Paraguay

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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 that i have ever encountered, for example i was followed about a hundred yards by a fellow trying to sell me a ridicluous low quality muscle tone belt which he kept trying to put round my arm (guess im not as buff as i thought). The trouble is that due to my complexion and hair colour i stick out like the proverbial sore thumb and was consequently given little peace, despite my love of low quality and novelry products i did manage to resist.

After the streets i went to one of the shops selling goods ranging from electronics to sportswear and almost everything in between. It was a pretty wierd place which felt like a TK Max store except that everyone who worked there was female, clearly employed because of their looks, and wearing skirts that would make a whore blush.

Anyway to keep a short story short I bought a couple of uninteresting bits and returned to Brazil, sadly still lacking the must sought after extra stamp in the passport.

Tom

07/06

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