Paraguay from every angle
Life, culture, landscapes. All that is Paraguay, and my life here
Mate and terere. The same but different
Mate and terere are in many ways identical. They represent two different ways of preparing the same beverage. In preparing mate hot water is used. Alternatively if terere is to be made cold, preferably iced water is needed. The basis of the drink is yerba mate. This...
My first trip to Asuncion for a long time
It had been quite a while since I last visited Asuncion. 18 months or more. The last time I was there was upon my return from England after my last visit. A few months after that Covid arrived and restrictions were put in place. Even through those have on the whole...
Stone Archways. Rock forms in the Paraguayan hills
Stone archways are to be found on top of a number of the hills of Paraguay. Could these places have been used for religious rituals by the indigenous peoples of Paraguay? Probably not. But what if the stone archways of Paraguay were sacred spaces to the ancient people...
Paraguay has winter just like everywhere else
For most of the year Paraguay bakes under a hot sun. However things can be very different once winter arrives. This is not a land where winter means months of never ending cold. Instead it is a time when short sharp spells of cold weather may arrive at any time....
A 15th birthday. Every Paraguayan girls big day
For every girl in Paraguay her 15th birthday is something to look forward to. Every child is given a large party for their 1st birthday. Then for girls there is a second birthday that needs to be marked with a big party and celebration. This is her 15th birthday. The...
In Paraguay hills arise abruptly from the flatlands below
Much of Paraguay consists of a flat lowland plain. There are though to be found several areas of higher hill country. These rise sharply from the lowlands and so a visible from great distances. These highlands are hills rather than mountains. Nowhere in Paraguay does...
Flying from England to Paraguay
The flight from England to Paraguay is something I have taken numerous times over the years. And equally often in the opposite direction. These were of course all pre COVID and so everything mentioned in this article refers to pre pandemic times. It may be a little...
Cows are a common sight all across Paraguay
In almost every corner of Paraguay the sight of a cow is a common one. Sometimes it may be just one kept to supply a family with their daily milk. At others it may be one of thousands in a herd on a vast estate. More usually though it is to be found somewhere in the...
Replacing the posts that bring electricity to my house
The replacing of the posts that bring electricity up from the street to my house was a job that had needed doing for a while. My house is 100 metres from the street and needs a row of posts to carry the cables. The electric company is responsible for everything street...