OWEN AROUND THE WORLD: Stormy Paraguay

I have just made it into Bolivia after a very twisted journey from Florianopolis to the Argentine border of La Quiaca, which involved a bit of going back and forth to Paraguay.

The trip is going well overall. I had a bit of a problem in Paraguay, and had to check out the health service facilities there which were generally very good, and the problem I had with a very bad sore throat and swollen ganglions is now just about over.

Paraguay was an interesting country, with hardly any other tourists around and sort of set in the middle of nowhere, boxed in by bigger and wealthier countries. The people were extremely friendly, from the man who helped us into the Olympia football stadium in Asuncion and subsequently shuffled us around in the stadium to avoid the more boistrous fans, to the locals who would offer to show you round the various places you could visit, not for money, just because they were excited about you discovering their country and their traditions.

From Posadas, where some really black clouds loomed as I entered Paraguay, I made it to Encarnacion, before heading to Asuncion pretty quickly so that I could see a doctor. I found both cities pleasant, and despite a reputation for being somewhat unsafe, I really did not feel threatened at all, unlike in Ciudad del Este which I had visited before. There are some Jesuit Mission ruins to visit, where you can see how these Spanish missionaries organised the Guarani people (in Paraguay most people speak Guarani, and the level of Spanish isn't great...) until they were expelled by the Spanish King. Asuncion was a pleasant city, with the typical South American contrast between very very poor and grim looking slums, to plush houses set in pleasant residential areas. There were a few Nazi war medals onshow at the antique market, a reflection of all the immigrants Paraguay has received, partly from Germany, but also from many other places such as China, Japan, Ukraine. The population mix is quite impressive. I met quite a few American peace corps volunteers in Paraguay, often working out in very isolated communities where people barely use cash, but just live off their land and their animals. They really get exposed to the tough life most Paraguayans live, and the stark difference between Asuncion with all its Mercedes and 4 Wheel Drives to the countryside where bikes are luxury.

After Paraguay, I made it to the Salta region of Argentina after a pleasant stop in Corrientes, a very old Argentine city with some incredible colonial buildings. The Salta region has to offer some of the most incredible landscapes in the world, and you can see some in the photos below. Again, I can't understate how friendly the people are in North Argentina, they are just so warm, welcoming and helpful.

Getting to Bolivia is a little bit like going back in time, but as elsewhere on this continent, the people come across as friendly, and it will be good to see the Salar de Uyuni in the next few days.