Iguazu Falls

Misiones Province

Argentina

May 25, 2012 

Dear Friends and Fellow Travelers,

The guidebooks claim that Iguazu Falls is one of the most spectacular sights in all of South America.   This is not an exaggeration. The Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil are truly wondrous.

Please travel with me as I follow the trail through the jungle, linger at the Falls, and return along the trail and end the day at the Lower Falls.

Unfortunately, I did not take a boat at the base of the Falls and I did not take a helicopter above the Falls.  But thankfully my friend Dodie sent me an Internet photo gallery of the Falls with images from those unusual perspectives.

In addition to the photographs, I have posted my videos of the Falls.  Click on the link to YouTube.  

The Falls at Iguazu defy any verbal picture I might attempt to compose.

Instead, I shall follow the advice of the poet Alfonso Ricciutto who wrote:

”…do not try to describe it in your (own) voice…”

Here is the poem he wrote about the upper falls.  The falls are called “Garganta del Diablo - the Devil’s Throat.”         

                                                                   Devil’s Throat

Let your soul be satisfied

with the strange beauty of this landscape

that though you have searched the world in your travels

you can never find anything such as this

Good and evil, dynamic and changing

find it here. From its name.

Keep in your heart, humble man

this constant truthful message

Meditate and feel the deep emotion

contemplating the vibrant paroxysm

that the eternal mist surrounds

And do not try to describe it with your voice

Just lean your forehead against the abyss

that is the mirror of the word, G-d

The poem in the original Spanish:

               Maravilla Natural

              Garganta del Diablo

        Permitte que tu alma sea saciada

     con la belleza impar de éste  paisaje

que aunque el mundo recorras en tus viajes

     nunca podras hallar, como esto, nada.

El bien y el mal dinámico y cambiante

   encontrarás aqui, desde su nombre.

Lleva en tu humilde corazón de hombre

   un mensaje verídico y constant.

Medita y siente la emoción  profunda

  conemplando el vibrante paroxismo

   que de brumas se circunda.

Y no intenyes describirlo con tu voz

sólo  inclina la frente ante éste abismo

que es el espejo de la palabra Dios.

 **  http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/11/incredible-iguazu-falls-over-under-or-on-a-boat-in-devil%e2%80%99s-throat-26-pics/