In terms of national pride as well as vacation-destination prominence, Iguazu Falls might be considered South America’s combination of The Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls. Which is perfectly apropos as it also literally looks like a real-life combination of The Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls.
Having many gorges and folds, this internationally renowned National Park, recently named one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World and an UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a huge expanse containing over 270 separate falls, as it is a series of tributaries and a splintered main-river flowing over a mass tangle of cliffs. Pictures cannot do the scale of this wonder proper justice.
The river is called the Iguazu River (Big Waters) and it separates Southern Brazil from Northern Argentina and Eastern Paraquay. You can visit it from any of the three countries, but we did not want to go through the process of obtaining a Brazilian Visa as the Argentine side contains most of the overlooks.
And speaking of which, the overlooks are a spectacular series of metal catwalks built right up to, and in some places, slightly over, the edges of many of the smaller falls. They are a breathtaking feat of engineering, and make for a 360-degree full sight, sound and touch sensory experience – like a real-life Imax 3D movie but with water spray – image that, kids!
The main fall is called The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) and it is a very tight, deep and rapid horseshoe. It is flanked by 16-minor (but still quite large) falls in several, more straightened rows.
As it is 500-miles closer to the equator, and on the southern edge of Brazil’s rainforest, it was close to 100F degrees again, and with very high humidity, a sticky experience. Walking to the edges was painfully hot, but once you approached a cliff, the rush of the cool mist made you were literally tempted to jump over the edge and take your chances at survival!
This was the perfect side-trip; a Wychocki Learning Institute “no school-work Field Trip day" - and one that truly lived up to all of the brochure hype.
- Mike
Having many gorges and folds, this internationally renowned National Park, recently named one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World and an UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a huge expanse containing over 270 separate falls, as it is a series of tributaries and a splintered main-river flowing over a mass tangle of cliffs. Pictures cannot do the scale of this wonder proper justice.
The river is called the Iguazu River (Big Waters) and it separates Southern Brazil from Northern Argentina and Eastern Paraquay. You can visit it from any of the three countries, but we did not want to go through the process of obtaining a Brazilian Visa as the Argentine side contains most of the overlooks.
And speaking of which, the overlooks are a spectacular series of metal catwalks built right up to, and in some places, slightly over, the edges of many of the smaller falls. They are a breathtaking feat of engineering, and make for a 360-degree full sight, sound and touch sensory experience – like a real-life Imax 3D movie but with water spray – image that, kids!
The main fall is called The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) and it is a very tight, deep and rapid horseshoe. It is flanked by 16-minor (but still quite large) falls in several, more straightened rows.
As it is 500-miles closer to the equator, and on the southern edge of Brazil’s rainforest, it was close to 100F degrees again, and with very high humidity, a sticky experience. Walking to the edges was painfully hot, but once you approached a cliff, the rush of the cool mist made you were literally tempted to jump over the edge and take your chances at survival!
This was the perfect side-trip; a Wychocki Learning Institute “no school-work Field Trip day" - and one that truly lived up to all of the brochure hype.
- Mike
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