From Diary 1, the adventure goes on.
22.
 I have to wait for the first crack of daylight, sitting at the porch,
listening to the birds. Then into the first gas station for coffee and Wi-Fi.
It is 250 kilometre to the sight of the day. The GPS suddenly shouts at me,
and I like it, as I then can hear my music as well.
I can chose road PY06 or PY07, along Rio Parana. In an effort to see
some highland, I choose PY06. It should be a four hour drive, and I intends not to speed (much) today, knowing how
 serious their fines are. Then again, I get a good rabbit right
away, and he keep me out of problems the first half. And after a short
while, I get a new. They scan for cops, sleeping or not, and other hazards,
while I enjoy the surroundings.
Well, it is rather familiar 150 to 350 meter hills, with half nature and
half farmland, mainly in the highlands.
Most fields are harvested, and to judge from the silos, it is good.
 Still
some beans, corn and cane left on root. The area is hit by a few, but intense showers.
I pull over in the large village; Santa Rita for some warm bread. Outside of
town, several kilometres of an flowering Euphoria milii hedge follow the
road.
I turn into a minor road for the last 75 kilometres, just to see something
else. Well, now it is almost only farmland, and the fields are huge.
Then the last
 ten kilometres or so, are by a patchwork of cobblestone roads,
passing small huts.
A modern visitor centre emerges. I have reach the large Rio Monday and
especially the Salto del Monday. The fall can be heard far away, and is real
loud, close bye. The brownish river make a 80 meter plunge here, and it is
truly impressive. A rock in the middle of the fall have a large number of
swallows , specialised in waterfalls. All I miss, is sun. I enjoy a latte at
the viewing platform,
while I wait fruitless for better light.
My hotel is only 100 meters away, and a real trill. Private yard with a real
nice garden with tiny ducks and huge carps, along with nice plants. An
outdoor grill area, a nice pool and an indoor gym. My room have a lounge
with bar, complete kitchen, laundry room, bedroom, guest room and terrace along
with the expected bathroom. Pretty good for Euro 22, and it even include a
vegetarian breakfast buffet.
I drop
 my bag, and head out in the wild. The GPS show a little trail,
following the river. Here, I find tiny and humble huts, nice nature along the cobblestone
road.
The trail is closed off, but the farmer let me walk it. At first, it is a
wide dirt road, then a real narrow trail. And pretty soon, unattended for
years.
I can hear the big river, and navigate through undisturbed nature by
the sound. It is hard to penetrate the entangled and wet vegetation, and I
really appreciate my laundry-machine, when I get home.
A bit strange, no insects try to eat me, and only few plants draw blood. I
don’t really see any interesting plants, but a lot familiar, from the
florists, way back, when they actually had plants. Well, they do originate
from here, and are interesting that way.
I
meet the expected barb wire fence, but climb the two meters easily. I end
up at the visitor centre, and check the fall once more. Still no sun.
It
 is only one o’clock , and I figure, I check the first sight of tomorrow,
only seven kilometres away. It might rain in the morning. It is the huge
Brazilian border-town of Ciudad del Este. It is through a usual larger town,
but then it feel like Hong Kong. I park 100 meters from the huge Shopping
Paris, but on a country road with green fields, and for free. This is truly
from one jungle to another. Huge skyscrapers,
nature, tiny shops, huge
malls, wasteland, all within a hundred meters.
I
 find some memory cards for the camera, allowing me to have only one
country on each (needed as the computer died). I see everything from the
posh malls to the dirt backstreets. A little joint sell me a reheated
bakery-thing and a good latte for € 0,70.
At four, it turns darker, and the shops start closing. I had expected them
to stay open for at least ten.
Well, I’ve see the most, and head home through a light drizzle.
M-TV on the television, all my clothes in the washing machine and a mug of
coffee while I write diary.
After dinner, I catch up on WRC Rally Croatia, while it rains and thunders.
Highlights of the day.
 23. The breakfast is only served after eight, but I’ll wait. Despite I’m the
only one attending it, it is impressive, and I only sample some. It is
served with a great view to the fall.
As I saw the huge city yesterday, I head straight towards the Itaipú Dam, the
world’s largest active dam. It is a short drive, mainly through towns. I
stop at a high bridge, crossing Rio Acaray. In the forest below, it look
like a scatted Indian settlement.
When I get close to the dam, the road is blocked with, what looks like an
impressive border. I’m shown to the just as impressive visitor centre, which is
rather empty. I have to show passport, but get in for free.
First, there is a movie in a huge cinema, telling about the Itaipú Dam, with
English subtitles. 7,5 kilometres wide, 196 meters high,
 and it does hold a
lot of water. And it can produce 12,600,000 kW. Way more numbers on rocks, concrete, efficiency and alike. The
dam is the world’s largest active, supplying Paraguay with 76% and Brazil
with 26% of their entire energy need. It actually produces 200% of Paraguay's
need, but they have other hydropower plants as well, and sell the rest to
Brazil.
Besides from producing electric, it administers a huge protected area, along
the river.
After the movie, a bus brings a tiny group to the viewing point. I guess it
would have been more impressive, it there were water in the slues and not in
the air as fog. Then for an
extensive drive around the area. Unfortunately with tinted windows and rain.
I actually think
we are in Brazil at one point, which explain the passport
check.
I then continue towards Barrio Azucena, which only serve for a waypoint. I
thought, I would be here way later, and have booked a real expensive hotel
for a late arrival.
It continue raining, and with the exception if a pit-stop at a gas station
for coffee and shelter through a real terrestrial shower, I aim for Inmaculada Concepcion, an other town along the road.
The possibility for a stop at the shore of lake Acaray, don’t really feel
tempting, in the gloomy and rainy day. Well, I’m quite close bye in Tacuary,
and as the rain quiets down a bit, I give it a try. Some kilometres down a partly cobblestone, partly dirt road, both real badly
flooded, I find a muddy shore.
Then
another gas station pit-stop for lunch, before the last stint to
Inmaculada Concepcion. As it is merely a waypoint for a waypoint, I don’t
expect much.
It turns out to be a real lucky choice: It is a cosy town, with a great
rural atmosphere. I do several loops, and even get to see a few glimpses of
the sun.
 A panderia have both latte and cake for sale.
This cosy and real large village is found on a huge plateau, around 300
meters height.
Earlier,
I had planned a detour through the countryside, but it is getting
late. I just reach my hotel in the suborn Barrio Azucena at the few minutes of dusk.
Unfortunately, this hotel, which is the most expensive on this tour, have no
reservation for me, and no vacant rooms. We talk about it, and I end up with
a room for half the price, while a woman have to find another room somewhere
else, should she turn up.
I talk a restaurant - or burger-bar, into making me a meat-free burger; bun,
fried egg and cheese. Not bad at all.
It
have not rained here, but it feels like I have just outrun it, and it is
catching up.
My iPhone have not been charged, and I have to use the other one.
I
 make a long stroll up and down the main road, leading through the
large city I’m
in: Coronel Oviedo. Here are car dealers, fast food and a bit of everything
from beds over drugstores to tire fixers. Many greets me friendly, and here
is actually a cosy atmosphere under the full moon.
I’m
done with everything at seven, and get yet another long and boring
evening. It would have been so great to be able to work on the photos. Well,
another walk up and down the street,
 before I call it a day.
I only get a few hundred meters away, then the sky opens. Despite I use my
umbrella, my pans are soaked on the 50 meters to a cafeteria. It has
practically stopped raining, as I get my coffee.
I was aware Paraguay would get rain, and when it rains here, it really
rains. I just hope the next three countries will remain dry, despite the El
Nino year. Photos and walks in the wild, are just not the same with rain.
Highlights of the day.
The story continues in Diary 3. |