Long Road to a Quiet City
Trip Start
Apr 27, 2009
1
75
76
Trip End
Apr 27, 2010
Asuncion, Paraguay
Friday, April 16, 2010
The road to Asuncion was long with very little to see except vast expanses of land. Actually some of the scenery reminded me of the UK until we went past a palm tree! The to border control checkpoints I passed through were the least official looking places I've been but they managed to get the job done. We didn't get to the Paraguayan passport control until we'd travelled about 3 hours into the country and then it was a half-built building with a curtain for a door! The officials were nice though even though they were a little confused by the new name the bus company had given me: apparently Jane somehow got written as Lame and they got the names all mixed up so I became Lame McKie Emma - I'm thinking that I won't stick with it!! After a thorough check of our luggage by the customs officials we continued on our way.
Asuncion is actually quite a pretty city. There is some nice architecture although I was prevented getting a close up look at the Lopez Presidential Palace by a plainclothes security guard! I also visited the old Cabildo which has been turned into a cultural centre with displays on famous Paraguayan musicians and artists. The oldest building in the city Casa Viola had an interesting exhibition on the history of the Asuncion and I also went for a look around the old train station where much of the equipment had been brought from London and Birmingham and they had some very well restored train carriages. The Pantheon, where many famous military figures are entombed, is a really beautiful building which is probably quite peaceful normally, however, the first day I visited it seemed to be being used as the meeting point for a demonstration against current labour laws. I was also told to stay away from a shanty town close to the Cabildo and Rio Paraguay where many of the city's poor live. Even without the warning I would have known because there are police guarding the area to stop any unsuspecting tourists wandering in.
I also visited a museum close to the hostel filled with artifacts related to Paraguay's history and established by a Monsignor. Many of the items were religious and linked to either the Jesuits or Franciscan people although there were also a range of items from the Triple Alliance war in which 90% of the Paraguayan soldiers died. Much of the contents had no explanation but it was quite interesting anyway although I found the statues that were mounted on wooden frames quite freaky. It looked like they'd been left unfinished in a workshop.
I really struggled with the currency in Paraguay - an exchange rate of 7,240 guaranies to £1 is too much for me! I nearly had a heart attack when my bus ticket to Buenos Aires cost quarter of a million until I worked out that it wasn't really too bad. To add an extra confusion many prices are also given in US dollars....even if the person wouldn't accept them! On the plus side food was really cheap - I got a couple of slices of pizza and a fanta for less than £1 then a huge breaded chicken with chips dinner for about £3. The chicken was as big as a plate and I couldn't force myself to finish it no matter how much I wanted to!
I'm glad that I decided to visit Asuncion even though most people I mentioned it to asked: "Why?". All of the people I met were very friendly and although I didn't have time to visit any of the places surrounding Asuncion some brochures that were available in the hostel showed quite a few places that could be reached in a day trip. Next stop is my final visit to Buenos Aires.
