Iguazú and Iguaçu -- Two sides of the Falls

Thirty years on, the opening scene of "The Mission" is seared in my memory: a man strapped to a wooden cross floating down increasingly tortured rapids and then inevitably, to my horror, plunging over the biggest waterfalls I had ever seen. These were Iguazu-or Iguaçu in Portuguese—Falls, about which, Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly said, "This makes Niagara Falls look like a drop in a thimble."

This region of northeastern Argentina, southeastern Brazil, and southwestern Paraguay was the centre of perhaps the most intriguing and for over 100 years most successful missionary effort in the Latin American history of the Roman Catholic Church. Jesuits arrived in the early 17th century and began developing missions--called reducciones--to which they attracted (critics say forced) the forest-dwelling indigenous Guaraní, taught them skills both practical and cultural, transcribed their language and created the first 100 percent literate society in the world.

Iguazu was the symbolic centre of this far-flung enterprise; the power of the river had shaped Guaraní legends and culture for millennia--and no wonder: the falls stretch for almost two kilometers, crashing down in two, sometime three levels. Today the falls are almost entirely in Argentina; only the southern edge of Garganta del Diablo, Devil's Throat, is in Brazil.  

Garganta del Diablo

A common view is that the Argentine side is better. A more accurate assessment is that the two sides are different. Both are dramatic and awe-inspiring. Argentina's Iguazu National Park provides trains from the central station, 300 meters from the entrance, to a second station where one can take a s second train to the 1 km. walkway that leads over tributaries and across small islands to a large platform that overlooks Garganta. 

Or, one can walk to one of two pedestrian circuits, one of which meanders through the rainforest, the other taking visitors on a recently expanded metal trail over streams and through forest that affords views of successive waterfalls, ending with the San Martín. This new trail, completed in 2015, is one way—passing by successive falls on the way to San Martín and returning over streams and through forest back to the main path. 

On both sides river boat rides in large zodiacs powered by two 250 hp. outboards that take the moderately adventurous near the falls and promise a complete drenching (large, waterproof bags are provided to store everything you don’t want to get wet). Ponchos and raincoats do not help. There’s too much water and spray coming from all directions. On both sides the end of the trip requires a hike up the hill, although on the Argentine side the climb is longer: 350 steps.

The Argentine side brings you close to many of the falls from the top down. The last stop at San Martín has an overlook near the edge of the falls but does not provide a view into the abyss. After hiking to Garganta and viewing the other falls, I thought the trek out to the end a waste of time. It does, however, give one a sense of the enormity and power of the falls.

Brazil’s Iguaçu National Park extends along the south side of the cataract. After paying admission (credit cards are accepted, unlike Argentina where it is cash only), visitors board a bus for a 5 km. ride to a drop-off point near the first viewing area.  Along the way, the bus makes two stops for hikers who want to enjoy nature along 9 km. and 5 km. trails. The second stop is where the river boats are located; these are a separate fee.

The walk along the Iguaçu River includes steps down the cliff that take visitors from one viewing area to another. The power, majesty, and length of the falls unfolds as you move toward the end, just meters from the south edge of Garganta. There is one walkway that has been built over the river in front of Garganta and it provides the up-close-and-personal drenching of a boat ride. Raincoats and ponchos are for sale at the beginning but these provide little protection with water flying everywhere. Canny young Brazilians stripped down to their bathing suits for the adventure. 

 At the end of the walk on the Brazilian side, you are whisked up to street level in a glass-enclosed elevator. A 100 meters away buses await to take you back to the entrance. 

One other way to seen the falls is by helicopter.  A ten-minute ride costs US$120 and can be arranged just outside the Brazilian park entrance. Fortunately for us, our flight from Iguaçu International Airport took us just south of the falls so I got my aerial pictures for the price of our flight to Rio.

I tried to imagine the reactions of those Jesuits, 400 years ago, when they beheld Iguazu for the first time. They would have never seen anything like it. In a world where “awesome” has become an overused cliché, Iguazu is one place—like Machu Picchu—that is truly awesome.

ART AND WATER IN LIMA

Two days in Lima were no-stress, for a change.  Day 1 our reliable taxi driver, Segundo, met us at the port and took us to see Máximo Laura, the great Peruvian tapestry maker. We met on a cruise a couple years ago when he and his wife came on in Panama to talk about tapestry making in general and his work in particular. Last year I published an article about Máximo in Private Air magazine and wanted to deliver a copy of the issue.  

I had written that approaching his in the San Martin de Porres district just NE of the airport, was passing from the tan dust of the Peruvian desert to an explosion of colour.  We discovered that the approach to his house and workshop is not direct because all the surrounding streets have been dug up--to a depth of about 1/3 m.  After 15 minutes of looking for a way in, Segundo called Máximo who provided directions and said he would cycle out to lead us in. Good as his word, there he was waiting at the designated corner. 

It was a great visit with another tour of his workshops and stops at each of the looms.  Máxmo now has his first female apprentice, a young woman who began a few months ago and is still learning the ropes. Indeed, she will be learning for the next 2-3 years before she begins working on major tapestries. 

The next stop was shopping for a few needed accessories--a 2nd camera battery, a flashlight, both of which died since leaving home. Then we headed to a large park with several enormous fountains that put on a show at 7, 8, and 9 p.m. every night.  We lined up with a few thousand (no exaggeration) Peruvians and when we got to the ticket window, about 15 minutes later, I asked for two tickets.  The young woman asked if we were over 65. When i said "yes" she smiled and said entrance was free  I had seen the sign indicating that young children and seniors did not pay but assumed it was for Peruvians only--as we have found in other countries. 

The show began promptly at 7 but after the big, round fountain danced for 15 minutes, we expected--as advertised--that the long narrow fountain would begin its show. Alas, it was not to be.  The waters shot up for 10-15 seconds, crashed down, then everything went black.  A large POP told us that a fuse had blown.  We waited another 20 minutes to see if it was fixed but, alas, it was not to be.  We later learned from other passengers that it was fixed in time for the 8:00 show but by then we were on our way back to the ship and dinner. 

Day 2 was a late beginning because we had only one commitment: lunch with the Canadian ambassador to Peru, Gwyn Kutz, whom we have known since she served in El Salvador over a decade ago. The party also included a couple who are old friends from Calgary, Gwyn's hometown.  Las Brujas del Cacique is a terrific restaurant where we've dined before and their lunch buffet is a wonderful spread of traditional Peruvian dishes--from ceviche to tamales. 

Before lunch we visited the Barranco district, which Segundo described--aptly--as "a little bohemian."  It is charming, much lower key than modern, frenetic Miraflores, home many restaurants, peñas, and shops. 

Plaza Mayor, Barranco

 

The Electricity Museum is small, detailed, and free admission.  This electric tram is across the street.

We were struck by the fact that greater prominence has been given to Nicola Tesla than to Thomas Edison in this mural.about the origins of electricity.

We also visited MATE, the Mario Testino photography museum.  Testino is most famous for his iconic pictures of Princess Diana, taken just a month before her death. An entire room is devoted to her, along with the dress she wore for some of the pictures and that she giften him afterward.  This picture, however, is a room in the museum where artists can come and do their thing--as this young woman is doing.

THE TRIP FROM HELL

LESSONS FROM AN OVERNIGHT BUS TRIP BETWEEN MENDOZA and CÓRDOBA

  

      1. Do not believe everything you read on the Internet. 

 

An allegedly comprehensive Argentine website, Plataforma 10, provides clear information in table form about all inter-city bus trips, organized by time of departure and listing all bus lines with service between two points. 

I found CATA had exactly what I wanted:  a bus trip leaving Mendoza at 20:00 and arriving in Córdoba early the next morning.  It said there were three options for seats: “Cama” which is a regular seat with a 140 degree recline; Cama Ejecutivo, which is plumper, has more leg room, and a 160 degree recline, and Cama Suite with a work station/desk and 180 recline.  I wanted the Cama Ejecutivo for my husband, two friends, and me.

It was impossible to buy tickets on line, despite what was advertised.  I tried for two weeks before leaving home, then asked a travel agent in Lima with whom we have worked for six years to try.  He had no better luck.  He could get to the point of entering the credit card data and then it was rejected, without explanation.

So, when we got to Mendoza I went to the bus station and talked with a very nice agent at the CATA ticket office to whom I showed the information I had written down from the Internet. To my relief, there were four seats available on the desired bus. 

The information from Plataforma 10 had specified that the bus departed at 20:00 and had two classes of seats, Cama and Cama Ejecutivo.  I also had the price written down for the latter. 

No problem, he said and showed me the seating diagram with the remaining seats.  I NEVER choose lower seats on a double-decker bus because there is much more noise and vibration from the wheels.  I asked if the front seats were directly behind the front windshield, then said I would take seats further back to reduce the amount of light—from headlights—during the night. He smiled and agreed that was a good idea.

He printed the tickets and highlighted the details.  I did not look closely at the print-out.  BIG mistake.  I departed, happy that I had been able to get the trip and seats I wanted only two days before departure.

 

2.       Confirm that what you thought you were getting is what you have been given.

We arrived at the terminal at 19:25, 35 minutes, we thought, before departure.  Our bags were immediately loaded, tickets checked, got on board, and were barely seated when the door closed and the bus pulled out.  For a moment I panicked, thinking we were on the wrong bus.  But the agent had carefully reviewed the tickets in front of me so I pulled out the stubs and confirmed that departure was on time. Oops.

As our tickets were being checked I asked the agent if there were many stops.  “Muchos”, he replied—not the answer I expected.  I assumed there could be stops in the main cities between Mendoza and Cordoba—3-4 at the most.  “Many” was not good news.  It had not occurred to me to ask how many stops because I just assumed the number would be limited.  This was not a naïve guess but based on a rough calculation of the distance between the two cities and the time required to drive the distance. 

As I stepped in the bus I turned to climb the stairs when the agent said, “Abajo”. Downstairs.  And our seats were directly over the rear wheels.  And they inclined only 140 degrees.  If I had been in a room with china, I would have begun throwing things. The president of CATA is going to get a letter.

3.       Read carefully the ticket.

If I had carefully read the ticket I would have known that departure was at 19:30, not 20:00, as advertised.  That might had led me to ask other questions. 

  

4.      Confirm every detail of what you think you are getting. To wit: 

a.       Are the seats up or down? (Arriba o abajo)

b.       Are these seats cama ejecutivo? 

c.       How many stops are there?

d.       What are the services on board? As in food and drink—and maybe even WiFi.

I would have known that we would get alfajors  (the great Argentine pastry) and Pepsi or water       to drink soon after departure.  That, and a stop at 23:00 would give us dinner (only Argentines eat dinner at 11 p.m.) consisting of grated carrots, a small piece of white bread—no butter, mashed potatoes, a breaded chicken cutlet that my husband told me I really didn’t want to eat on a bed of French fries, another alfajor, and more Pepsi.  Or water.  

5.  Bring earplugs. 

 Then there are the movies. David wanted to bet me that they would be really bad, violent flicks—as they are on the buses between Guatemala City and San Salvador.  I refused because I didn’t want to lose. To my surprise, however, they were both dramas—not that I was paying enough attention to tell what they were about. Our friend Wayne later said that the second film was—probably—“Rocky IV”—30 years old.  Shortly after the first movie began, with the sound blaring, I yelled, from the back seat, “¡Baja el sonido!”  Lower the sound.  The attendant did.  

With the second film it was even louder.  This time I climbed out of my seat, marched up the stairs and told him to lower the sound. “One can’t think, much less sleep, with this noise” I said in Spanish.  “OK, OK”.  And the sound went down once again—not enough but at least not deafening.  Mercifully, there were no more movies.

So there I was, barreling along on a bus heading east but with no idea where we were or what the route was.  I knew only that a mostly sleepless night stretched endlessly before me, which meant that our day in Córdoba would be spent recovering instead of enjoying some of the pleasures that this lovely city has to offer—like three museums.