Misiones is one of the 23 provinces
of Argentina located in the northwestern corner of the country. Area: 29,801 km².
Population: 963,869 . Capital city: Posadas.
It is surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north and east,
and Corrientes Province of Argentina, to the
southwest.
The Iguaçú Falls are waterfalls located on the border of Brazilian state of Paraná (in the
Southern Region) and the Argentinian Province of Misiones.
The province is named after the Jesuit missions (Reducciones), which
were established in the area. Of the 15 Reducciones established in
Argentina, 11 were located in the present Misiones Province. Of these 11, 4 were
listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites
in 1984: San Ignacio Mini, Nuestra Señora de Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora
de Loreto, Santa María la Mayor.
To the Guaraní Indians, it was the "great water." Though taller
than Niagara Falls, the greatness of Iguazú is not in its height. There are
other, taller falls. It is in its immensity. During the rainy season, the lip of
its two-and-a-half-mile crescent-shaped cliff is strung with ribbons of water
like the strings of some immense harp. Some 275 cascades pour off the plateau
and disappear into the gorge. Some plummet straight down 269-foot drops in
unbroken plumes. Others dance their way down in glittering steps. Where the
falls is broken by ledges, the torrent explodes into spray cloaking the gorge in
an eternal mist that spawns thousands of rainbows arcing across the face of the
falls.
Iguazú is the beating heart of two national parks, one in Argentina and one
belonging to Brazil. Both offer pathways that lead you to dozens of angles to
view the falls. At each one there is the dance of rock, and water, and light.
The air vibrates with sound. The forest drips. The rocks...drip. A fine net of
mist drifts lightly against your face, your nose, your cheeks. Lick your lips.
Taste the falls. Ponder the abyss.
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