Paraguay

On Sunday we crossed the border between Argentina and Paraguay after busing across Brazil for a short distance. Our stay in Argentina was really nice, ending it all off with a visit to a massive waterfall called Iguazù falls and a tour of the Guirà Oga animal hospital. There were a variety of jungle animals including monkeys, orangutans, all sorts of birds, and little mammals i had never seen before.

An Australian named Nev came to Paraguay with us to go camping in a biological reserve just north of the Itaipu dam (second largest dam in the world). At the border crossing we met a German girl named Kati who also decided to go camping, so we got food, hopped in a taxi, and made it to this lovely park in the middle of thick sub-tropical rainforest. We strolled along the river bank, took horseback rides, chatted with the park rangers, and had barbeques. At night the bugs and birds were so loud it was hard to sleep. I had an alergic reaction to something in the air, so the park medic gave me some medicine for free and invited all of us to his house. The second day the clouds broke open in rain. We got all of our stuff under the shelter just in time and the only other person there was an ice cream man, so there we were, in the pouring tropical rain, eating popsicles. That evening the power went out, which made it really hard to barbeque with damp fire wood under the shelter, but it worked. The only bad thing was that the park lights real purpose was to keep the deadly snakes away, so I was kind of scared.

The rainforest was beautiful, lush green vegitation, ripe fruit trees, hundreds of species of birds of every color, strange insects, and howling mammals that were to shy to peak their faces out of the trees. It makes me really sad to think that places like this are disappearing rapidly to deforestation and poverty stricken countries like this do not have the resources to protect their treasures. Its hard to understand how a country so rich with natural resources can be so poor, but a history of exploitation and abuse of the people traces the roots.

On Wednesday morning it was still raining, so we didnt get to go on our safari before the taxi driver came to get us. Driving back to Cuidad del Este I noticed tiny houses in the edges of the jungle and in the cities police every where with really big guns. We went to the doctors house for a visit and met his family. The people of Paraguay are so generous and welcoming. Then the four of us bused to Asunciòn together.

Asunciòn is the type of city I expected of a third world country. The government buildings are huge and fancy, but the shanty and tent towns right next to the presidential palace are so poor. Little children walk around the streets at night, barefoot, either selling candies or begging for money. The town dies at about 9 PM unlike the other cities Ive been to in Argentina and Chile with an outrageous nightlife. But our hostal was clean, well kept, the staff was kind, and the other backpackers there were eager to meet new people.

Well anyway, Im about to go out an explore this city a little more, then we have a flight to Lima, Peru in the early morning. ¨Chao!