GENERAL INFO (Jump to Diary)
The
 Republic of Paraguay is an unitary presidential
constitutional republic, covering 406.752 square kilometres in-between
Bolivia, Brazil and Argentina. It is the home of 6.783.272 citizens, of
which 97% are Christians.
The currency is Guaraní, worth 0,0012 Danish Krone and €0,00016. The GDP is
US$28.743 billion.
The overall climate is
tropical to subtropical, depending on the altitude. I will mainly be
exploring the humid subtropical areas along with the small warm semi-arid
area. That despite most plants and animals presumably are found in the large
tropical savannah area.
Paraguay have so many interesting mammals like several species of
armadillos, anteaters, sloth, primates, porcupines, viscachas and
chinchillas, guinea pigs, agoutis and pacas, tuco-tucos, rats, squirrels,
mouse, bats, cats, dogs, tapirs, pigs, deer and opossums.
The flora is even richer, but I'm just here to study entire biomers, not the
specific species. Well, it would be great to see some of the
caudiciforms:
Anredera cordifolia,
Amphipetalum paraguayense,
Aristolochia fimbriata,
Carica quercifolia,
Cayaponia tayuya,
Ceiba pubiflora,
Ceiba speciosa,
Chorisia insignis,
Chorisia speciosa,
Cissus tweedieana,
Cnidoscolus hasslerianus,
Cochliasanthus caracalla,
Dioscorea discolor,
Dorstenia brasiliensis,
Habranthus tubispathus,
Hippeastrum aulicum,
Ipomoea digitata,
Ipomoea hieronymi,
Ipomoea platensis,,
Ipomoea pubescens,
Jacaratia corumbensis,
Jacaratia spinosa,
Jatropha dissecta,
Macfadyena unguis-cat,
Mandevilla illustris,
Oxalis articulata,
Oxalis debilis,
Pereskia sacharosa,
Phytolacca dioica,
Portulaca eruca,
Ruehssia hilariana,
Sinningia aggregata,
Sinningia macropoda,
Sinningia sellovii,
Sinningia tubiflora,
Sinningia warmingii,
Synandrospadix vermitoxicus,
Talinum nocturnum,
Talinum paniculatum
and
Zephyranthes candida.
I would also like to see some of at least 87 species of cacti.
DIARY
19/4 2024.
 This diary is a bit short, as my
computer lost the battery, and I can't use my photos as notes, nor write the
diary on the computer. iPhones are just not the same for me.
I enter from Uruguay in the evening, and have to wait two and a
half hour for the car: They have apparently forgot our agreement. When I finally get it, I head straight for the
hotel. I spend the time waiting with diary, accounting and withdrawing a
million, just to have some
pocket money. I get another rental company to
call my private host, telling them I’m late.
When I finally got my car, I drive the 7,5 kilometres into Asunción and my hostel
- would have been faster, walking.
I end up at a lively older couple, who speak no English, but we manages, and
I get my own house in a closed yard, with lots of potted plants and a large
toad. I cook and
get to bed after 01.
This is closer to equator than Uruguay, and the day temperatures are around
25-28C, but the nights only 19C. The three photos of the day in tomorrow's.
20.
 Great, but short sleep, as I have a long drive ahead. The first stint is
300 kilometres through hilly grassy fields, shrubbery and swamps. Here are a
mix of small dairy cows from Jersey to black & white, and around half are
Indian oxen. Compared to Uruguay, it is a more scruffy and plain country,
but everything cost the half. The roads are worse, the speed higher. Many
mopeds and small motorcycles, most with female drivers, even those with
mixed pairs. I shop some food and water to have in the car.
The first sight is the Ybucui National Park, which have only one road and a
few short trails. I think the road leads 20 kilometres into the 5000
hectares area.
I stop several times, for short walks in the real lush nature. Here are
fifteen meter high Cereus cacti in between the else so lush trees.
One place have the distinctive sound of a waterfall, and
 I find the river
feeding it. I think it is Salto Karaimi. Huge granite boulders and bedrock dominates, and it is a real
beautiful area.
The trees have four different species of cacti, and on the ground,
additionally two more are found. Here are fern-trees, numerous ferns in the
trees and on the ground, a Begonia, at least one orchid and many other
interesting plants. I hear a lot of birds, but only see a few, like the
falcons. Here are lizards and I see a single tiny snake .
The most dominant animals are not the leafcutter-ants, but the butterflies.
Here are at least 30 species and a total of thousands. The butterflies are
mainly sucking up minerals, and especially sulphur butterflies are numerous.
However, here are from the huge Morpheus and swallow-tailed, to minute
bright blue metallic butterflies.
The
road get worse and worse, due to the many creeks which crosses it. They
remove the sandy clay, exposing the bedrock. I have the sun in my face, and
I can’t really see the road. For once, I’m forced to turn around after only
five kilometres. It is not worse the great VW I got for this country: It has
to last one more week.
On the way out, I see the Fabrica de Heirro iron factory from 1850, and the little museum.
Among other things, here are the sand cast for a little canon.
Next stop is Hotel International in San Ignacio, 300 kilometres down the
road. That include a shortcut the GPS know, in deep contrast to the locals. It
have only been used bye cows and mopeds. I get through, but then stick to
the major roads.
Where it have been hilly so far, it turns real flat now. Still only cows and
oxen, along with real lush and unspoiled nature in around 130 meters
 height.
I pass a few towns like Ybycui and Quiindy, but it is getting late, and I gamble on San Ignacio. I
have a photo of the hotel, but I failed to understand, it was down a little
dirt road, behind another hotel. I ask for directions at a restaurant, and
as there are none at the hotel, I head down town.
San Ignacio is a fairly young town at an intersection. One street with an
odd mix of shops, the rest is domicile in a real green area .
I return to the restaurant and get their three vegetarian courses: A bun
with anise, an empanadas with corn and one with some palm stem thing. All
real good. Along with a large latte, I have to pay four Euros. The same as
the latte cost in Uruguay. As I still a bit peckish, I head back to town,
and find the empanadas shop, selling them for 10 cents. Unfortunately, they
only have chicken- and ham empanadas left.
The
hotel have now staff, and I get a nice room. I borrow a mug and spoon,
and get coffee now, and breakfast in the morning that way.
The cicadas and crickets are louder than the cars on the main road, and I
call it a day, a bit earlier than yesterday – or actually this morning.
Highlights of the day.(opens in new window).
 21.
Great morning for the drive to Encarnacion. It is only 159 kilometres,
and I enjoy breakfast at my room – well, the one I have brought myself. I
accidentally delete my Paraguay diary, as it was listed twice on the iPhone. But deleting
one, removed both. I did send a copy to my email last night, and nothing got
lost, although it was a close call.
It is a warm day with 28C, full sun and no wind . I can’t resist a
panderia
in San Patricio village, and munch on a tasty cheese bread and a
real salty
ring, while I head on.
Here start to be a few fields with crops. Most are harvested, but some
beans, cane and sweet potatoes are still in the ground.
I see many birds from sparrows over storks, parakeets, starlings, falcons,
vultures, water-hens and – it is a long list, and I don't recognise
 some of
them anyway...
Here are several real huge silos-companies, and I assume it is grain. It is
a strange sky; the clouds seems so flat.
I make a stop at the large Arroyo Aguapey river. It have flooded the
surrounding fields, and the cattle seems a bit baffled.
The huge Arroya Tacuary river looks like a brownish-red fjord. Then I reach
the huge border river: Rio Parana and here Encarnacion
 is found. The
skylines of the Argentine city Posadas on the other side is intermediating.
I see the empty but nice looking beaches, and find the old part of town,
with cobblestone and farm animals. Then I head into the bus terminal,
figuring this is where things happen – if any, on a Sunday. Here is a market
area, but most shops are closed. Only the shops closest to the buses,
selling mate with matching thermo flasks, are open.
I find an
 odd tasting
mug of coffee here.
The trees in the park have Rhipsalis and orchids along with ferns and
bromeliads. I get to walk a lot, but fail to find the really appealing part
of the town. Well; it is Sunday – and Paraguay. Here are several religious
settlements in a huge area, and I pass through Trinidad, but fail to
understand why I should stop. My plan is to see Jesus de Tavarangüé, a
Jesuit settlement. Well, it is the
 usual village, only with a huge church
ruin somewhere out on a field.
As I head on, I’m stopped at a stationary police control post. Apparently,
forgetting to turn on the headlights is “rewarded” with a massive fine of
412,000 Guaranies, around € 55. That must hurt a local farmer hard!
I find
my apartment way out in nowhere, on a field outside Hohensu;
"The
capital of immigrants". I chat German with an older German woman, who
runs this place. Works way
better than Spanish,
 then again; that doesn’t say much.
Back the 40 kilometres to Encarnacion for money and food. It is through some
giant hills, op above 200 metres.
The modern city of Encarnacion is real Sunday close as well. I get a million
and a half Guaranies, and see most of the centre. I even find a little
joint, who prepare me some boiled vegetables with rice. Along with a good
latte, I have to pay two Euros. I guess the police are well paid here? And
thinking about it; I did not get a recipe for that fine...
I use their Wi-Fi till I’m kicked out, half pass three. More walking among
shops which are Serrado’ed, except all the ice crème shops.
As I suspect, my apartment have no internet, which is needed for writing or
rather: Saving the diary. I gas the car, buy coffee and use the Wi-Fi at
the gas station. And
honestly; air-con too, as the temperature have reached 32C, and the car is
steaming, when parked
 in the sun.
The police checkpoint is now teaming with officers, and mine and the car’s
papers are checked again, along with my breath. I get bye without paying
this time.
It is pitch dark, when I get home to a real steamy apartment at six. I set he
air-con to 27C, and I pull out a chair to the porch. The night birds
are active along with a lot of insects. None eats me though. The sky is a
wall of stars, despite the almost full moon. No Wi-Fi, no computer: I’m in
for a short evening, feeling real long.
Highlights of the day.
Time to start Diary 2. |