Catt-Trax 2 - Iguazu Falls, Iguazu National Park, Argentina - What a Place - Comments

Gracias Magui y Mari

Danny Catt — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:40:01 -0700

Hello and thank you for your message on my BLOG. I am really pleased that you enjoyed the lecture in Rio Cuarto and I am pleased that you have taken the time to read sections of the website. If you find any mistakes in my English please let me know!! Say hola to your teachers and headmaster for me. I enjoyed visiting your school very much. I will be adding more photos soon ... so stay tuned!

Cheers

Danny

Hola Daniele and Joaquin

Danny Catt — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:36:48 -0700

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit the website. I am really pleased to hear from you. I left Argentina this morning and I am now in Santiago, Chile. Tomorrow I will be en route to Ecuador. I hope you will continue to follow along and say hello to your classmates for me.

Cheers, Danny

Saint Ignatuis College

Magui and Mari-Rio Cuarto, Argentina — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 07:01:22 -0700

hello!!

We have visit your site,to make a journal for english class!

We liked so much the speach that you gave us some days ago in our school. we think it was very interesting, you have luck because, you visited many beautyful places. we want the photos!!! and also we want to go with youuuuuuuuuuuuu! =)

ok, we leave you and come for us!

GOOD LUCK!! =)

Colegio San Ignacio - St Ignatius College

Adolfo Daniele and Joaquín Otero — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 06:59:04 -0700

Hello, how are you ? We liked very much your talk. We think that your style of live is very interesting and we hope being like you.

Gracias Marla!

Danny Catt — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:09:27 -0700

Hi there Marla,

Thanks so much for your note and apologies for my delay in getting back to you. I am now in Argentina after a fabulous visit to the ice of Antarctica. I am really pleased you are enjoying the site and the content... our students and my colleauges put a lot of effort into researching and putting together the site so it is rewarding to hear that you are enjoying it. I am in the process of preparing for my next move and will add more posts and pics soon.

Cheers from Cordoba!

Danny

trying to keep the jealousy under control :)

Marla — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 19:29:08 -0800

Hi Danny,

I am very jealous of your adventures! But really appreciate your efforts to share them with the rest of us. And, esp thru your stunning photographs, I really do feel as tho' I am travelling through South America with you. Am especially enjoying all the wildlife photos, which bring back fond memories of my trip to Botswana. And appreciate the education as well. Have been thinking more about my impact on the environment since I started following your web site. Can't wait for the rest of the journey! :)

Marla

Iguazu Falls, Iguazu National Park, Argentina - What a Place

Danny Catt — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:47:52 -0800

Iguazu Falls, Iguazu National Park, Argentina

If someone asked you to list the names of the most famous waterfalls in the world what names would you come up with? For me, some of my choices would include: Niagara Falls (on the border between Ontario and New York State), Victoria Falls (on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia in Africa), Virginia Falls (the famous waterfall in Nahanni National Park in Canada’s Northwest Territories) and perhaps Angel Falls in Venezuela. But… one that will most certainly be on my list from this day forward is Iguaza Falls on the border between Argentina and Brazil. If you want to find it on a map, pull out a map of South America and put your finger at the southern tip of Paraguay where it meets Argentina and Brazil… and there you will find Iguazu.

Iguazu Falls, Iguazu National Park, Brazil

At the moment I am sitting caked in mud, with a few scrapes and bruises on my shins as well as a few thorns stuck in my ankles. I am a happy camper though. I have to thank BikeHike Adventures in Vancouver for helping put together a number of unique ways of exploring and experiencing Iguazu National Park (on both the Brazilian side of the river and the Argentinean side too).

Many visitors to Iguazu fly in for a very short visit… some arriving at the airport, zipping over to see the falls and then flying out the very same day. Luckily though, our experiences in Iguazu were not as described. We took full advantage of our visit and viewed the falls from both the Argentinean and Brazilian sides and also spent time hiking & mountain biking the park’s trails. We also had an opportunity to repel down a major rock face opposite Iguaza Falls which was a fantastic experience (and a tad scary!).

Iguazu Falls, Iguazu National Park, Brazil

There is more to Iguazu that the hundreds of falls or ‘cataracts’ (between 270 and 300 depending on what you read). There are protected lands (national parks) on both sides of the river – in Argentina and Brazil. The parks protect an extensive chuck of Atlantic rainforest where jaguars, puma, capybara, agouti and dozens of reptiles and amphibians can be found. In fact as we were hiking on one of the park trails we came across the paw print of a jaguar!

Jaguar Paw Print, Iguazu National Park, Argentina

The bird list for the park is extensive and includes everything from toucans (Fruit Loops Birds) to parrots to peregrine falcons! For its international conservation importance Iguazu was declared a World Heritage Site. To find out more check out:

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/303

Jose Calo, Park Ranger, Iguazu National Park, Argentina

We had the great pleasure of spending time with Jose Calo, a park ranger in Argentina’s Iguazu National Park. I felt very fortunate to spend time with such a knowledgeable and experienced fellow. Similar to Canada, Argentina has a system of national parks as well as provincial parks. Examples of their national parks include ‘Los Glaciers’ in Argentina’s Patagonia and Iguazu, perhaps Argentina’s most visited national park. One of Argentina’s most famous provincial parks is Aconcagua. This park was established to protect the highest mountain in South America, Aconcagua, as well as the surrounding landscapes.

Jose has worked in a number of Argentina’s national parks including Lihue Calel, Perito Moreno and Rio Pilcomayo, but seems to have made Iguazu his home. You will be able to read more about Jose on the Conservation in Action page soon! Keep posted.