Don't Go Jumping

We left cosmopolitan Buenos Aires for yet more jungle, this time Iguazu, which sits near the Argentine-Brazilian-Paraguayan borders.  

Walking into the national park, you are struck by how quiet and remote it feels and that's in spite of the many tourists.  A short ride on the miniature train and then a stroll down some pathways do not cue you for what you are about to see.  The few streams you cross are actually quiet but when you catch your first glimpse of the waterfalls, your breath is taken away.  They are much larger, in how far they extend, than you imagine. 

You have little sense of the size or the noise until you're almost right upon them.  Not the ideal place to go canoeing then...

The views are simply spectacular.

There are even rainbows in the mist-clad waters.

Walking along the lower reaches, sees you slowly getting soaked by the mist.



 Taking a less ethereal approach to getting wet, we also took a speedboat ride up to the waterfall's edge and were duly soaked very promptly.  You could not keep your eyes open with the water lashing you!

Elsewhere, although it's hard to tear your eyes away from the water, there is quite an array of wildlife in the park.  We saw a lot of these furry critters.  Judging by the number we saw trying to scramble onto cafe tables would appear to like chips.  We saw one ant go down though, so at least they're not just eating junk food.  They are Coatis and are part of the racoon family although one drunk American didn't worry about the details - "I'm gonna have some beers at the bar with those badgers!" he loudly proclaimed as he clambered off the speedboat.

Said American was later seen indeed consuming more beer but also, more alarmingly, with a bow and arrow in his other hand.  This he duly unleashed from time to time into the open grass area in front of the cafe.  So much for Responsible Service to Archers....Fortunately, an Argentinian girl declined his invitation to put an apple on her head, despite his, admittedly not entirely convincing, assurance that he was a good shot.

We spent the best part of day here and I now have many, many, photos of water to sift through. 

How it used to look