Apart Hotel Manduara Asuncion

Hi all,

It's been a really long time since I have updated my blog, and I just wanted to let you all know that I am still alive. The last month has been fairly busy. I came into Asuncion a few weeks ago for an HIV/AIDS workshop for a few days, and I am back in Asuncion right now because I had to come in to meet with my boss for our quarterly review to review my work and future plans.

In site, things are going ...

... and at the end of this week we'll be on our way to the States. I'm really thankful that it wasn't my first travel experience, or else I might not have gone anywhere else aftewards.

There are certain things in Paraguay that remind me of Costa Rica. Old cars, imported from the first world, are prevalent here just as they were there. In the bathrooms, the faucets only have one handle, for cold water, and in cities the showers have ...

... I banged my right elbow, my left hand and the back of my right calf, I literally had only one good limb left. We had signed up to an adventure trip which involved going on a jet boat literally underneath some of the 275 waterfalls, it was very wet but very funny. We then jumped on a slow boat to reach the most important 4x4 trek through the jungle, it was so wet and we were so miserable that taking the **** out of the guide could not cheer us up. Eventually ...

... is where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay all meet.
The next day we chose to see the Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side (said to be the best view), so caught a bus there and the Falls were simply spectacular. The photos say it all! The falls are in a national park so the wildlife around them is amazing: racoons, huge lizards, beautiful butterflies, gigantic ants even! On our return to the Argentinian side we ...

I got my site assignment today!!! I am so excited. I am going to a rural community called Caraguata Ru'ă near the town of Ybycuí in Paraguari department. It looks like it should only be a few hours bus ride from Asuncion. From what I hear, it is supposed to be gorgeous. It is up in the hills close to the Ybycuí National Park. The community is about 10km from the ...

... the buildings and going down to the lake to see what was on offer there. It could be really beautiful but they are not making the most of it at all. It needs to be cleaned up a bit and then it will be awesome. That night we were out and about looking for a restaurant, which appear to be few and far between, but we came upon this expensive looking place just off the plaza. When we looked closer we saw it was recommended by the Rough Guide ...

... so self-congratulatory pats on the back are probably not in order. But still the analogy holds. South America is the one continent that has yet to be 'done', or overdone that is, of those that are 'doable' of course, so that rules out Antarctica, and Australia is a single country no bigger than mainland US, so that doesn't really count. But South America is big and beautiful and rich in resources and culture(s), and yet is still relatively under ...

... Obrigada" instead of "Gracias". It was still raining early evening and wasn't interested in getting wet again so I just called by local street vendors and bought a mixture of meat dishes and a few local Beers to take back to the hotel to eat and drink. Diwrnod 16 - Dydd Sadwrn 06/09/08 This time it was a beautiful sunny day and after a very short stay in Paraguay I was catching the ...

... we went to Ed and Maries for lunch, and spent a long time showing them the pictures that Jack had drawn and talking about the various aspects of historical Paraguay. Ed was fascinated ánd Marie, who is Paraguayan, was very interested as she is likes to sketch. Ed then drove us back to the hotel, via the bus station to collect our tickets for Concepcion.