From Diary 3, I now get closer to the capital.
 26. A real long drive to the first sight in Aragua: 414 kilometres, six
hours driving away – the GPS estimate, and it is usually close to, both in Uruguay
and Paraguay. At least, it be dry all day.
The first two-third is by familiar roads, but now without rain, and I get to
see the surroundings. I first get a real fast rabbit, but then a turtle
disguised as a police-car. Then a
 pit-stop in San Estanislau, just for
coffee. It have so far been a nice drive in farm- and grassland.
Only two
lane roads, but some nasty potholes.
The last 150 kilometres are real flat and only swamps and grassland. After a
bit more than six hours, including some “shortcuts “ the GPS knew, which
were flooded and muddy, but interesting in several ways.
As expected, I entrées the little town of Areguá
 from a back-road, but find
the colourful clay-work right away. Here are actually several hundreds
metres of stands, found all around the centre of town. At first, they look
alike, but there are some differences. One have some gnomes, flashing
themselves. One is just huge. I struggle to find anything small enough, but
finally, there is a small mushroom, then a caterpillar and an anteater. It
seems like the price is around €0,15 per
centimetre.
Next challenge is coffee, but with patience and asking around, I manages.
They have some cakes, which reminds me of childhoods “roulades”. It is not,
as the raspberries lack, but worth a shot.
I do all the lops in town, as it is a cosy place. Nice homes with loads of
plants and a real tranquil atmosphere. Well, I am the only guest here, it
seems. Here don’t seem to be a
 single person, speaking anything else but
Spanish, but me.
In one intersection, there are more busses, than I have seen for days. I
fail to figure why.
Here are many trees and greenery in general throughout town, and it is close
to tropical. And the trees
are covered in cacti and other epiphytic plants.
The next village is all about furniture, but that appears not to draw any
native tourists at all.
It is only an hour's drive to the botanical garden in Asuncion; Jardin de
la Senora, and I might
as well get the disempowerment over with. It is something else: I get to
drive it in my car. Most is just an open forest, but the area with a lake is
beautiful.
Here are several epiphytic cacti, and while I look for them, I almost step
on a caiman. On some branches, sitting over the pond, pond-turtles are
basking. It turns out, around ten caiman are basking the shore of the pond. I do the loops,
 but skip the ZOO.
It is only
four, and I head for Asuncions old town. I find a place to park
behind the cathedral, on a real shitty road. As I pass the cathedral, I spot
a low and green area at the end of the square, at think; there might be a
nice riverside. Before I get there, a huge police officer tell me, I should NOT
go there. The sights are the other way. And safety too, I think...
There are no river anyway, and I do the three central streets around the
huge square. Most is run-down, none real appealing, and I have seen enough
before dusk. No reason to return in the morning.
A huge and brand new 4x4 Mercedes pull into the sidewalk, and my host from Concepcion , calls me. I have so far been avoiding being recognised.
I passed an interesting looking area on 14 Mayo, on the way here, but
unfortunately, there
 are 12 of those within ten kilometres, and at present,
I fail to figure which it was.
I gas the car for my last cash, except 7 cents. My host owe me enough for
tomorrow.
Pass Stock supermarket to stock bisques and water, then home to the same
place, which I sleep the first night. I drive strait to the cosy place, but have to
wait for my host to clean the room. I have actually paid for four
 nights,
due to booking mistakes and changed flights. And now, she have no cash to pay
me back, meaning I actually pay for five nights, despite I only sleep here
tow. I sometimes wish I was a
less polite man.
I have till noon in the morning, but have done all sights. Only eight
kilometres to the airport, and I need to come up with something. Lago
Ypacaraí might be a possibility, and I might pass the cosy suborn on the
way to the airport.
Highlights of the day.
 27. I fail to find the
diary for today - if I ever written it, and have to use the photos as notes.
I find, what appears to be a real cosy suborn, Luque, and in its market.
Plenty of smiles and motives, although the light is difficult this early in
the day.
I do many loops in the trading streets with cloths, herbs, meat and whatever
people might buy.
Then I find my way out to Lago
Ypacaraí, where the locals spend the hot summer days at the lakeside. I
have a long chat with a British lady, living here by now. Then I find a calm
mother toad at her favourite pond. Eventually, it is time to find the
airport and return the car. He claim it is dirty, but can't find a scratch.
Highlights of the day.
I have driven 2114 kilometres, made 1702 photos and spend only 7783 DKK; €
1038, as this is a roundtrip.
I must say Paraguay have not been the great adventure. Just like Uruguay, it
is not really that different from Denmark: Flat farmland. But it is a bit
more "rural" compared to Uruguay. From here, I fly to
Bolivia.
HIGHLIGHTS
FROM PARAGUAY
|
Expenses |
DKK |
Guarani |
€ |
|
Flight (part) |
2844 |
2938017 |
379 |
|
Insurance (1/5) |
120 |
123967 |
16 |
|
Car + insurance |
1398 |
1444215 |
186 |
|
Petrol |
953 |
984658 |
127 |
|
Park, Fine & Toll |
487 |
503000 |
65 |
|
Hotel |
962 |
994256 |
128 |
|
Stuff |
137 |
141500 |
18 |
|
Food |
771 |
796301 |
103 |
|
Admission |
110 |
114000 |
15 |
|
Total: |
7783 |
8039914 |
1038 |
|