Iguazu Falls

The alarm went off at three in the morning and ten minutes later the double A type personality asked what I was doing even though she knew perfectly well I was awake but immobile.

Our guide Jessica showed up promptly at our campground at 4:20 and drive us to the empty reception area at the Iguazu Falls National Park. 

You can visit the falls from Argentina or Brazil though our tour is exclusive to this side of the border where we got in before the park opens to the general public. It was us and another group of a dozen people plus another twelve or so early bird individuals who paid to show up before opening time. 

It was dark when we started on the cement walkway down to the viewing platform  to see this world wonder. I have no idea how they classify waterfalls but this is two miles long which makes it the longest and it pushes between one million and 800 million liters of river water over the falls every minute depending on the depth of the river. I really have no idea what’s of that means but I can tell you the place is huge and I have been to Niagara Falls but this is huger, by far.

The thing is you can’t see all of it at once.  Were you driving past these falls in your car you’d stop for any of them to look at them in awe but here a spout of white water looks like a mere dribble of a waterfall, like nothing when compared to the main horseshoe. And what you see here is a portion of the main fall. 

These are the three musketeers. 

But everywhere you look water is frothing down the cliffs. 

It’s become an international attraction apparently so they’ve tightened up the rules here according to Jessica.

Families used to treat the park as a picnic area for weekend barbecues and casual outings. Nowadays it’s regulated with entry by tickets only and no private vehicles, only buses and tour cars like ours. 

Toucans flew overhead and we could identify them by their short flapping wings and bright orange beak gleaming in the morning sunlight. We are planning to visit a remarkable bird sanctuary nearby to see them up close. 

Most of the early birds left to line up at the breakfast buffet which opens at seven. We stayed in a bit and enjoyed the emptiness. 

Turkey vultures here like in Florida: 

The access route is by cement trail through the woods where Jessica introduced us to edible if not always tasty plants. A monkey banana not for human consumption. 

Not sure how she got down to the viewing platform but luckily the way back to the bus stop was by elevator, very civilized even for those of us in sneakers. No uphill climbs here! 

It was a great tour, a good start to the day. After we rode the elevator up to Jessica and the car…

…on the way back to the visitor center for breakfast we passed some wildlife too. 

A family of lemurs foraging. 

Some Saturday morning spandex cyclists. 

And Johnny Rook as the caracara is known in the Falkland Islands. 

My favorite bird. A very intelligent bird of prey.

Breakfast was the usual Brazilian blowout buffet.

And by the time we left the place was packed with more people on the way in.

And if your phone needs a boost check this out. New to me: 

Thank you Jessica. 

Soaking wet and happy.

Our latest campground. If we could plug in to shore power we could park in the shade. Nevertheless it’s been cold enough at night in the mid 60s we’ve not needed air conditioning. That’s been a nice change.