Paraguay from every angle
Life, culture, landscapes. All that is Paraguay, and my life here
In Paraguay every church has its saint and icon
Paraguay is a very strongly Catholic country. That is clear to see in the religious architecture across the country. No city, town, village of district is without a church to call its own. It may be a grand city cathedral or a small country chapel. Whatever it may be...
Heavy rains wash out roads in Paraguay
It is normal at this time of year, late summer, for there to be rain in Paraguay. This year however the rains have been exceptionally heavy. And in addition to that the rains have continued for many days. It has been far more than the country is prepared for and can...
The birthplace of Paraguayan independence
In central Asuncion sits a small nondescript building. This is the most important nondescript building in the country. The building in Independence House where the independence of Paraguay was plotted and from where the patriots headed to confront the then governor of...
Armadillos, creatures of the Paraguayan countryside
Armadillos are to be found throughout the Paraguayan countryside. Despite being elusive and difficult to see in the wild they are quite common. Armadillos in Paraguay a hard to spot for the same reason that badgers are in Britain. Like badgers armadillos spend much...
In the heart of historic Asuncion sits the old port.
The old port of Asuncion sits in the Bay of Asuncion just off the River Paraguay. It is located riverside in the heart of the historic center of Asuncion. At one time the port of Asuncion handled the majority of the freight coming to and leaving from Paraguay. The...
This is where I live in Paraguay
In Paraguay I live in the town of Piribebuy. Piribebuy is located in the countryside approximately 80km from the capital city Asuncion. Piribebuy is very much a tourist town. It is located amongst a range of hills none of which rise much above 300 metres. Those hills...
The next task is to repaint the house
It is common for houses in Paraguay to be brightly painted rather than left as bare brick. This gives a bright and colourful feel to many neighbourhoods. To keep houses clean and bright though they must be regularly repainted. The heavy rains wear the paints away and...
Every evening I sit and watch the sun slowly set
Clear skies in Paraguay mean that almost every day ends with a fine sunset. The only exceptions being the cloudy days when a storm roils through. I live out in the countryside and so in addition to the clear skies the view is unobstructed by buildings. In common with...
Summer in Paraguay and everything is in bloom
Summer is a season of bright and vibrant colours all across Paraguay. In the dry winter months many plants fade from their usual brightness. Also the country takes on a drier colour pallet as the grasses turn from green to brown. This is reversed by the arrival of the...