s/v Nine of Cups
Paraguay
September  2006
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Republica de Paraguay

Capital City:     Asuncion
Land area:         157.048 sq miles..about the size of California
Population:         ~6 million
Languages:          Spanish & Guarani
Currency:           Guarani  (5400G = $1 US)
Political Units:   18 departments

Paraguayans drink lots of mate, too, however they drink it cold and bitter...terrere. We were not sure what to expect in Paraguay. U. S. citizens need a visa to enter (a reciprocal thing) and we weren`t sure if we`d be welcome. On the contrary, the people were hospitable...warm and friendly as we´ve come to expect in South America.

Paraguayan specialties include chipas (similar to an empanada made of manioc flour, cheese and eggs), mosto (cane juice) and a specialty multi-colored spider web lace called nanduti (nyan-doo-TEE).

Only the crew visited. Nine of Cups stayed in Uruguay with Jelly. We only stayed four days...wish that it was more. We took a tour from Asuncion to San Lorenzo and several small towns in the country to get at least a taste of rural Paraguay.
Asuncion
We headed by bus directly to the capital city of Asuncion. We managed to catch a "bottle dance" presentation while at the cultural center. Below, we were awakened in the morning by cathedral bells.
The international bridge across the Rio Parana from Posadas, Argentina to Encarnacion, Paraguay. Crossing the bridge took minutes. Completing the border formalities was a long two hours.
A military guard stands watch at the Casa de la Independencia historical musuem.
Asuncion street scene...colonial charm mixes with modern day and McDonalds a block away.
A walking tour of the city offered lots to see. Above Palacio Gobierno at sunset.
Once home to the Jesuits, the Templo Yaguaron above appears simple and serene. It served as both church and fortification. However, the interior design and decoration was anything but simple. Check out the altar to the right.
We couldn´t resist. We had to have a sample of the
nanduti lace, a specialty of  Itaugua, Paraguay.
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