Any Travels

Paraguay is an introvert country that borders on Bolivia, Brazil and Argentina. During a large part of this century it was one of the most notorious and durable police states, but it now is gradually getting used to being a republic. The Paraguay River divides the country into two contrasting regions, in the west, the Gran Chaco, or Paraguay Occidental, and in the east, Paraguay proper, or Paraguay Oriental.

The country has a relaxed capital, Asuncion on the east side of the river and which is about the only real city in the country. It's the both political and economic center of the land. Most of its architecture dates back to the nineteenth century, when some charismatic dictators established the Paraguayan identity. Other cities that have their roots in history are: Conception, General Eugenio A Garay, Perdo Juan Caballero and Coronel Oviedo

The country's main sights are the countless waterfalls, like the Iguazu Falls or the Guaira Falls, that are really worth a visit, but also some impressive Jesuit missions, several national parks and of course the plains swamps and forests of Gran chaco. Here you can also experience the real country life of the Paraguayan cowboys that breed one of the lands mayor sources of income.

The Paraguay River divides the country into two distinct regions which. are quite different in character. The Eastern Region, between the Paraguay and Parana Rivers, has fertile, rolling plains with numerous waterways, lakes, broad pasturelands and thick forests. The Western Region, known as the Chaco, is a vast plain crossed by numerous non-navigable rivers. This is the land of Quebracho, a very hard wood, and cattle ranches. Because it is so sparely populated, it is also home to a wide variety of animals living in their natural habitat..


Theater is a popular medium, with occasional offerings in Guarani as well as in Spanish. Visual arts of startling unconventionality can be seen in many galleries. Paraguay's pre-eminent literary figure is the poet-novelist Augusto Roa Bastos.

Paraguayan music is something of a curiosity - despite the fact that the majority of the population still speaks the native tongue, the music is European in origin, with little or no traces of Black, Brazilian or Argentinian influences. The guitar and harp are popular instruments and songs are usually slow and lachrymose. Dances, such as the polka and bottle dance (so-called because performers swing around with a jar on their head) are, however, much livelier. Agustin Barrios (1885-1944), one of Latin America's most revered composers for the guitar, often performed his music in full Guarani costume, promoting himself as the Paganini of the guitar from the Paraguayan jungles.

Roman Catholicism is officially the country's religion, but the influence of the church is less pronounced than in many other Latin American countries. Other religious groups include fundamentalist Mennonites and the controversial New Tribes Mission, an evangelical group which operated with the collusion of Stroessner's dictatorship.

GASTRONOMY:
In Paraguay, cuisine has a great home tradition, giving a delicious combination of meats and river fish, with a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, which you can find throughout the year. The most popular dishes are based on corn, meat, milk and cheese. The main dishes are: Chipa Guazu, Bori-Bori, So'o-yosopy, Locro, Mbeyu, Puchero, Guiso, Mandioca and the famous and popular Chipa. The local drink preferred by Paraguayans is a locally produced dark rum, an alcoholic beverage made from sugar cane; and terere, an infusion of yerba mate (ilex paraguayensis) and cold water, sometimes flavored with medicinal herbs. It is served in guampas or mates (gourd) and sipped through a Bombilla which is a kind of metal straw.

CRAFTS:
Aho-poi: fine clothing hand woven and hand made. This linen cloth is embroidered with threads of the same color, generally white. The typical aho-poi is produced in Yataity. Aho-poi shirts, blouses, tablecloths and napkins, are in very great demand.

Nanduti: Made of industrialized fine cotton thread, with combinations of many colors, though the most traditional nanduti is white. It is used for centerpieces, mantles, and other display areas where the handwork and color combinations can be best apreciated.

Ceramics: Pottery is a popular craft known by the Indians, such as, for example the colombian method and finger moulding of humid clay. Today you will find the classical "cantaro" (bucket), vessels, and human figures for decoration. The clay gains natural colors through the aplication of oxides and firing techniques (red, toasted, black).


PLACES TO GO:
If you are looking for marvelous nature sites, beautiful colonial arquitecture, wonderful landscapes, a enormous variety of plants and animals, abundant rivers and water falls, exciting sportfishing, hospitality and generosity, then Paraguay is the perfect choice.

The "Central Circuit" is a round trip of 200 kilometres that begin and ends in Asuncion, and covers the following places:

San Lorenzo. with its Gothic church and University Halls.

Ita famous for earthenware and pottery.

Yaguaron one of the most beautiful churchs in South America, built and richly decorated by the Franciscans Missionaries in the 17th century.

Paraguari an area of picturesque hills and historic sites.

Piribebuy historic and picturesque. Pirareta and Chololo waterfalls.

Caacupe the place where Paraguayan pay special devotion to the Virgin of Caacupe.

Saint Bernardino a resort city built on the shores of Lake Ypakarai.

Itaugua the center of "Nanduti" production, where this craft is widely exhibited for sale. One of the best possible souvenirs of Paraguay.

Aregua famous for earthenware and pottery.

Capiata with its 18th century Franciscan church.

Encarnacion: 372 kms from Asuncion, on the Parana River, facing the city of Posadas in Argentina. The population is a mixture of Polish, Ukranians, Germans, Japanese and Koreans, engaged mainly in agriculture and commerce. Famous for its Summer carnivals, sportfishing, and the nearby Yacyreta Dam. It is the point of departure to visit the ruins of the Jesuit Missions of Paraguay. These extraordinary structures, declared an International Heritage by the United Nations, show a magnificent imported architecture executed by the native people, and evidencing the great technical skill required for the construction of the huge vaults of the main churches.

Ciudad del Este, Yguazu Falls, Itaipu Dam: 327 kilometres away from Asuncion, a young city founded only three decades ago, on the border with Brazil, it is the main access to the Yguazu Falls and Itaipu Dam. It is the country's leading commercial center due to the flow of imports and exports across the Parana River, you will find Foz de Iguazu, and 20 kilometres from there, the Iguazu Falls, located on the border between Brazil and Argentina, it is considered one of the world's great wonders. More than 250 water falls spread in an incredible tropical landscape, which you can enjoy through ramps and observatories. North of Ciudad del Este, the Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Dam is the largest such project in the world, with a total length of 8 kilometres and a height of 225 meters. It has 14 gigantic spillways which form artificial waterfalls and generate an unbelievable 12,600,000 kilowatts of clean electric energy.

not good :[
this is very brief. if the bullets were more detailed with more sights, this site would be much better. but until then it stunk