Paraguay : an island surrounded by land
September 19, 2006 3:26 PM
Planning a (nice) trip to Paraguay. Yes _Paraguay_. Probably just going to stay in Asuncion and hang with a friend whose family is fairly wealthy. I've heard it has a wacky history. Anyone have any experiences / words of warning / recommendations about it?
(Yes I've read At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig by John Gimlette and enjoyed it a lot.)
(Yes I've read At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig by John Gimlette and enjoyed it a lot.)
I enjoyed it, including an interminable bus trip across the country to Iguazu (it was allegedly an express bus, but we'd stop in the middle of nowhere and wait and wait until a faintly visible dot on the horizon turned out to be a peasant family making their way to the road with crates of fowl they were transporting somewhere). Don't miss Iguazu Falls!
posted by languagehat at 5:16 PM on September 19, 2006
posted by languagehat at 5:16 PM on September 19, 2006
Iguazú is far away from Asunción, but yeah, go see it. And if you end up at that end of the country, and like big things or engineer-porn, go see the hydroelectric plant Itaipú at the BR-PY border. Call ahead or look at the website to find out when tours are. They're free and comprehensive, especially if you are or have a Spanish-speaker with you. The nearest city, Ciudad del Este, is a sketchy border town. If you want to linger in the area, linger in Brasil or Argentina.
posted by whatzit at 6:52 PM on September 19, 2006
posted by whatzit at 6:52 PM on September 19, 2006
I hear that, out in the boonies, there's a settlement called Nueva Germania, founded by Nietzsche's batshitinsane anti-Semitic sister, where Mengele used to hang out after the war.
Might be worth visiting.
posted by jason's_planet at 7:54 PM on September 19, 2006
Might be worth visiting.
posted by jason's_planet at 7:54 PM on September 19, 2006
A wealth of info on Ascunsion from a friend who volunteered there w/ the Peace Corps (email me for her contact info):
___________________________________________
There are few books about Paraguay. It's a mystery even to those who live here, unique in ways no one can articulate. The country is a marriage of laziness and chaos... the pursuit of all things tranquilo is the national pastime. Asuncion is the capital, and is in no way modern. There is a museum for the old train station, and it took me three weekend trips to realize Paraguay has no railway system.
LANGUAGE
Paraguayans speak an interesting Spanish influenced by its proximity to Brazil. Paraguayans prefer Guaraní, the native language, and in the rural areas many people do not speak Spanish. There's a lot of indirectness and subtlety -- a woman making even brief eye contact with a man will lead him to believe she wants to sleep with him. Paraguay has the machismo that's famous in Latin countries, but it's even more pronounced there. Probably due to the fact that Paraguay lost 2/3 of its male population, which caused a lot of appreciation for those who were left. (That figure includes boys and the elderly.)
THE BUS
One of the best things about Paraguay is the bus system. But watch out for pickpockets! Bus fare anywhere in Ascuncion area is 2100 guaranies ($0.35). The buses don't follow designated stops, so you can hop on and off wherever (buses in Ascunsion proper have more regular stops).
TOURISM
There is none! Any white person you see is either: a German descendent from the Nazis who fled there post-WWII, a US Embassy worker, or a Peace Corps volunteer. Paraguay is absolutely poor -- Paraguayan workers are to Argentina what Mexican workers are to the US. You will need a visa, and you have to take care of this before you leave, as I don't think it's possible to buy one at the airport. Flights are pricey, since there are no direct flights -- they all come through either Brazil or Argentina.
SIGHTS
Since you're going to be staying with a (very rich) friend, I doubt you'll get out of the city, and probably don't need pointers on where to go. But you should definitely check out the artisans market near Plaza Uruguay, where there are a lot of native crafts. You should also check out the congress building, just to see the horses and chickens right across the street. I also recommend the cemetary on Mariscal Lopez.
posted by milkdropcoronet at 8:29 AM on September 20, 2006
___________________________________________
There are few books about Paraguay. It's a mystery even to those who live here, unique in ways no one can articulate. The country is a marriage of laziness and chaos... the pursuit of all things tranquilo is the national pastime. Asuncion is the capital, and is in no way modern. There is a museum for the old train station, and it took me three weekend trips to realize Paraguay has no railway system.
LANGUAGE
Paraguayans speak an interesting Spanish influenced by its proximity to Brazil. Paraguayans prefer Guaraní, the native language, and in the rural areas many people do not speak Spanish. There's a lot of indirectness and subtlety -- a woman making even brief eye contact with a man will lead him to believe she wants to sleep with him. Paraguay has the machismo that's famous in Latin countries, but it's even more pronounced there. Probably due to the fact that Paraguay lost 2/3 of its male population, which caused a lot of appreciation for those who were left. (That figure includes boys and the elderly.)
THE BUS
One of the best things about Paraguay is the bus system. But watch out for pickpockets! Bus fare anywhere in Ascuncion area is 2100 guaranies ($0.35). The buses don't follow designated stops, so you can hop on and off wherever (buses in Ascunsion proper have more regular stops).
TOURISM
There is none! Any white person you see is either: a German descendent from the Nazis who fled there post-WWII, a US Embassy worker, or a Peace Corps volunteer. Paraguay is absolutely poor -- Paraguayan workers are to Argentina what Mexican workers are to the US. You will need a visa, and you have to take care of this before you leave, as I don't think it's possible to buy one at the airport. Flights are pricey, since there are no direct flights -- they all come through either Brazil or Argentina.
SIGHTS
Since you're going to be staying with a (very rich) friend, I doubt you'll get out of the city, and probably don't need pointers on where to go. But you should definitely check out the artisans market near Plaza Uruguay, where there are a lot of native crafts. You should also check out the congress building, just to see the horses and chickens right across the street. I also recommend the cemetary on Mariscal Lopez.
posted by milkdropcoronet at 8:29 AM on September 20, 2006
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Enjoy!
posted by Leech at 3:59 PM on September 19, 2006