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Speed-boat through a waterfall, standing underneath the spray, clambering over a walkway at the top, toucans flying overhead, giant spiders, glorious butterflies and tropical birds... all in a day's work at the stunning Iguazu Falls.
The Falls straddle the border of Brazil and Argentina, so on the first day we walked around the falls from the Brazilian side. On first sight, it was just breathtaking - the noise of the crashing water is deafening, the spray flies so high into the air and every turn brings a new, even better viewpoint. Huge birds of prey circle overhead atmospherically, giant bugs land on the path ahead and the air is thick with excitement at being at one of the natural wonders of the world. Or so I thought it was...
Ab out 5 places I've been to so far have claimed to be one of the wonders of the world, including Itaipu Dam (where I went today), so after lengthy discussions amongst our tour group I decided to settle once and for all who had seen the most Wonders. Turns out, there are 5 different lists of Wonders... and Iguazu isn't on any of them! Sadly also omitted are Angkor Wat, Halong Bay, the Terracotta Army - its scandalous! The original (ancient) 7 mostly don't exist anymore, and some of the others are just random. Pericutin, anyone? I mean really... Still, I now have an extensive list of places to visit to see the others. It might take me a while.
Anyway, back to the Falls. Stunning, breathtaking, stops-you-in-your-tracks amazing. Photos can't do justice to the spectacle, but I've tried. Legend has it that the Falls were created by an angry God, furious that his warrior had escaped with his young bride down the river - so he threw down his spear, killing the couple (the girl later became a rock at the bed of the falls) and creating the huge crashing Devil's Throat. I walked across the walkway at the very top, getting soaked by the spray and just astounded by the force of nature before me. The first day we took in the Brazilian side of the Falls, but on the second day it was the Argentinian side which really made it (sorry to all my Brazilian friends). Putting aside my feelings about boats, I signed up for the speedboat ride which crashed through the spray at the foot of the falls, made even heavier by the rain from the night before - over 4 million litres per second fell on my head!
Definitely a highlight of the whole trip.
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