A few weeks ago we started Complete Book Of Marvels by Richard Halliburton. Since I have always wanted to read it I am reading it aloud to my 12 & 15 year old. So far this has been a big hit and my kids are loving it. In chapter 15 we read about Iguazu Falls in Argentina and loved Halliburton's description.
by Richard Halliburton. Since I have always wanted to read it I am reading it aloud to my 12 & 15 year old. So far this has been a big hit and my kids are loving it. In chapter 15 we read about Iguazu Falls in Argentina and loved Halliburton's description. ...And this climax is so dramatic that no one who sees it, ever forgets that the Iguazu surpasses all other rivers in the sublime beauty of its last hour, and becomes of the wonders of the world. In order to achieve this glory, the Iguazu moves with dignity toward destruction. It keeps its torrent in hand. There is no quick plunge, no single mad, headlong dive. The River divides itself carefully and quietly into a thousand channels; and then, when every water-drop is ready, with one mighty charge along a front ten thousand feet in length, it hurls itself, cheering, over the brink, in superb cataracts of foam. (p. 152)
Photograph by: Martin St-Amant - Wikipedia - CC-BY-SA-3.0
We explored the falls through Google (I am thankful for Google since reading this book really gives me the urge to go globe-trotting.) and really enjoyed all the pictures found here and here. My favorite tidbit I learned was when Eleanor Roosevelt first saw the falls she exclaimed, "Poor Niagara!"
Great description! I have that same edition you pictured above. :) Maybe I will read it along with my son when he does AO 5/6. Great idea to look up places on Google - he loves exploring places like Mt. St. Helens on there.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! And Roosevelt's comment hit home with me since we just googled Niagara, as we've been reading through Paddle to the Sea in year 1. :)
ReplyDeleteMy parents went to Iguazu last year and thought it was breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteThe falls are featured in the movie The Mission which is a stunningly beautiful, incredibly sad, fantastic movie about Spanish Imerpialism. We watched it in High School Spanish class and it is well worth your tie.
Thanks so much for your quote, it is amazing how the falls as described here are like the plot of the film. Lovely.