Paraguay from every angle
Life, culture, landscapes. All that is Paraguay, and my life here
When I travelled on foot to the festival in Caacupe
The largest religious festival in Paraguay is the of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is held in Caacupe where the Virgin of Caacupe is kept. It takes place every year on the 8th December. Everyone in Paraguay who is able travels to Caacupe for the...
Smooth Billed Ani. Common sight and a poor flyer
The Smooth Billed Ani is a common sight all across Paraguay. They are more of a bird of the countryside but are also to be found in towns. Not only in Paraguay are they common. They have a large range that extends from Southern USA all the way down to Northern...
Piribebuy. A town that is both a resort and historic
The small town of Piribebuy is located approximately 80 km from Asuncion. It is in one of the few areas of uplands to be found in generally lowland Paraguay. It is within easy reach of day trippers from the capital and a popular summer destination. The paved road...
A regular service keeps the cheap vehicles running
For getting around in the Paraguayan countryside with all its rough dirt roads two types of vehicles are ideal. One is a good quality 4x4. Solidly built and with good ground clearance. The other is a cheap motorbike. I myself opt for a cheap motorbike as my transport...
Sailing down the Rio Paraguay to Asuncion
Several years ago I took a boat trip down the Rio Paraguay. I traveled from Concepcion in the middle of the country down to Asuncion. A journey of about 300 km. In order to sail from Concepcion I first had to get there. To do that I traveled into Asuncion and then...
Living in the countryside there is always a view
Living as I do in the Paraguayan countryside there is always impressive scenery to be seen. I am fortunate in that a blanket of green extends in every direction. Amongst it few signs of human habitation can be spotted. This makes the air here in Piribebuy clear and...
How a quiet day is spent at home in Paraguay
Many days there is a reason and a need to go out. Be that shopping or visiting friends. However often that is not the case and I spend the day at home. Sometimes there is something special and additional to the norm which needs to be done. More likely though just...
Despite the wires the electricity keeps flowing
In Paraguay the towns and the road networks have grown organically rather than to any pre agreed plan. The electric network has spread out in much the same fashion. It has only been in fairly recent times that connections to the electric grid spread out across the...
The Battle of Piribebuy, August 1869
The Battle of Piribebuy was one of the last actions of the War of the Triple Alliance. This was a war Paraguay had been fighting against and alliance of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay since 1865. By 1869 Asuncion had been lost and the Paraguayan forces under President...