A Thunderous, Natural adventure.
The Iguacu Cataracts, one of the most visited tourist destinations in Brazil, surely may compete as being one of to-day’s “seven wonders of the world”.
Even before having the first glimpse of the Cataracts, the visitor is treated to a thunderous sensorial experience. It is said that tremendous surprise is normally pre ceded by silence, but at Iguacu it is different. Here, the first shock is the roaring onslaught on your ears. You will feel the adrenaline flowing, as nature’s orchestra, thundering falling water pounding upon the rocks far below, create incredible waves of sound. As you approach the falls, mist formed by the spray rising from the boiling waters wets your face. The power of nature is electrifying. Then, zap, before your eyes, a vision that is almost unreal, a three dimensional special effect that not even to-days cinema could create or compete with.
The predominant impact of the scene before you is the effect of the 70m high vertical cliffs that stretch for 2.7km around the boiling cauldron waters, and have 275 falls over which enormous volumes of water flow. Wonderful colours enhance this truly spectacular scene. Through the mist, you catch occasional glimpses of blue sky which contrast with the black, brown and white recalling the graduated shades of a milky coffee. Nature faithfully plays its roll in every scene and shows you a tree, clinging to the edge of a precipice, its roots relentlessly undermined by the fast flowing waters, struggling to stay upright. Revealed behind the falling waters, tiny Swift nests miraculously perch, waiting for the birds to choose the precise split second to pass through the cascading waters. This surely must rate as the maximum in Radical Sport! The shear visual beauty, enhanced by the volume of sound creates a hypnotic mantra over all, we are truly overwhelmed.
Cut! If it were possible for us to go back 140 million years, perhaps we would be even more impressed, for at that time this region provided the stage for the Earth’s most intense volcanic activity. The outflows of lava, plus the effects of alternating dry and wet periods, left us a magnificent inheritance, the colossal cauldron that determines the shape of the present cataracts. The flow of falling waters is unequal, but it is at the highest point, the “Garganta do Diabo” (Devil’s Throat) where the main waters of the River Iguacu, coming from Parana, fall.
Let us move on from to geography to history. Not so long ago, first mention of the cataracts was made in 1542 by the Spanish navigator, Alvar Cabeza de Vaca, who was the first Governor of Paraguay. He named the Cataracts “Cachoeiras de Santa Maria” and it is told that on seeing the spectacular cataracts for the first time, he was so overcome, that he cried “Santa Maria”. Two hundred years later, the cataracts appear again on the scene, but only as bystander and helper. It was the time of conflict between the Catholic Missionaries and the “Bandeirantes” (Venturing Explorers). The Missionaries founded many Jesuit centres with the intention of bringing the Guarani Peoples into their fold, and their story was the basis of the 1986 film “The Mission”, starring Robert del Niro, Jeremy Irons and Liam Neeson, which won a Palma de Ouro at Cannes, an Oscar for Best Photography and the Enio Moricone sound track became a classic.
About 70 years ago, the Parque Nacional do Iguacu, with a total area of 170.000 hectares was created. Right within the heart of South America, it incorporates the Cataracts and in addition, a substantial sub tropical forest area. The Park has been designated by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.
The sense of adventure, plus the rare, magical scenery are strong attractions to those who wish to follow the trails within the Park. There is a rich diversity of fauna, with pride of place going to the Jaguar, Spotted Leopard Cat, Wild Cat, Tapir, Anteater, Howler Monkey, Otter, Giant River Otter and the friendly Raccoons, that surround the tourists, and also may be seen amongst the vegetation dotted with trees whose canopies can reach 40meters in height. The tallest are the Cedar, Laurel, “Angico”, member of the Mimosa family, “Pau Rosa” and an impressive number of Parana Pines. Bromelia and Orchids lend a touch of colour to the forest. Another “must see” is the Parque das Aves” (Bird Park) a breeding centre for more than 900 birds and 175 species. But prepare yourselves, the greatest adventure is still to come, a ride trough the tumultuous waters that roar through the canyon.
“Let’s get out of here”. This is the cry, yelled in many languages, coming from the throats of tourists from more than 160 countries, most commonly heard, as the rubber boats ziz-zag almost up to the cascading waters of some of the lesser falls.
Unfortunately you have no say in the matter and you must wait until the Pilot decides that is time to retreat. He well knows that afterwards, you will not regret having braved the exhilarating experience. Those who pass the test will never forget it, for this is something special. First of all, you feel the sensation that you are in the midst of a torrential downpour, and later, even though your vision is impaired by the dripping waters and mist, you catch glimpses of double, even triple rainbows shimmering amongst the cascades.
Speaking of rainbows, another special treat awaits those who have the good fortune to be staying at the Hotel das Cataratas which lies within the Park. The Park closes its gates at 5pm, but for the Cataratas Hotel guests, the paths to the cataracts are now for their exclusive use. Follow the paths to see something sensational, a Moon Rainbow.
This is a place of surprises and discovery. Each corner holds its secrets, something precious. Brazil may appear to be a country made for cinema, with its wonderful scenery, rich culture and the tremendous hospitality of the people. But it is unique, and no cinema could even attempt to re-produce the magnificence that is Brazil.