One thing it is never hard to find in Paraguay is a hairdresser. In many towns there seems to be at least one along every street.
Piribebuy is no exception. There are plenty of hairdressers to choose from throughout the town. In addition to others scattered around the surrounding countryside. In the town center several streets have two or even three located in close vicinity.
The large number of options available does question how any other than the most popular can make much money. But make money they must for it is very rare to see a hairdresser go out of business.
The wide selection of options available to the customer means that no one ever need to wait long to get their haircut. If one hairdresser is looking busy the likelihood is the a short walk away there will be another waiting for customers to turn up.
Many people do though like to return time after time to the same hairdresser. I certainly do. For them the art of not waiting too long to be seen to is choosing the right time of day and learning which days of the week are quieter.
There are in fact so many hairdressers in Piribebuy that they have formed their own union. The same may well be true across the country. One great benefit to customers of that is that prices are identical throughout the town. Whether the location is just a chair and a mirror or a salon fitted with more modern equipment the price does not vary.
I have been using the same hairdresser for years. Gustavo who runs Galan. It is one of the longest established hairdressing business in Piribebuy. Over the years it has occupied several premises around town as the business has expanded. It is one of the few where a short queue is common.
Although lacking the most modern of hairdressing equipment Galan is by Paraguayan standards well equipped. There are a number of adjustable barbers chairs and large mirrors on the walls. There are to hand a wide selection of clippers, scissors and razors. Ample tools. However as is common the only way to dampen hair is with tap water squirted out of a plastic bottle.
A smaller business would have a much reduced selection of tools. Also rather than barbers chairs they may just be a couple of dining or even garden chairs.
Gustavo has been running the business so long that it is approaching time to pass it on to the next generation. My past couple of haircuts have been done by his son who would have only recently left school.
This morning was my time for a haircut. Mid morning, mid week I knew the place would be quiet. It was actually empty. I let myself in and then took a seat to wait for someone to appear.
After a few minutes Gustavos son returned from whatever errand he had been on. Then once I had made myself comfortable in the barbers chair and he had pegged a sheet around my neck to catch falling hair he was able to get on with trimming my hair.
As always my hair had started to become slightly bushy and unruly. I only get it cut every two or three months. Leaving it to grow until it starts to become annoying. So like there is whenever I finally get round to having a haircut there was quite a bit to cut away.
After a while though with trimmer, scissors and a cut throat razor to tidy up the edges I could see something looking far more like myself appearing in the mirror. A few more squirts of water and a little leveling off with the scissors and the job was done.
Once more my hair was short and spiky. Just awaiting the application of a little gel to fix it in place. A haircut that will see me through the next two or three months.
And all for less than three English pounds. Good value and a job well done.
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