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Blogs from Paraguay, South America - page 35
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August 12th 2006
Paraguay, the land of disparities, where you either drive a bulletproof benz or you´re hoping the river doesn´t flood too early this year and expedite the washing away of your house...surprisingly expensive place for travelers, as you tend to get lumped in with the first group of people, who, despite the exchange rate, would probably not have much trouble living a lot better than most in the US. Definately the most number of large firearms seen on the streets so far, which would give the impression that there is a lot of crime to be defended against, but i personally felt much safer in Paraguay than many other places. I guess in a country run by the mafia, robbing tourists is small fries and just brings unwanted attention on the real money makers..smuggling, money laundering, trafficking ... read more
August 8th 2006
Chapter I. I boarded the bus in Asuncion after a fond farewell with only a few tears left on the dirty pavement of the bus station floor. It was no time to be sad; I was swept in some unknown torrent which had been pulling me towards Tim for some Time. Tim, my fair friend whose adventures make mine look like child’s play. Tim, whose own sick sidelong glance always peers into the heart of something. Tim, who sat clutching a soft blue jar as blood leaked from the neck of the sheep that hung from a tree. It arrived that morning, very much alive and full of soft wool and strong meat. We tied it to the post as a sadistic yet satisfying feeling melted in my mind. But i knew, even if wasn't my ... read more
July 10th 2006
(This is the final installment of the 3 part reflection on nature and man. Bonito was a fun story in the middle and a way to slide a little paraguay premonition in.) On the bus leaving Brazil, I still kept my smile and my warmth deep within. But then everything changed as we crossed the scarred dirt road into Paraguay. I was filled with dread as Tim´s tales rattled in my head. It was only 5 minutes since i left, but I yearned to run back to the beaming Brazilians and their beautiful land. But I didnt. I boarded a cold bug infested bus heading to the heart of Parguay. As the lights switched off, my thoughts turned dark as well. Poverty I reckoned was a symptom of ill begot stewardship. -(To me, poverty is not ... read more
July 9th 2006
After our adventure in Brazil, we hit a parrilla to fill our stomachs and headed to bed fairly early, a consequence of not sleeping much on the coche cama, and the fact that Puerto Iguazu isn´t a place to spend resources on nightlife. The next morning, we awoke, and found the bus to Parque Nacional Iguazu . Considered by many the premier waterfalls in the world, they straddle the Brazil / Argentina border on the Rio Iguazu. While the Brazil side affords a more complete panorama, the Argentina side gives you greater access to and closer views of the falls. Unlike, say, Niagara Falls, the site constitutes a campus of falls, from the large mistfilled Garganta del Diablo to the series of water streams visible from Isla Grande San Martin. We spent the day wandering the ... read more
July 8th 2006
Paraguay is muy tranquilo. I arrived in Asuncion at the weekend to find the streets of the city centre stunningly empty. There was a little activity on the Saturday morning, but after the siesta started the streets stayed empty all weekend. Paraguay is a laid back sort of place. Everyone takes a long siesta in the afternoons, not a bad idea in such tropical heat. The people are friendly and keen to talk to strangers. They don´t see many gringos. Paraguay is firmly off the backpacker circuit. Most people in Paraguay speak Spanish and Guarani. 95% of the population is considered mestizo, that is of mixed Guarani and Spanish lineage. Paraguay is unusual in Latin America. It doesn't have a traditional aristocracy of Spanish extraction. The city of Asuncion is ugly. Down town Asuncion is dominated ... read more
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July 8th 2006
Paraguay To be honest, although i did go over to Paraguay (on my own) I only spent two hours there visiting a couple of shops, and so was little more than another stamp in the old passport (which I am annoyed to say i didnt actually get. Paraguay is the second poorest country in South America (after Bolivia), but does have very low taxes on consumer products which makes it very popular with Brazilians and others a Duty free shopping destination. I would like to say that my reasons for visiting the country carried a little more depth but alas they did not. The border crossing was very easy, but on leaving the vehicle i was literally mobbed by people selling various to say the least shoddy goods. They were also the most persistent I think ... read more
June 21st 2006
For everyone who thinks of government as a nightmare and for those who pray to the bible of Laisser-faire, Ciudade del Este, Paraguay is your paradisio. With a population estimated at near 140,000 this small town on the Paraguayan border with Brazil, a bridge away from the Brazilian tourism town of Foz do Iguaçu, Ciudade del Este boasts a tax-free market that draws attention from buyers in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Cross over the Puente de la Amistad (“Friendship Bridge”) from the relatively wealthy Brazilian Foz do Iguaçu and even on a rainy day you will be stuck (whether walking or driving) in a traffic jam that spans the length of the bridge and into the crowded, merchandise filled streets. Border control is a laughable matter here where in plastic garbage bags people cross carrying goods ... read more
June 8th 2006
This is my only picture from Ciudad del Este and there is a reason for that. Even though we had been told not to go there by some people, and others told us it was the Taiwan of Latin America (a good place to buy cheap electronics) so we should go there, we decided that we wanted to see a little bit of Paraguay. Even though we got out alive and with all of our possessions, it was not a very good idea. The bus ride from Foz do Iguazu in Brazil and Ciudad del Este took about 25 minutes and cost us about $1 US each. We basically wanted to leave as soon as we got there, and the only picture that I felt safe enough to take was this one of the border when ... read more
June 4th 2006
As the title suggests we just popped into Paragury to collect a border stamp and add to our list of countries visited. We jumped on the bus in Brazil, Foz D'Iguassu and got off in Paraguay. We had to ask the border official for a stamp who seemed quite surprised! We then spent no more than half an hour walking up the street from the border and back. No impression can be made of a country where we spent minutes but there were certainly enough market stalls selling anything and everything to have kept us busy all day. Nevertheless we headed straight back to Brazil in order to move on to Argentina. Three countries in one day - not bad! ... read more
Ten Things You Might Not Have Known About Paraguay and Were Afraid to Ask
Published: April 21st 2006South America » Paraguay
April 21st 2006
1. Corruption - Paraguay was declared the third most corrupt country on earth by Transparency International’s 2002’s Corruption Perceptions Index (out of 102 nations ranked). In order to combat this, Paul teaches a class on political ethics at his site in Pilar. My question is: Is it ethical to teach ethics in such an unethical society? ;) Won’t the students who take Paul’s teachings to heart face a massive disadvantage trying to act ethically in an unethical society? ;) But it must be working, because in the 2005 index they were ranked the 13th most corrupt (out of 160 nations). Their actual CPI score did improve though, rising from 1.7 to 2.1. 2. Guaraní - The second official language of Paraguay. Actually it’s more like the first (sure some rich people in the capital never bother ... read more
