Five unforgettable days in Iguazú with my children

There are trips that impress because of the places one knows. Others are recorded by the people with whom they are shared. And some have the wonderful combination of both.

Every time I think about our getaway to Iguazú in 2005, I remember much more than the falls. I remember my children Tomás and Madelyn when they were still little, the enthusiasm with which they lived each experience and those days in which we had the privilege of sharing quality time away from everyday obligations.

At that time Madelyn was 12 years old and Tomás was barely 8. Pablo had to stay in Buenos Aires for work reasons, so we decided to take advantage of a few days off to embark on a little adventure together.

We took a flight from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazú and, without knowing it, we were about to experience one of those trips that remain forever in our memory.

From the first moment we were amazed by the Misiones jungle, by the exuberant vegetation and by that feeling of entering a completely different world than the one we knew.

Of course, the main protagonist was the Iguazú Falls.

We visited them from the Argentine side and also from the Brazilian side, enjoying two different perspectives of one of the most impressive natural wonders on the planet.

On the Argentine side we walked along the walkways surrounded by jungle, listening to the constant roar of the water and approaching scenarios that seemed impossible to describe with words. The Devil’s Throat left us absolutely shocked. I remember watching the faces of Tomás and Madelyn as they contemplated that immense mass of water falling with extraordinary force.

On the Brazilian side we discovered the falls from another perspective. There the panoramic view allows you to appreciate its full magnitude. It seemed like an infinite landscape where water, vegetation and sky came together in the same postcard.

We also visited the Bird Park, a place that we loved. We walked among toucans, macaws and other exotic species while the kids observed everything with a mixture of curiosity and fascination. It was impossible not to stop and admire the colors, sounds and enormous biodiversity of the region.

Another of the experiences we enjoyed was the tour of the Three Borders, that very particular point where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet. It was surprising for the kids to understand how three countries could coexist, separated only by the rivers that connect them.

But when I remember that trip today, more than twenty years later, what comes back to my memory are not just the landscapes.

I remember the conversations shared.

The walks together.

The laughter during the excursions.

The excitement of discovering new places through the eyes of my children.

At that time they were children full of questions, energy and curiosity. Today they are adults, with their own paths, projects and life experiences. And perhaps that is why those memories acquire even greater value.

Photographs preserve many images of those days, but there is something that no camera can fully record: the happiness of sharing genuine time with those you love.

Iguazú gave us extraordinary landscapes, but it also gave us something much more important: five days of connection, closeness and shared moments that remain alive in my heart.

Because trips end.

The children grow up.

Time moves forward.

But some memories have the wonderful ability to stay with us forever.