Iguazu Falls

These vans were beginning to feel like home.  This would be the longest day, 6 hours across the northern end of Argentina to visit three of the Jesuit missions that were at one time strung across Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina.  These warrior priests created highly successful communities of Guarani Indians that flourished for almost 150 years.  Until Spain and Portugal decided to go to war, then they fought over this territory. That destroyed everything of value and the Indians.  There are very few indigenous people in Argentina however around these missions there are a few villages protected by the government. Mostly the Spanish showed them no mercy and what disease didn't wipe out, they did.

San Ignacio Mission

This family of Indians is near one of the missions selling trinkets to tourists.  There were  3 more children running around so perhaps they are trying to make a comeback.


We end the day at the Sheraton in Iguazu, selected because it is inside the park and has easy access to the wonderful infrastructure of pathways to view the falls.

Plus this is the view from our window.  The Devils Throat.  It is also the view from the lobby, the bar , the pool, the restaurant.  They max it out.

We are first on pathway in the morning.

Oh wow!.  The power of the water, the mist filling the air and the roar as the water plunges over the precipice is an experience of all the senses.  These walkways soar right over the edge to give an incredible view.  The park infrastructure is superb.

Just to remind us we are in the middle of a jungle, we were not the only one on the walkway.

I couldn't get my photographer to even turn around to have his "been there" photo taken.  Jon and Gary did  an awesome job.  I have hundreds and hundreds of great pictures to chose from.  These are just a few.

Low water means less mist and better pictures plus no raincoats .

Dancing rainbows would suddenly appear and then disappear in the blink of an eye.  

Oblivious to the chaos, focused on the goal. 

Dos Hermanos, our favorite waterfalls.  Quiet calm pools captured in the rocks, crystal clear and inviting. The air is perfumed with the smell of banks of  white orchid like flowers.  Close to magic. 

Gary had two things he wanted to see,  monkeys and toucans.  Our driver had told us to go to a certain spot and every night the monkeys would be there.   When we did the staff said "no, too dry, they are not here". They did  advise us that they would come to our balconies if we baited them with goodies so we set up a hide. (The hotel is not fond of this but it makes the guests happy)  At cocktail time the 6 of us armed with bottles of wine and fresh fruit and some goldfish set up our station.  Food for monkeys and wine for us. We sat inside,closed the patio doors and waited.  We were almost out of wine when this little guy showed up?  He loved bananas and ignored the rest of the fruit.  His next favorite was goldfish. The next morning he came back with 3 more of his family.

He had to rest after devouring the banana.  These are capucine monkeys, one of the cutest breeds.

Goldfish, a big favorite.

As the brilliant sunset was lighting the sky  a toucan flew right in front of the falls.  His big beak a golden glow in the sun.  Too far to photograph so we all stored the picture in our memory bank.  Visit Complete.