Date of Entry: May 11th 2016
Date of Writing: August 14th 2016
Yesterday was cloudy, today at least the sky holds hopeful patches as Lydia, David and I wake up in the morning and head back to the Argentinean side of Iguazu falls. The three musketeers eager to experience the falls together, and today I’ll also be visiting the Macuco trail for only the second time of my many visits.
After a quick breakfast and jaunt to the bakery as well as the bus station to get lunch ingredients and bust tickets we’re on our way pulling up to the park paying our entrance (160 ARS (second day of visit includes a half price discount if you revalidate your 320 ARS ticket at the end of your first day) and heading across the green trail to the upper trail, which we’ve decided to start on. The key isn’t clear but the patches of blue remain and with these two awesome people beside me Iguazu dazzles.
As we continue along the upper trail to my favourite photo viewpoint on the Argentinean side we pause for more photos together, David and I reimagining one we originally took down at the southern ed of the world in Tierra Del Fuego National park. Butterflies also start fluttering around us as the sun starts to peak out a tiny bit more. The three of us merrily walking along the fairly uncrowded boardwalks chatting away, mostly in english because German people are awesome.
As the clouds part even further the gushing waters seem somehow brighter and whiter. More photogenic if it’s possible and I hold the others back here a few minutes so I can just stand there watching the water fall. I could happily do it for hours at a time. Iguazu is my paradise.
After some more close encounters of the butterfly varieties and finishing off the upper trail going back the way we’ve come and hopping on the regular train to the start of the devil’s throat boardwalk. David has only been to the Brazilian side before and While Lydia and I know what’s waiting for us I’m not sure that doesn’t serve to make us more excited. On the way out into the centre of the massive river we spot a few very fascinating looking turtles, including one with something of an odd headdress.
Leaving the turtles behind we arrive at the epicenter of the madness that is one of the most singularly impressive places I have ever visited. The divil’s throat, on a viewing platform perched atop the edge of a long narrow horseshoe of waterfalls unlike anything I’ve ever seen. David is suitably impressed, Lydia and I are just thrilled to be back here again. Especially since the sun has really started coming out, and butterflies are flittering all around us.
As the rays of sun warm us against the chilling swirling mists that seem an ever present up here we end up spending a good long while just all finding different vantage points and individually enjoying this very special place. I take pictures, but I also put away the camera for long sections of time, just enjoying the moment. Oh and butterflies land everywhere, including Lydia’s butt.
Finally, we check the time and then decide we have to be heading back if we want to do the macuco trail which closes earlier than the rest of the park and leads to a separate waterfall where swimming is permitted. On the way back to the train we spot more turtles, some massive fishes and a big birght spider.
Climbing off the train at Estacion Cataratas we eat a second round of lunch before heading off the trails along the railway tracks towards the park entrance me leading the way to the start of the trail and trying to watch for toucans though frustratingly none appear. Last time I walked this trail I saw a handful of them. Oh well. After walking for about 45 minutes talking quietly the whole way me watching the dense green canopies above for any movement we come to a sign indicating that descending to the base of the waterfall is temporarily closed, that said almost no one’s around so we decide to just give it a try and find no problem with the path down.
We all take a refreshing dip, climbing around in the falls, swimming everywhere in the chilly waters. Lydia suffers a small cut but otherwise we all emerge quite happy to have been made the trail hike. We pause for the last leavings of our picnic up above the falls enjoying a beautiful view of the dense atlantic rain forest that blankets the Iguazu reaching. Sadly there’s still no toucans to be seen.
We head back along the trail and consider going back to the lower trail one more time. Lydia and I are exhausted and decide it’s best to head home and make sure we’re ready for the Brazilian side of the falls tomorrow. David who has not yet been on the lower trail heads down. It hurts to leave early but the light show we receive upon our arrival in Puerto Iguazu more or less makes it worth it. We chill at the hostel and David joins us for dinner at Bambu before a night spent flipping aimlessly through tinder, playing ping pong and watching grey’s anatomy. And only two of those statements make me hate myself.
