January 28, 2008 - Asuncion, Paraguay & Ciudad del Este, Paraguay

January 28, 2008 - Asuncion, Paraguay
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Woke up around 9 AM. Checked the alarm to see if it was working. It was! I must have slept through it. I finished breakfast by 10 AM and paid the hotel charges for 3 nights - a fanciful sum of 423,000 Guaranis! As my flight was not until 4 PM, Graciela told me that I could stay until my departure to the Airport (Say 2:30 PM). I love this place.

I returned to my room, packed up and headed out at 11 AM. My first stop was to the hardware store across the street from my hotel. I purchased 2 sturdy locks for my bag (as the old locks were broken during the journey from Buenos Aires to Asuncion). They were YALE locks made in TAIWAN and cost 27,000 Guaranis (US$6).

The next stop was to a call centre to call up a hotel on the Brazilian side of Iguassu falls to add an extra night to my stay. This hotel appears to be far away from the falls (30 Kilometres). I called up a hotel that is right on the falls and they wanted US$260 / night. 30 Kilometres it shall be as I am paying US$50 per night!

I visit the old handicraft market next and buy a nice guarani top (similar to the Indian Kurta). I do see some nice shirts. I visit a shop run by an Orthodox jew. Got to give them credit for maintaining their traditions wherever they are. The designs for the tops or the shirts are not captivating enough. I decide to shop around and head out. I visit the Chinese Vegetarian place for an early Lunch. Will keep alive until dinner time.

I walked to the shop (in which I had seen an excellent shirt the day before). It was yesterday (being Sunday) and was still closed today. Mauricio Libster's jewellery shop was closed yesterday and today as well. I will have to send a card to the couple thanking them for their advice and hospitality. I exchange US$100 for Guaranis as I may need it in my next stop of Ciudad del Este. I stop at a shop on Palma street and see an excellent shirt (made in Paraguay, of course). It was priced at 100,000 Guaranis (US$ 22). I keep bargaining for a while (am never good at it) and the ladies stand firm on their price. I bite and buy it.

I get back to the hotel. Graciela had left a note for me at the front desk. She had arranged a transfer to the Airport through the same driver who was to take me on a private tour of the "Circuito de Oro". The cost would be 65,000 Guaranis (US$14). The van arrives at 3 PM sharp and we head to the airport.

During our ride a small stone kicked up by a car going the opposite way hit the rear window of our van cracking the window pane. It is completely shattered. I feel extremely bad about this, but I am in no position to spring $$$ for repairing the window pane. I notice very nice houses as we get out further from the centre of the city. We reach the airport and I thank the driver and pay him. My Spanish is not good enough to commiserate his loss (of the window pane).

TAM baggage allowance within Brazil is apparently 25 Kilograms. The customer service representatives at the airline counter are dressed to kill! The local soccer team is also travelling on the flight and there are 3 TV cameras recording the event and each player does the obligatory thumbs up as he passed the cameras. I am sure they have a picture of me as well :) The flight is headed to Rio de Janeiro after Ciudad del Este.

The stewardesses on the TAM airline are dressed to kill (by a significant magnitude as compared to the airlines counter ladies!). IT IS a BRAZILIAN Airline. Need I say more? :) The flight to Ciudad del Este is 40 minutes. By the time we reach our cruising altitude we start heading down to Ciudad del este. Only 5 passengers (including moi) get off at Ciudad del Este. The airport is located 30 Kilometres from the city and there are no shuttle buses. I pick up a taxi for 100,000 Guaranis ($22).

January 28, 2008 - Ciudad del Este, Paraguay
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Paraguay is extremely green. Anytime you peek out of an airplane window all you see is green and lush growth below. And this is the SUMMER. Terrific. The drive to Ciudad del Este centre from the airport takes 30 minutes or so. As we near the city, I notice a long line of trucks (stretching many kilometres) parked by the side of the road. The driver tell me that these trucks are waiting to cross the bridge into Brazil. The trucks are allowed to cross only after 6 PM. Hence the long line and the wait.

My Hotel (AUSTRIA) is just off the main street of Ciudad del Este. I get a decent room with twin beds in the back of the hotel (so it is quieter). The hotel charges $30 (US) per night including breakfast. Asuncion Palace Hotel is still far and away the best place I have stayed thus far. The manager at the front desk offers to take me on a private tour of the Itaipu Dam and Monday Falls for US$40. Rather than haggle with taxi driver and research bus routes, I may take him up on that.

I ask him whether I can cross the Friendship bridge (Punta de la Amistad - connecting Paraguay and Brazil) that evening visit Brazil for 15 minutes and walk back on the bridge to Ciudad del Este (Paraguay). He tells me that during the daytime it is fine but not in the evening / night-time as there are "Banditos". I leave the hotel and walk to the Paraguayan side of the Bridge and take a few pictures. It is hardly 6:30 PM and all the shops are shuttered. There are many folks on motorbikes who offer to take me across the bridge and back. Although my guidebook has mentioned these folks and I am carrying my passport, I decide not to take up their offers.

I walk around a bit and am back at the hotel by 7:15 PM and decide to have dinner in the hotel as I did not find any place that could cater to a vegetarian. The manager gets me plain spaghetti, salad and break. I hate it, but it is better than starving. The bright spot of the evening turns out to be a decent Santa Helena (Chilean) wine. I log on the internet to check messages. Both the dinner and the Internet charges have been added to my hotel tab. Fine by me as I can pay it all by Credit card.

I tell the manager that I will indeed take his offer of driving me to Itaipu and Monday falls for $40. I also request that I be dropped off at the Bus station as I am planning to take a bus to the Argentine town of Puerto Iguacu. Breakfast starts at 6 AM and we will head to Itaipu at 8 AM. I hope to finish my tours by 11 AM and hopefully reach Puerto Iguacu (Argentina) by 1 PM or so.

The Guarani language and culture still thrive in Paraguay. All Schools teach children both Spanish and Guarani. Almost all adults can speak both languages. Good to know that the old languages and cultures are not being left for dead.