Somewhere in the Northeast corner of Argentina, the country kisses the corners of both Brazil and Paraguay right along the Paranáriver. The river continues South for 14 miles until it splits off in o the Iguazú river, dividing Brazil and Argentina and flows between these two countries. Before continuing East, the water cascades more than 250ft down the breathtaking Iguazu Falls.
Last week I flew from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu with the other 9 IBUS in Argentina students. We visited an animal reserve and woke up early and drove to Iguazú National Park to see the waterfalls after a quick hike through the rainforest. We followed the path among monkeys and swarms of butterflies out into the sunshine and came across an absolutely breathtaking view of a constant and massive massive wall of water, shedding up to 400,000 gallons of water per second. The multiple walkways offered various views of the falls. The first path offered a panoramic of all the falls, another brought us near the bottom of the falls, and the last put us right on top of the cataracts at the “Devil’s Throat” where you can look down and see birds circling in the 500 ft mist created by the massive drop.
I stood as close to the falls as I could, so that I could feel the mist on my face until I had to shut my eyes and start over. I could hear the roar of the falling water, and felt tiny in comparison to this massive humbling natural force. I stood there thinking that I have never seen any natural occurrence as powerful as the waterfalls, both literally and figuratively. Although most nature goes to rest eventually, the water pounds the rocks below relentlessly. Unlike most other natural landscapes that can be awe inspiring by way of their serenity, the waterfalls are a violently beautiful and endlessly powerful view that makes the background of rainbows, butterflies, and rainforest seem all the more peaceful by way of juxtaposition.
The indigenous people of the region, the Guarani, have a romantic story to match the epic drama of the landscape. According to legend, a God called M’Boi planned to marry a woman named Naipi. However, before the marriage took place Naipi eloped with her true love, a warrior named Tarobá . They escaped down the river in a canoe, but when M’Boi found out he furiously ripped the earth to create the massive divide. Before the newly wedded lovers tumbled to their death, M’Boi turned Tarobá into the palm tree that now sits above the falls on what is now the Brazilian side, and turned Naipi into a rock at the bottom of the falls, so that the lovers can see each other, but never be together. The couple still manages to show their love for each by way of a rainbow that connects the two.
The falls are definitely something to add to the bucket list, and have secured their place on my personal list as the most incredible natural wonder I have ever seen in all of my travels.
-Giordano
