Paramanta Hotel Asuncion

... in this country has left a bad taste in our mouths. The pervasive corruption and poverty here, combined with a very bland lifestyle and mediocre work experience, had us packing our bags long before our departure date. It wasn't all bad - we got to know each other that much better and we got to visit Iguazu - but when we think about the possibility of leaving this very bleak environment, only one thing comes to mind: we can't wait to get out of here. <br>

... to the fire station and so stopped and asked them. It seems that we were actually right all the time and the locals just do not know the name of the street they live in! Any way we carried on and found the zoo and were able to camp, it is a very nice place to camp and has water, showers and electric all available for a couple of pound per night (S25.14.55.91 W57.34.08.08). When we got to the parking area we found a Dutch couple already parked up. On ...

I left Santa Cruz-Bolivia, by taking a TAM flight in the a/noon, everything seemed to be fine, I could not fiind any hostel before going, so, i decided to go there and find whatever i could, I asked at information, in Asuncion's airport, and i got a not so expensive hotel. Hotel Plaza was 26 US$ per night, but my best choice. Going to the center is easy, just next to the airport is the bus stop, paying 2000 guaranies (half a ...

... rooms.So we went off to one of Asunción's luxury hotels, the Asunción Palace! :) The prices, expensive for the country, are still very reasonable for westerners. We didn't take the luxury suite, which was made of three separate rooms plus the bathroom, only a normal room that only had two rooms... It had air conditioning, WiFi, mini bar at the same price than small corner stores, breakfast included, what a misery... ;)<br><br>We managed to push back Daniela's return flight, so we had a ...

... the busterminal. The day after I went back to the station to arrange my bus to Curitiba, Brazil. That bus left at 13h so I had only 2,5 hours to discover Asuncion. That was enough, I did a nice walk and saw too many homeless people living in a park.

Mba'eichapa! Or, hi how are you, in Guaraní. I have made it to Paraguay safe and sound and the last few days have been incredibly busy. We all left Miami on Wednesday night and arrived here Thursday morning. We went straight to the training center here in Guarambare, about 45 minutes from Asuncion, and had some introductory classes and then straight out to our host families, where we will be staying for the next 3 months during training. My house is out in a ...

... some anti-parasite education and made bread with my cooking class last week. I had a trainee visit me last weekend, and we had a great time. The whole point of the visit is to see what the life of a PCV is like... I took her to 2 fiestas, so now she thinks the life of a PCV involves a lot of dancing :) Well mine does anyway. Hope this finds everyone well! Suertemante!

... travelers DO make decisions based on such considerations, like yours truly. And then of course some of the consequences can be a bit bizarre. While my generally well-funded ex-pat buddies in Thailand sweat and scramble to deal with new toughened immigration requirements there, a little known fact is that citizens from several South American countries can get far more favorable terms of entry there than they, all for free, including those of Peru ...

... our town that was shut down within the last couple years. The campesinos decided that they wanted to make the government change course and retrieve the hospital again after letting such great facilities slip away and get sold off to the highest bidder by corrupt directors and ministry officials. For the last month campesinos from all over Paraguay have come and protested both outside and inside of the hospital grounds ...

... the shops were expensive and the markets were ****!! There was not much else to do or see there except for Heroes Square and the shanty town located right beside the brand new government buildings. On Wednesday we left Paraguay and got stamped back into Brazil. Our destination was Foz de Iguazu which was going to be our base for visiting the famous Iguazu Falls over the next two days