It is really hard to find words to describe the magnificent magnitude of Iguazú Falls.  The name “Iguazu” comes from the Guarani or Tupi words, meaning “water”, and “ûasú “(wa’su), meaning “big”. Legend has it that a deity planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In a rage, the deity sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall. The first European to record the existence of the falls was the Spanish conauistador, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, in 1541.

We did several hikes today. We could see the falls all the way to the Brazil side which is about 1.5 miles away.   The volume of the water today it is much higher than normal although it has been even higher in the past.

The photographs I took can barely depict the enormity of these falls.  I could have stood there for hours and hours and hours just watching them.

I think the videoI took was from top of the San Martin Falls.

I was sad when I read the following words which we found on an information board.

“Barely four decades ago the waters of the river ran clear. Since then with forest clearance in most of the watershed, each time that it rains the water washes away the unprotected soil which turns the river red. Turbidity affects wildlife; fish cannot find each other to court and spawn; and birds and mammals, which feed on fish, cannot see their prey. Today the dams upriver act as sedimentation tanks and may lessen the problem.”

Of course I had to have a photos of Ann and  myself at the falls.

On the trails around the park we saw many Coati which are very, very aggressive because people sometimes break the rules and feed them. I am sure I have seen these same animals in the rain forest in Ecuador. They kind of look like a cross between a raccoon and a possum.

The babies are pretty cute.

But I actually watched one of them jump up and knock a woman’s bag out of her hand.  Since they can really do damage if they bite, she was pretty flustered.

The monkeys spiders spin very strong webs.  We were able to reach down and feel the web of this monkey spider.  The webs are very tough.

I was lucky to get a photo of this Southeast Collared Spiny Lizard which was up in the crook of a tree.

We saw a couple of Toucans but I was never lucky enough to get a photograph of any of them.

We walked around the falls most of the afternoon and then took a train ride …

…before we walked to Devil’s Throat which I believe is also called Garganta del Diablo.

We saw a Southern cormorant.  I only know the name of this bird because Sue Deitderich was on our trip and is helping me with identification.

The power of the water coming over the falls was overwhelming.

I hope you get sense of  the power of Devils Throat from this video.

Our visit ended with a  short float down the river in a raft.

The ride was very peaceful and a great way to end a fantastic day.  If you ever get the chance to be in Argentina, make sure you go to Iguazú Falls.