Argentina Diary: Iguazu Falls And The Power Of Nature

At Iguazu Falls

Leaning over the railing to get a better look, I felt my stomach churn, as if the yawning, menacing chasm below was waiting to swallow everything in sight. Then I saw a solitary motorboat. Floating sturdily in the churning muddy water, it wasn’t far from the mighty horseshoe waterfalls that cascaded thunderously, endlessly, sending up clouds of mist. Such was the power of nature at Iguazu Falls in Argentina that I, for one, was glad we’d skipped a boating expedition. Darshan from a distance seemed more appropriate. While a few people had urged us to visit the Brazilian side as well for panoramic views, I had no regrets that we couldn’t make it. Viewing the world’s largest waterfall system is a privilege from any side. Spanning close to two miles, it consists of 275 waterfalls. That’s almost twice as wide as Niagara Falls.

Bordering two nations, Iguazu Falls (meaning ‘Big Water in Guarani) is at the confluence of the Iguazú and Paraná rivers. The region is home to the indigenous Guarani, many of whom live in a 600-hectare rainforest reserve, where we spent a night in an ecolodge. One advantage of the Argentine side, which has 80 per cent of the falls, is that you get close-up views. Before doing the upper and lower circuits, we were on the elevated walkway that took us to the most spectacular spot of all, the Devil’s Throat, which spans 500 feet and rises to 270 feet. It has 14 separate falls, and you can hear the roar well before getting there. Luckily, we hadn’t forgotten our ponchos.

A Sobering Moment

Along with other excited visitors, we took pictures and selfies, jostling good-naturedly for the best angles despite the furious spray drenching us. An ‘official’ photographer, standing on a platform and shielded by an umbrella, was attracting families for fancier portraits. We also succumbed and as instructed, posed in front of the U-shaped falls with raised hands. None of it felt silly, to be honest, but a sobering moment came when I read that barely four decades ago, the water in the basin had been pristine. The murky brown colour came as a shock. Although the rainy season, which increases sedimentation, was an explanation, we couldn’t deny the long-term impact of deforestation and effluents.

Mission Accomplished

Birds like toucans and jays, with their distinctive beaks and colourful plumes, are another big draw at Iguazu Falls. Some were perched on the trees next to the walkway, allowing us to take pictures. Unexpectedly, the soundtrack of The Mission, a 40-year-old movie shot in this area, began playing in my head. I’d watched it on DVD a while ago and only had a vague memory of Roland Joffé’s tragic film involving Christian missionaries, the Guarani and colonialism. What has stayed with me is Ennio Morricone’s majestic score. Like Philip Glass’s soaring music for Kundun, it is unforgettable.

The tracks of The Mission—‘On Earth as It Is in Heaven’, ‘The Falls’, ‘Ave Maria Guarani’, etc.—tell their own haunting story. ‘Guarani’ appears in three of the 20 tracks. The music, still playing soundlessly, stopped only when I boarded the eco-train that took us back to where we’d started our exploration. Before exiting the park, we bou­ght a souvenir from a Guarani vendor and reme­mbered to pick up our precious family portrait. Our triple-destination trip had involved planes, trains, automobiles, even boats. A large ferry, which held cars in its belly, had transported us from one city to another. Cities can be endlessly interesting but it was our final stop, Iguazu Falls, that filled us with wonder. Nothing is more humbling than nature. In Puerto Iguazu, considered the gateway to the falls, we stopped at Hito Tres Fronteras, a tri-border area that marks the convergence of three nations—Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay—where two rivers meet.

After strolling through the charming, laid-back town, which in some ways reminded us of India, we avoided the touristy strip and had dinner on a quiet street. Emerging from the restaurant, we were startled to see the words ‘ROPA-HINDU’ glowing above a shop. The friendly Argentine owner told us that she sold clothes and accessories from India.

“My poor Niagara,” Eleanor Roosevelt had supposedly said when she saw Iguazu Falls. That’s almost certainly apocryphal, for there’s no proof the First Lady ever went there. But for those who have visited both places, the words couldn’t sound truer.