May 2025 Letter home: Last days in Argentina - The momentous Iguacu Falls

 I’m coming towards the end of my trip and I am in the rain forest in the far north east of Argentina, in-fact daily I’m popping into Brazil as I am visiting the Iguaçu Waterfalls They are spread between the two countries  and you can visit from both sides.

  

The Argentinian side is very ‘experiential’ you feel and hear the water and can visit many of the falls (over 250)  at different levels.  The volume is lquite low at the moment at 800 cubic metres , normal volume is 1750 cubic metres per second.



   


But in 1982/3 1992 it was 39000 cu.m/sec and all the walkways were washed away by the torrent and the gorge was completely filled with water. 

The Brazilian side is incredibly beautiful, the falls are angled towards the bank of river and  so a pleasant stroll reveals them in all their glory.  I had lunch with some fellow sightseers with that wonderful view.




I’ve been staying in a hostel and met some wonderful people. An Israeli couple, english, Australian, Dutch and Canadian girls all travelling solo like me, some lovely Argentinians. The hostel has arranged some evening meals and activities  so I went on a night time, jungle nature with some very giggly French boys. They were not well prepared and wore flip flops which didn’t go well in the mud and with the ants that were out and about!! 

Yesterday I visited an animal sanctuary where animals are cared for after being rescued or treated for injuries.



 In the afternoon I went on a suggestion of a girl called Rosario (who is from the city of Rosario) to a sanctuary of Santa Maria del Iguaçu. It was a long walk down a road in the jungle with numbers painted in the surface corresponding to the stations of the cross. The actual stations had fallen into disrepair but I think they are being  renewed as no 1 and 2 had metal images.

At the end of the road I turned right into a grassy clearing  and then down a track until I came across a  enormous sunken amphitheatre  under the trees. There was a statue to Our Lady and an alter and it was incredibly peaceful and green. Frogs and crickets were singing and monkeys and birds rustling in the canopy. 

  






   


Further away were a set of wooden chalets so I think it could be a retreat centre. It was such a treasure to find it.

Later last night we had a fantastic Asada (BBQ) with beautiful beef accompanied by lots of lovely Argentinian red wine and great conversation with my fellow travellers while a storm raged overhead and there was torrential rain and power cuts! 


I am returning to Buenos Aires this evening and then after a few more days I leave for England on Sunday. I’m looking forward to coming home and seeing Ella and all the family. 

See you soon!! 


Lots of love


Sarah

** The following day there was a storm an d torrential rain, thunder and lightening all night and the falls were closed the next day because of the volume of the water

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