attitude and were only too glad to leave the enormous bug under our bed the next morning and head for Hostel Canaos. What a difference! Here the staff were welcoming and the place was brightly coloured with spacious rooms and all very clean.

In the morning we caught the local bus out to see the waterfalls. The first European to see the falls was Álvarez Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541. The name “Iguazú” is a Guaraní word meaning “big water”.The falls form a semicircle of about 1500 m and are shared by Argentina and Brazil. It was a lovely sunny hot day and criss crossing rivers throughout the park we recognised many foreign tongues on the trails and bridges. Dutch, English, American, Aussie, Russian, Brasilian, German.... you name it and they were there. And no wonder too. The thundering torrents of water are simply mesmorising.

The walk to the largest of the waterfalls, The Devil's Throat, meanders over the calm approaching river. You could hardly imagine the fate of these peaceful waters, until the distant sound of the waterfalls slowly turned into a thunderous roar. How terrified you would be if you were in a boat! I'm still in awe of the geography of a waterfall - the complete 90 degree drop in the riverbed.

One of the viewing points almost hangs you over the edge of one of the falls. With the wet slippery platform and the other viewers eager to get to the best spot, I held onto the railing with white knuckles! The views onto the smaller falls from the San Martin island were equally beautiful but far less crowded. We were able to spend more time admiring their magnficence and getting lost in thought. We also needed time to dry out after the soaking we got on the boat ride :) (see video below)

We saw a turtle sunning himself on a rock, the most beautifully marked butterflies, a toucan with a beak which challenged the size of Richard's nose, and naughty coates (racoon like animals) stealing innocent tourists' lunches.

The good weather blessed us for the Argentine side viewing, but departed us the day we planned to go to the Brasilian side. The falls came to our hostel instead. The spare bed in our room soaked up our own personal waterfall. We'd had a late night out with some other travellers the night before, so were pleased to relax in the hostel and plan our journey's next leg.