Iguazu: Upper Trail

The Falls from a viewpoint on the Upper Trail

The Iguazu Falls are an astounding 275 separate (or at least, separately identified) waterfalls arranged in a 4km wide horseshoe. The number of waterfalls in fact varies seasonally according to how much water there is in the river. Most are in Argentina, but some are in Brazil. The maximum drop is about 90m. They are the result of a geological fault which developed 200,000 years ago.

A couple of days ago we walked the Lower Trail, which offers great views looking up at the Falls. Today we are doing the Upper Trail, which offers views looking down. We were advised that late afternoon (say 4pm) was the best time to do it, and naturally we followed that advice.

The entrance point is a walkway over a small river. This continues through light jungle until you reach another, rather pretty, stream rushing from the right.

As you approach the first view point, there is a fantastic view over a waterfall downwards to one of the viewing points on the lower trail.

We had been told there was normally a rainbow over the Falls in late afternoon and soon we started to see it over the area we had walked along when we did the Lower Trail.

At the second view point the Falls stretched away towards the Brazilian side.

This view, with a waterfall in the foreground, is perhaps even more dramatic.

And soon there was an even more perfect view of the rainbow.

The most dramatic view of all was from the final view point, where the Falls were at their most elemental.

Conditions: hot, sunny.

Distance: only just over a km there and back.

Rating: five stars.

The New Seven Wonders of the World voting process did not include Iguazu among its winners (Christ the Redeemer, Great Wall of China, Macchu Picchu, Petra, Chichén Itzá, Colosseum, Taj Mahal), but it was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature a few years later.

Iguazu: Macuco Trail

The entrance to the trail

Today we decided to take a 3.5 km trail through the sub-tropical jungle to a small pool. Naturally I hoped we would see butterflies on the way.

We set out mid-morning and we were mildly disconcerted when the barrier bore a cerrado (closed) sign. We pressed on however and quickly found ourselves on a broad mud track through greenery. It did not feel so different from home.

What was different was the soundtrack. It was very noisy and most noticeable was a creature shouting yiss at the top of its voice. Eventually I homed in on the source, a nondescript cicada.

And quickly afterwards we spotted this beautiful plant which assured us that we were indeed in a foreign country.

And soon after this there was an especially beautiful tree ... 

... which turned out to house a Variable Cracker butterfly.

I chanced to turn round following a butterfly and I was shocked to see a long snake slithering across the path where we had just walked.I haven't managed to identify it, and to be honest I am not sure if I really want to know.

Quickly we spotted a Blue Shadow hiding in the undergrowth. It a type of Owl butterfly, with blue upper wings.

We reached the end of the trail beside a stream which forms a waterfall down to a small pool where the younger people who have been doing the walk are disporting themselves. This is the view across towards the muddy Iguazu River.

And this is the view down to the pool.

On the way back we spotted (with some difficulty!) a Blue Leaf butterfly ...

...  a Red Rim ... 

... and a Malachite. 

This was a great delight as we have seen this beautiful butterfly in butterfly houses from Stratford to Costa Rica, but never before in the wild.

Conditions: Sunny and hot, but at least there was plenty of shade in the jungle.

Distance: about 7 kilometres.

Rating: four and a half stars/

Iguazu: The lower trail

Part of the falls

We have moved from Buenos Aires to Iguazu in the northwest of Argentina, home to the famous waterfalls and said to be of the best places in the world to see butterflies. We are staying at the Sheraton hotel inside the national park and we decided to begin our exploration by walking the Lower Trail (Sentado Inferior). I was thrilled to photograph my first Iguazu butterfly on the way to the start of the trail: a Crimson Peacock.

We had taken, unintentionally, a short cut towards the main falls, but this meant that we built up nicely to the main event.  Soon we came to our first waterfalls, a twin cascade called Las dos hermanas, the two sisters. 

This was quickly followed by a smaller waterfall, Bossetti, with a distinct rainbow effect where the water hit the pool below.

 We emerged onto a view area where a more dramatic wall of water was to be seen.

We now took a steep path down down a track which seemed to lead to San Martin Island and were immediately greeted by a Giant Swallowtail which was just demanding to be photographed.

It was soon joined by a Broad-banded Swallowtail.

As we walked along the path by the water we noticed a number of very wet people coming towards us and eventually we worked out that this path led to where the boats which gave you a close-up view of the falls departed from. We remember getting quite well soaked on the Maid of the Mist at Niagara a few years ago, but these were much smaller craft and the soaking on offer seemed much more comprehensive.

I did get a nice picture of a Julia butterfly along the way however.

When we could go no further we retraced our steps, but this detour had offered some good views of the falls and a few butterflies, so it was well worth it.

We now found ourselves going against the flow of people, but soon reached a major view point, where people were jostling to take selfies using the selfie-sticks that were all around. I opted for a high view-point above the crowd.

At the back of the viewing area I was pleased to spot this cheerfully coloured Plush-chested Jay.

The remainder of the walk back to the start was relatively uneventful. Various colourful butterflies glided past, but none would agree to be photographed.

Conditions: sunny and hot, but cooled by the spray from the falls.

Distance: the actual trail is 1.6 km.

Rating: Five stars.

Buenos Aires: Plaza San Martin

We emerged from the Subte (metro) in the corner of the Plaza and headed for the rather over-the-top statue of General Jose de San Martin for whom the square was named. The General is a national hero in Argentina for leading the army in the armed struggle which gained Argentina's independence from Spain in 1816. (Independence was asserted in the revolution of May 1810).

Over to the right was the Circulo Militar, once a private house but now the headquarters of the society of retired military officers - a much more important body in Argentine society than it would be in ours. The gates were both imposing and impressive.

Along past the Circulo Militar is the neo-gothic Palacio Haedo, looking rather run down with its scaffolding and the clumsy arrangement to catch falling roof tiles. It was clearly once an imposing edifice however.

 We now walked across the square to enjoy a view of the Torre Monumental.

This lovely Edwardian clock tower was a present from the English expatriate community in 1916. It was originally called the Torre de los Ingleses, but was officially renamed after the Falklands War.

Crossing the eastern side of the Plaza offers an excellent view of the Edificio Kavanagh.

It was built in the 1930s in the modernist style and was for a while, at 120m, the tallest building in South America. It put us in mind of the Chrysler Building in New York, although without the art deco flourishes.

Walking along Calle Florida, the only pedestrianised street we have so far seen, brought us to the Galerias Pacifico.

It was built in 1899 as a department store and remodelled in 1945 and then again in the early 1990s to create a modern shopping mall.

Under the central rotonda there is currently an extremely kitch artificial Christmas tree (don't they know it's bad luck to leave it up after Epiphany?) covered in world's greatest concentration of Swarovski crystals. It was so awful, I couldn't resist a picture.

The rotonda itself is covered with frescoes painted in 1945 by celebrated Argentinian painters. Here is one example.

We left the mall on the opposite side into Calle San Martin to see the lovely Convent of St Catherine of Sienna, unfortunately closed today. 

Further along the street as we returned to the Plaza, was this wonderful art deco apartment block.

There were so many delightful details.

Conditions: hot and sunny.

Distance: a couple of kilometres.

Rating: four stars.

Buenos Aires: Plaza de Mayo

Plaza de Mayo from Evita's balcony

Today's short walk explores the Plaza de Mayo which is named for the Revolution of May 1810 against imperial Spain. It is the main square of Buenos Aires. We approached the square from the west (Avenida de Mayo) and once you enter the square you can turn round to see the Cabildo de Buenos Aires.

This rather lovely building has the distinction of being the first building in the city to be built completely from bricks (a cabildo was the seat of a Viceroy in the Spanish empire). It dates from 1772-1822 and is now a museum.

Just behind and to the left of the Cabildo is the Legislatura (Council chamber) of Buenos Aires. This building of the 1930s is chiefly notable for its wonderful octagonal tower.

Turning now round to the right you see the Cathedral Metropolitana. Built between the 16th and 19th centuries, it has a classical revival exterior and a baroque interior. A combination which I personally really dislike.

I did like the floor tiles however.

The Cathedral houses the mausoleum of General Jose de San Martin, the revolutionary hero who designed the national flag. A measure of its importance is that soldiers are always on guard.

Having completed our examination of the building at the west end we now advanced into teh square itself. In the centre is the Piramide de Mayo commemorating the Revolution. In the background can be seen the banners of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo who continue to protest the disappearance of an estimated 11,000 people during the "Dirty War" of 1974-83 by the right wing military government.

Beyond the Piramide lies the Presidential Palace, the Casa Rosada. It was built between 1862 and 1885 on the site of the city's main fort. Its pink colour came initially from the use of lime and oxblood as a preservative, now it is painted.

Because we had skilfully chosen to visit on a Saturday, it was possible to take a guided tour. In some ways this was a bit over the top: one section featured a parade of photos of famous Argentinians and we briefly saw the very big but otherwise uninteresting President's office. We did gain a valuable insight however into how patriotic Argentinians are as we heard about the three symbols of national identity: the flag, the national anthem and the coat of arms.

The other big benefit of the tour was to see this exquisite Renaissance style courtyard. We were also whisked through the balcony where Evita spoke to a mass rally of 2 million people in 1951 when she announced her candidature for Vice President.

Conditions: very hot and sunny.

Distance: maybe a mile - this may be the shortest ever walk featured in this blog.

Rating: four and a half stars.