Once you pay your entrance fee and enter on the Brazilian side a bus runs from the welcome center around the park making stops at some of the attractions. We got off the bus at the cataracts walk and as we stepped off we could already hear the falls – a light background noise which only increases as you get closer and closer to the falls. By the time you reach the end of the trail and are right up by the waterfall the power of the water makes so much noise you can’t even speak above it. There is nothing to do but be overwhelmed by the sight and sound of Iguazu Falls.
The trail heads down away from the road. You turn the corner and the first view of the falls opens up. Falls with an s is the correct word. This section seems as if it is made up of about 20 to 30 different waterfalls scattered across two different levels. The view is so impressive it is hard to believe that this is not even the most amazing part of the falls. Stand and stare for a while, take more pictures than should be necessary, move on. Luckily for us there are not many people there during the Thanksgiving weekend and we don’t have to battle for a good view. After just a few minutes in front of the falls I can already feel my stress melting away, being washed down river by the incessant passage of the water. Continue down the path and we follow along the side of the waterfall. Enjoying the views from every angle I am occasionally distracted by the butterflies, worms, spiders and quati. As we venture down the trail a bit more, the view of the waterfalls is obstructed by all of the trees but the sound gets steadily louder. Suddenly the view opens up again and I realize what had amazed me before wasn’t even the main part of the falls. Here is the widest falls I’ve ever seen with an enormous amount of power (no wonder the equivalent has been enough to power all of Paraguay and 50% of Brazil running only 1/5 of the year at Itapu Dam). The best part is the realization that the path leads out over the water and we will be able to get remarkably close to the water – right in front of it in fact. A goofy grin is on my face and it is as if I am a little high on the power of nature. And I truly do mean power. It is a bit like intruding on a bit of mystical magic from early days – as it does not seem that much could make any sort of difference in the view. It is out of time and one of those reminders of just how forceful nature can be. The view from right beside the falls, and then later up on an observation deck above the falls, does nothing to dissuade me. This is truly one of the most amazing things I’ve seen in my life. Grand, impressive, powerful and overwhelming in an entirely new way.
