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Published: October 15th 2007
Standing on the main road out of San Ignacio it only took us 5 minutes to flag down a bus to Asunción. A 3 hour journey and it only cost us $25,000 (US$5) each. We decided to have a little splurge and checked into the historic Asunción Palace Hotel. Sadly it had been mucked around with a lot but our room was big with a balcony.
The town center looked dead, nobody much around on a Saturday. We arranged to meet a fellow
couch surfer and soon found out that people hung out at the weekends in the new mall area of town where there is lots of night life and shopping. Raquel and Claudia were English teachers with perfect American English. We chatted and drank coffee, then walked around the area. It was too early for the bars but browsing the mall we scored a free cigar from a posh clothing store. Returning to the new town in Claudia's car we went to the Britannia Pub, a cosy little bar with an English theme. We drank wine and ate bar food. It was a fantastic introduction to the city.
The next day we did a wee walking tour of
the old town. Lots of old crumbling buildings in need of restoration. They have an old railway engine that is supposed to be the first or oldest in South America. Not sure which. Behind the main square and touristy bits is a shanty town. Such a stark contrast, it was definitely one line not to cross.
Late in the afternoon we were picked up by Claudia and went to Raquel's house where we were invited for tea and cake. Behind the lovely tidy house where she lived with her family was a big tree absolutely teeming with various species of bird, including beautiful green parakeets. They came down from the tree to feed from trays laid out by her father. Raquel had made a tart and had some chipa guazú which is a cheesy, corny cake. We had coffee and tea and shared some traditional tereré (iced mate) which was lovely. Some other people arrived to the party and we had a great time.
It was now Monday, and with the old town bursting to life we did some proper sightseeing, starting with the big white government building. Buzzing with guards and suits we casually wandered around the
front which faced the shanty town. Definitely the grandest building in town.
Next stop was the nicely restored House of Independence where we learned from a lady guide that half of it had been lost to a car park in the 1940's before it could be protected. Today was Friendship Day, a tradition started not too long ago where people would give their friends gifts or flowers and make time to go out for a meal or a drink. The bloke who started this tradition in Paraguay was making a ceremonial visit to the House of Independence while we were there.
We were directed to another museum between the cathedral and the university. As we walked towards it we had to go around a march. We had already noticed the police in their riot gear but it seemed a peaceful march by the Indian population. We think the government was trying to tell them where to live. Approaching the cathedral another group of only men were assembled on the stairs. Some had sticks and they seemed ready for action so we walked a little faster to get past them. Finding the museum we were astounded by a fantastic
collection of Jesuit and Franciscan artifacts. Lots of beautiful wooden statues.
Walking next to a square we found a whole bunch of displaced Indians camping amongst the trees. We wondered why we were there but guessed it was perhaps something to do with the march in town today.
We enjoyed our stay in Asunción and were made to feel very welcome. Sadly, a month later we heard that one of the people that had made us feel so welcome had passed away. Claudia was only 27 and suffered a heart attack in her sleep on a bus from Buenos Aires. She would be missed by a lot of people, including us.
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Raquel
non-member comment
the pretty pink building...
... would be the building of the Old Congress, which moved to its new disgusting building a couple of years ago. As for the old railway engine was the first and now it's the oldest of its kind in gud-auld SA. Hope the footnotes help...hihihi... all in all I'd give you er.. an EXTREMELY POSITIVE mark!!!!!! Luv you guys... keep on sharing!!! Besitos, Raquel