Us on Television

It has been a long time between blogs. We are in Peruibe, Brazil and settled into our small 2 bedroom rental house waiting out the winter before heading to Uruguay, Argentina and Patagonia. I will write about our stay in Peruibe in more detail later. But...we were invited to be on local television and seized the opportunity! We were interviewed separately about our travels and if you are interested here are the You Tube links.

For Angela

http://youtu.be/hk7Y5unTMO8

For Tom

http://youtu.be/7xniPz3a_wE

You can also access it at www.youtube/peruibeonline and search uploads for QI Cultural com Angela and Tom. Enjoy.

Paraguay border to Bonito, Brazil, 200 miles.

First, if ever you do this crossing, stop and shop at Shopping China. This huge duty free store has just about everything and at amazing prices. We bought, amongst other things, lounging chairs for the beach, wine and champagne, gourmet food such as caviar, chocolate from Switzerland and candies from England and shoes for Tom. Traveling from my youth, I had seen stores like this but for Tom, it was astounding. From there it was a visit to the Policia Federal for our immigration and Aduana for the motor home before getting on the road to Bonito. We had been told that the road was well maintained so the trip would only take 5 hours or so. As we drove we were again in swamp and marsh terrain with a variety of birds to keep our interest. At one point we thought we saw ostrich...or emus...or what are they?...we muttered to each other. Without the benefit of the internet we came to the conclusion that they must be some type of rhea from this area. They definitely had the flightless appearance of the emu and some were quite large. Two other species of tall birds caught our interest, one being a road-runner type with a crest on its head and the other we knew from books – it was the 2 meter (7ft. tall) red-necked Tuiuiu stork. The Pantanol is home to about 650 species of birds including ibises, egrets, herons and parakeets. There are also many ranches with herds of Brahma cattle and acres upon acres of corn and sugar cane, most of which goes into the production of alternative fuel. Our campsite in Bonito is operated by Hostel International and similar to the hostel in Foz do Iguaçu but it turned out to be much smaller and not really set up for RVs. We had to park next to their tour vans in a small gravel lot with not much room. The town itself is very small, very touristy and very expensive. Since it is approaching winter here there were very few people and the big attraction – swimming and snorkeling in the local rivers – was cold to say the least. We visited a tourist park, Balneario do Sol which borders the Rio Formosa and has several waterfalls and areas for snorkeling. Tom and I endured a chilling 20 minutes in the water and that was enough for us. The park itself is pretty and clean with trails where you can see macaws, monkeys and a large furry rodent similar to a guinea pig called a capivara. But after all our travels and sight-seeing, Bonito was disappointing to us. After two days we decided to leave and get back to Peruibe and our rental home. We are not sorry we made the trip as if we hadn’t we would have wondered what it would be like but if your time in Brazil is limited, there are many other regions that are much more interesting and satisfying to visit. Sorry Bonito!

San Bernardino to Pedro Juan Caballero – 300 miles

Heading north-east, we quickly left the populated southern part of the country and began the climb through the sparse, less frequently visited areas of Paraguay. This is the border of the Chaco region which gets extremely hot in the summer months but now in May is cool and pleasant. The first part, low Chaco is known as arroyos (streams) and esteros (marshes). This primeval terrain of swamp and palm forests is a boon for bird-watchers and definitely cattle-raising country with herds of Brahma studding the landscape. We pass acres of swamp, covered for miles in water hyacinth and marsh reeds clearly visible from the road. Due to its remoteness, this area has attracted a number of diverse unusual immigrant communities over the years. The best known are the Mennonites, a strict Protestant sect who settled from the 1920’s onwards. They are famous for their carpentry skills in furniture making and still speak a dialect of German known as Platt Deutsch. A more bizarre story occurred in 1886, in the settlement town of Nueva Germania, north of Coronel Oviedo. Elisabeth Nietzsche, the fanatical and (some say) crazy sister of the philosopher Nietzsche with her equally crazed husband developed a plan to found a pure Aryan colony. This venture went awry (Thank God) when they had to endure the realities of the countryside, other indigenous settlements, dense vegetation and intense heat accompanied by monsoon type rains. The ensuing anger of the colonists they had brought with them led to her husband committing suicide and her return to Germany where eventually she embraced Hitler as her leader. Her story is told by Ben Macintyre in the book “The Forgotten Fatherland: The Search for Elisabeth Nietzsche”, if you are inclined to know more. Our night on the road we spent in Liberacion. The shock here was that our refrigerator has stopped working. After finding propane in Asunción we had gone shopping for meat, chicken and the like for our freezer and now none of it has frozen. Since there is nothing that can be done on the road, we give all our perishable foods to an older man and his family. The looks of gratitude and words of thanks from them almost made up for our own loss. Just one more item to deal with on our stay in Peruibe. The final leg of our trip in Paraguay is to the border town of Pedro Juan Caballero passing Parque Nacional Cerro Cora. The national park was the scene of the last battle in the War of the Triple Alliance and the death of “El Mariscal Lopez”. This was a disastrous war for Paraguay in the 1860’s against Brazil and Argentina in which, it was reckoned more than half the population was killed and only about 30,000 adult males survived, causing Paraguay to be rebuilt mostly by women and to become for a while, a polygamous society which the Catholic Church chose to ignore. There are also caves in the park showing pre-Columbian petroglyphs. We passed many interesting rock formations scattered throughout the landscape dating from this same period in geologic history. As far as border towns go, Pedro Juan Caballero is clean and safe and we park overnight in the lot of the mega duty-free store “Shopping China” which we will browse in the morning before crossing back to Brazil. As always on my last night in a country, I think about its history, the people we have met and the experiences we have taken from our time spent there. The most striking difference in Paraguay is not from the Spaniards occupation but the strong ties that have remained with the Guarani lifestyle and beliefs. In many areas more than 70 percent are completely bi-lingual. The music and poetry of the Guarani is hauntingly beautiful even if you don’t understand it and the modesty and humbleness of the Paraguayan nature show none of the characteristics of the Spanish. They are a gentle, peaceful people who show an almost reverence in the love of their country, their history, their wars and their soldiers. The country is a reminder that the first Spaniards who came here, seeking refuge from the misery and war of the settlements at Buenos Aires wanted not to dominate but to find a Utopia, a paradise. Since then the country has been ravaged by a series of wars and dictators and yet the people remain the same. Unassuming and humble but with a deep sense of unity. And so with the sounds of the harp and guitar of the Guarani music in my head, I am also humbled and glad we visited this small but Utopian country.

Sightseeing in Paraguay

We need to go to Asunción to visit the Brazilian and U. S Consulates. We want to check Tom’s visa for re-entering Brazil and he needs more pages in his passport. Geraldo has offered to drive us and we eagerly accept since the alternative is driving the RV which is never an enviable task in the larger cities. As we drive, Tom & I take in the sights of local rural towns and the larger, bustling suburb of Asunción, San Lorenzo. We head to the Brazilian Consulate first and are told the passport is good for another visit to Brazil. Since by now it is lunch time and the U. S. Consulate is closed, Geraldo takes us to one of their favorite dining spots in the city. It is a German restaurant and the food was indeed delicious. After lunch it was time to go to our own consulate. We were warmly greeted although we noticed that security at the U.S. embassy was significantly more than any other. We were told that adding pages was no problem and to wait about 20 minutes. As we were waiting, David came out and chatted with us about our trip to date. He is the secretary and consul for the embassy in Paraguay and has also travelled extensively in South America. We exchanges stories of our experiences and in no time we received the passport complete with another 24 pages. Geraldo offered to take us sightseeing but we had already left Winston for quite a while and wanted to get back to the RV so sightseeing would have to wait for another day. When we returned we did not receive our usual exuberant beagle greeting and noticed that Winston’s hind legs were bothering him again. After visiting the vet in Panama we have been following her instructions to the letter with periodic usage of Doxicycline but it appears it may be recurring. We will watch him for the next few days and see what transpires. The next few days we donate to checking out the area around San Bernardino. In the hills, the small town of Luque (Loo-keh) is famous for its silver filigree work. Hand-made by artisans following a tradition brought by the Spanish, the jewellery and trinkets are truly exquisite. We marvel at the intrinsical work and of course had to purchase some. The other town that interested us was Itagua, located about 7 mile east of Asunción. Famous for its hand crafted production of nanduti or spider web lace which is woven into handkerchiefs, tablecloths, hammocks and clothing. The delicate handmade lace is beautiful with gorgeous colors and again we are drawn to the craftsmanship and care which goes into each unique piece. Our credit card is getting a lot of use! But Winston is getting worse. He now needs help climbing into the RV and we discuss our problem with Silvia and Geraldo. They have three dogs, one of which has recently undergone cancer treatment so they recommend the University of Asunción Veterinary School and Hospital which is located in San Lorenzo. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday found us going back and forth between San Bernardino and the hospital as Winston underwent a series of blood tests, sonograms and x-rays. It wasn’t his old problem but a new one. An x-ray is showing some deterioration of his hip joint and there is a start of mild hip dysplasia. They recommend trying a change in diet and start using the Royal Canin for mobility strength and aspirin and to stick with this for about six weeks. They advise surgery should be a last resort. Well, at least it isn’t some rare, tropical disease. Oh, and the three days of tests and consultations cost us…about $35.00, amazing. Since there is no quick cure, we decide it is time to head back to Brazil. Before going to Peruibe and our rented home, we want to visit Bonito in the Pantanol region. It will take us a couple of days driving north in Paraguay to get to the border so we bid farewell to Silvia and Geraldo and San Bernardino and start the journey.

San Bernardino and Bi-centennial celebrations.

Our first day in Paraguay and we stay at our lakeside retreat and get acquainted with our hosts, Silvia and Geraldo. Their campgrounds and cabinas are in a breath-takingly beautiful lakeside setting. The lake being Lake Ypacarai (Ee-pa-car-eye). Located about 35 miles from Asunción it is a popular retreat for wealthy Paraguayans from the capital who maintain second homes here or visit on the weekends. It is not a large lake, measuring about 3 by 5 miles but very idyllic surrounded by tropical vegetation. Only one small problem. If we go swimming, explained Silvia, be sure to splash your feet on the bottom. There are stingrays. Hmm, that did it for me. No swimming for this girl! We find out that everything is closed from Friday through Monday for the national holiday, so after we learn that San Bernardino will have its own parade and celebrations we decide to stay here. The festivities were initially planned for Saturday but the day started dark and gloomy and quickly became a huge deluge. A true storm with high winds, rain sheeting down, thunder and lightning. Everyone quickly dispersed and all was postponed until Monday. After shopping at the local supermarket, we hunkered down in the motor home and spent the rest of Saturday and Sunday, reading, playing backgammon and taking short, poncho-wearing walks to the lake with Winston. Sunday showed some improvement in the weather and Monday was clear and sunny. When we arrived at the town center at 9am, people were already gathered and the stage and speaker system at the ready. First were the speeches by the mayor and local officials, interspersed with school bands playing the national anthem and other patriotic tunes accompanied with cries of Viva la Patria and Viva Paraguay. Like our July 4th music, it is very military, marching sounding, very Sousa-like. Then there was a play given by the high school students, re-enacting the revolution and history of Paraguay. It followed not only the events leading to the break from Spain but also the role that the indigenous Guarani and the Jesuit priests played in Paraguayan history. It was very entertaining and both Tom and I were able to follow the story. After it was over, we followed the crowd to the main street in town stopping to photograph a little girl dressed in a long, frilled, patriotic red, white and blue dress with matching ribbons in her hair and a group of the play-starring, high school students. The girls were in long, traditional dresses and the boys dressed in various garb ranging from colonists to colonial soldiers to Jesuit priests. All the children were charming and polite. Of course, as in the past, we always ask before taking pictures. If the children are young, we ask their parents. Most say yes and all are gracious even if they decline. There were chairs set out along the parade route but we elected to stay close to the end of the procession. Tom stood on a high curb so he could take photographs, whilst I stood with a small crowd of moms whose children were taking part in the parade. All the local schools were represented with bands and students clad in costumes of the revolution. All showed their school colors and emblems and proudly marched to the beating of drums and the clash of cymbals. We could not sing along to the tunes as did most of the crowd but we enthusiastically clapped as the children passed by. By early afternoon it was over and to the sounds of fireworks, music and cries of Viva Paraguay we walked down main street and went to eat lunch. Silvia had told us about a restaurant owned by a French couple that serves good food. Le Café Frances was excellent. Madame et Monsieur who are in their seventies, and not only own but actively participate in the running of the establishment welcomed us and gave us a table by the window. The food was delicious and as we ate we listened to the music of pre-world war Europe. Edith Piaf was the only singer I knew but the music was hauntingly beautiful. After dessert we indulged with some coffee and cognac, served by the elderly monsieur in warmed snifters. We sat and sipped and listened to the music. Tom turned to me. “This is beautiful,” he said, “I am so glad we are doing this trip together”. Like so much of the trip, this day was completely unplanned. Paraguay was unplanned. And yet here we are. I could only smile and agree.

Paraguayan border to San Bernardino – 180 miles.

By far the easiest border crossing to date. Even though this is a busy border with hundreds of people crossing every day between the falls, the dam and duty-free shopping in Ciudad del Este, only if you are venturing further into the country do you need to stop. After we were checked out of Brazil at Foz do Iguaçu, we crossed the Puente de la Amistad (Friendship Bridge) that spans the Parana River and divides Paraguay and Brazil. This afforded some beautiful views of the surrounding area. From there it was a quick stop at the immigration and customs building. We went first to Immigration to get our passports stamped and then we were directed to Aduana for the vehicle. There was one official who glanced at our title. He immediately stamped and initialed it. That was it. No photocopies, no request to see our licenses, no vehicle check, no carnet. We had been told and read that carnet was required. That is not so. Winston is also a non issue. Within 15 minutes, after changing some of our Brazilian currency for Guarani with a money changer we were finished. Since it is not possible to exchange Guarani outside of the country, we are only going to try to change what we need and first we need gas. Thinking petrol would be cheaper than Brazil we had waited to fill up. Disappointment. Gas is still expensive around $6.50 a gallon. Oh well. The next step was to navigate through, what is called “South America’s biggest shopping center” – Ciudad del Este. This is a bustling city where Brazilians arrive by bus loads to buy imported, duty free goods. Tom asked if I wanted to stop. After looking at the crowded walkways and the masses of humanity, I declined. What could we possibly need that would require struggling through the crowds? With the help of the many police who direct traffic through the busy intersections of streets thronged with people, we were through the town and on our way. Our stop for the night was to be San Bernardino, a resort town on Lake Ypacarai, about 35 miles from Asunción. We had read online about a hostel and campground which had room for motor homes and offered water and power. Hopefully we can camp there and get used to our new country. Just as we began the drive on Highway 7, known as the Mariscal Estigarribia Highway, we arrived at the first, of what turned out to be many police/military checkpoints. Naturally we are stopped. After a perfunctionary check of our passports and title, the inevitable questions began. How long had we been travelling? How were our experiences? Questions upon questions. Tom and I answer good naturedly and with laughter. Sharing stories as best we can in our limited Spanish, which after 4 months in Brazil has become rusty, we chat. Although this adds to the time it takes to travel, we understand that for some of these officials, it may be their only chance at talking with Americans and we want to leave a good impression of our own people and country behind. As we travel we view ourselves as ambassadors for America and realize that for many of the people we meet, this will be their only contact with Americans. We want the experience to be as pleasant for them as it is for us. So, we indulge their curiosity. The road is a toll road and we make good time even with the stops. We also learn that in a few days, on May 15th, it is the bi-centennial of Paraguay’s independence from Spain in 1811. At one of the stops we are presented with an emblem to honor the occasion, which we promptly hang from our mirror, much to the delight of the attendant. As we travel, we pass roadside vendors selling pottery and wood carvings from the nearby villages, the most famous being Tobati and beautiful wood furniture made by descendents of the Mennonites. We pass through the town of Caacupe, which today is quiet but is known for its celebration on December 8th, when pilgrims come from all over Paraguay carrying heavy stones on their heads as penance. We also pass many stores called Chiparrias and wonder about them. It turns out that chipas are small cakes made from maize and are sold by the Guarani. We see traditional Guarani women carrying baskets on their heads, filled with fruit and chipas. All of this is surrounded by a landscape that is lush and sub-tropical. Lots of agriculture with fields of corn and soya. Well-fed cattle, goats and sheep, graze on the abundant grasses in fields by the side of the road. It is all so new and exciting to us. As we turn from the main highway for the final 10 kilometers to San Bernardino and the lake it is getting dark, so it was with relief when we finally arrive at the resort. A friendly lady called Silvia greeted us. On 6 hectares we are the only ones here. Winston is in heaven and as soon as we park takes off to explore his new surroundings. It has been a long day but we have made it. We are in Paraguay and at a very pretty lakeside campground. We will definitely stay a couple of days and try to decide where to spend the May 15th, bicentennial Independence Day celebrations.

Foz do Iguaçu

The first thing that comes to mind about “Foz” is water. Water, primarily the Parana and Iguaçu rivers almost define the very existence of this tourist destination. I use the term “tourist” loosely, as the remoteness of the town keeps tourists to only the most adventuresome and curious. Without the Parana River, there would be no Itaipu Dam with the world’s largest producing hydro-electric plant and without the Iguaçu River, those famous, completely spectacular Iguaçu Falls would not have been created. In addition it is also the cornerstone for the Brazilian border with both Paraguay and Argentina as evident by the Marca dos Tres Fronteras (The Three Border Monument). Foz do Iguaçu co-exists not only with Brazil but also in its close proximity to the other two countries with many visitors entering and leaving daily. In addition, our visit was highlighted by our choice of camping facilities. The Hostel Paudimar is beautiful, clean and well-maintained. We were able to have power and water and much to Tom’s surprise and delight, a sewer dump. These have been few and far between and he has had to resort to using the “bucket technique” for emptying our black water tank, not an enviable task but we absolutely refuse to jungle dump. There is laundry service, swimming pool, restaurant and a huge field where we can let Winston run. What more could a traveler need? The other thing we need to do is go to the Paraguayan Consulate in town. Like Brazil, Tom being a US citizen needs a visa; Angela with her UK passport does not. We also have questions regarding the motor home – do we need Carnet (insurance) or not – and Winston. The weather is gloomy and rainy so we spent the first couple of days relaxing at the campground. We are told that by midweek the weather will be sunny for our trip to the falls. Tuesday found us at the consulate. It was easy. With just a photo and payment of $100.00 we have the visa and according to the consulate, driving into Paraguay with the RV and Winston will not be a problem. On the way back to the hostel, we stopped off at the Tres Fronteras Marca. The view is amazing with the Parana River running down the center, Argentina to the left and Paraguay to the right, both national flags clearly visible from our own vantage point on the Brazilian side. Wednesday, we go to Itaipu Dam. Built as a joint venture between the governments of Brazil and Paraguay, Itaipu Dam is the second largest hydro electric plant (China now has the first) in the world but it is the largest producer of hydro-electric power. Classified as one of the seven wonders of the modern world, the dam is a feat of engineering and ingenuity. In addition to the panoramic tour we elected to take the technical tour which gives an overview of not only the workings of the plant but also how Brazil and Paraguay by joint agreement and personnel (50% of employees are Brazilian, 50% Paraguayan) who do not share a common language (Brazilians speak Portuguese and Paraguayans, Spanish) manage to co-ordinate their efforts into this huge power-producing facility. Thursday and Friday, we dedicated to the cataratas, Iguaçu Falls. Spectacular. Awesome. Amazing. Jaw-dropping. There are not enough adjectives to explain the absolutely powerful, thundering, beauty of these falls. Since they border both Brazil and Argentina, they can be viewed from the National Parks on both sides. Wednesday we spent on the Argentina side, doing a boat trip which took us up close and personal to some of the areas. It was very exciting and very wet! Thank goodness it was a sunny day and we could dry off quickly. We were also able via a string of trails and walkways, to get extremely close to many areas of the falls especially an area called Garganta Del Diablo (the Devil’s Throat canyon). The sheer amount of water that cascaded over the edge was amazing. The trail back through the park also provided close encounters with coatmundis, monkeys and, what has quickly become my most favorite of birds, the beautiful Toucan. Friday, we visited the Brazilian side with another couple who are travelling from Ireland. Steve and Jenny have been on the road for three months going first to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Then onto Australia and New Zealand and finally Peru and Brazil before going home to Dublin. They are young, energetic and loving life and Tom and I enjoyed spending the day with them before taking them to the airport to visit Rio before going home. The Brazilian side is more tranquil, more serene and gives the most beautiful panoramic views of these amazing cascades. Again easily accessible trails and walkways give up close and at times very wet experiences. On both days we saw gorgeous rainbows, single, double, triple ones created by the mist and sun. We were truly awe-struck. Everyone, it seems has their favorite side. Neither Tom nor I could decide as both are vastly different and both should be seen. The Argentine side is larger, more developed and more dramatic where as the Brazilian side is definitely more panoramic, scenic and with a greater overview of the falls. We took hundreds of photos, which once I have sorted them, we will post. Friday night we gave ourselves a treat. We got dressed up and went to a dinner and show at the Rafain, an event center in town. It was a churrascaria (Brazilian barbeque) buffet and a show featuring traditional music and dancing from South America. Since we rarely get gussied up and go out for the evening, this was a great way to end a remarkable few days of sight-seeing. Our last 4 days, we stayed around the campground. Tom did a little maintenance on the R.V. and I did some cleaning and preparation for the upcoming border crossing to Paraguay. We gave Winston a much needed bath and generally lazed around enjoying the solitude and sun. Wednesday we will cross the border into Paraguay and as there is little written by overlanders about that small land-locked country we are not quite sure what awaits us. Exciting!