Monday Falls (Saltos del Monday) are located in eastern Paraguay, close to the majestic Iguazú Falls and the Saltos del Guairá, a region of spectacular natural beauty. (Guairá Falls were drowned to build Itaipú dam.)

As part of a plan to build tourism and protect Paraguay's natural beauty, the Paraguayan government has undertaken an investment of $6.5 million USD to construct a look-out on Monday Falls, to develop the proper road work that can hold the kind of traffic they'd like to see, etc. Government planners took Iguazú Falls as their inspiration--a major tourist attraction not just for Argentina and Brazil, but for the entire world. The hope was to bring in millions of revenue to the government which could then be re-invested in social development.

Instead, the government will get $220 USD a month.

For the next twenty years, Acqua Paraná Tour, SA will pay the municipality of Presidente Franco a paltry $220 a month for the right to run the national park, to charge admission, to sell food and souvenirs. Within Paraguay, this smacks of an illicit deal where government funds were used to build massive infrastructure and then the financial benefits were problematically transferred to private hands. The local mayor is claiming this is a great deal for the municipality.

In news guaranteed to bring anguish to any (and especially my) mother, I was mugged at gunpoint in Asunción at 10pm a few nights ago. The downside: I had to purchase my fifth cellphone in Paraguay in a little over a year (I lose these sorts of things all the time). The upside: this is great data, as I study the Paraguayan state.

We were only a few blocks from our building on a well-lit street that had cars on it (we were at Cerro Cora, at the corner of Caballero) and, at 10pm, might still have bus service on it. The mugger dude approached us on a really nice motorcycle (I took him first to be yet another really annoying Paraguayan male offering sex in the most unappealing way)-- more on the bike later-- and pulled out a revolver which, um, he fired to emphasize his demands. I reached slowly into my purse to get my wallet--and as I did so, removed my debit card from it--handed it to the dude and then followed with my cellphone. Yes, I almost asked him if I could take out the SIM card, but thought better of it. My friend also lost her cellphone and then mister dude took off into the night.

A few lessons from the incident: For women travelers, two women walking down the street is as safe as one woman walking down the street. Take the same precautions you would if you were alone. I.e., I would have taken a taxi were I alone, I was, instead, lulled into a sense of some security because there were two of us. Wrong! The other wrong thing we did was to speak in English as we walked. Yes, yes, I know. This is the most obvious error. Well, now we've tested it and proven empirically that it's a bad idea. We then called the police, the US embassy (021 213 715), and I had my parents assist me in canceling the one credit card I was not able to remove surreptitiously.

And now, for lowered expectations: the US embassy reception is supposed to report the incident to security personnel (particularly since there was the use of a firearm)--this didn't happen, but we got in touch with really helpful (and upset about the whole incident) folk a few days later. And, as for the Paraguayan police. Well, as we gave our statement at the comisaria, the interviewer repeatedly and persistently changed the data he wrote down as he took our statement: first, the date of the incident was wrong. Next, the description of the subject was pointedly different (they changed his age and the color of his clothing). And when challenged on this latter bit, they intransigently refused to accept our description of the perpetrator.

We finally found the spitting image of the red motorbike used by the mugger dude: parked among the other police bikes outside the comisaria.

Incidentally, I wonder what percentage of anthropologists are mugged on the field...

Exchange your traveler's checks at the Banco de la Nación Argentina, which is in front of the Panteon de los Heroes. Exchange houses take a higher percentage out of your checks and the American Express office in Asunción does not do exchanges.

Bolsi Restaurant does delivery for a fee of about 6mil Guaranies... that's a little more than a dollar. (021) 491 841. Open on Sunday! No menu online, so just order the Ensalada Bolsi (chico) and add Pollo Grillé for a measly 46mil Guaranies (a little more than $9, including delivery), which is enough for two people.

Freddo's (the Argentine ice cream chain) also does delivery for the pittance of about 6mil Guaranies. One kilo of ice-cream will run you a total of 61mil Guaranies (about $12, including delivery). (021) 616 0800. Open on Sunday!

So, you've spent a little time in Asunción or perhaps you've visited Ciudad del Este and now you're feeling that you'd like to check out the Jesuit missions since you've heard (rightly) that Paraguay's are exceptionally beautiful. How do you do this?

Option 1: Hire a private tour for $200USD a person.

Option 2: Decide that that's a bit steep and set forth on a slightly longer and much cheaper adventure.

So, from the terminal de omnibus in Asunción or CdE, take a bus to Encarnación. This runs between 45 and 60mil Guaraní ($9-$12) and the ride is usually about 6hrs. When you arrive at the bus terminal, you'll be offered taxis. If it's night, take one. If the sun's up, why not walk 10min to a hotel where you can leave your luggage and freshen up? Ask where "calle Estigarribia" is or ask someone where the "plaza" is. They'll point you towards Estigarribia, where after about 4 blocks in the direction of the plaza, you'll see Hotel Cristal. It's inexpensive (about $15-$20USD a person) and clean. No, I don't know the phone number and don't be surprised if they don't have a website. If you arrive in Encarnación in the late afternoon, why not tool around the city for dinner? I've heard that Trinidad has night visits, but I'm not sure of the details.

To get to the two best restored misiones, Trinidad and Jesus, go to the terminal de omnibus in Encarnación. Before you buy a ticket or even look at a bus, buy water. A good idea is to purchase a termo for tereré (the leather bound ones run about 150mil-- $30USD-- and come with bombilla and guampa), ask them to wash it for you and fill it with water (which you've purchased) and ice (which they have). Then pick up a little pack of yerba, fill up your guampa, and you're good to go.

You'll be walking or standing in the sun for hours. There will be no water. You should buy water. Go buy water now.

At the terminal, loaded with your water, find a bus to Ciudad del Este (i.e. a bus that goes up Ruta 6)--they leave about every half hour. A company like Yacyreta or Itapua Poty will work just fine. Don't go to the ticket window, where they'll charge you for the whole trip. Instead, go up to the bus or one of the guys yelling "Ciudad del Este" and say "si, para Trinidad." Or, just get on the bus directly without paying yet. These slightly cheaper buses will stop for half an hour on their way out of the city picking up passengers on almost every block.

At last! You're on the road. The ticket guy comes up to you and asks you "donde?" and you say "Trinidad" and he says "5mil" (which translates to $1 USD). Don't try paying with a 50mil or 100mil-- take out the ratty small bills and use those. About 40minutes after you've left the city, you'll get to Trinidad (remind the driver after you clear the city). This is what you'll see:

Follow that winding rock paved road up the hill for about half a mile and you'll see Trinidad. Admission right now is 5mil a person (yes, $1 USD) but they're planning on raising it to a whopping 25mil for foreigners (that'd be a mere $5 USD). Wander at your desire or hire a tour guide (you pay what you want... 30mil an hour seems about fine).

Once you leave Trinidad and you're craving lunch, walk back down the empedrado (stone paved road) to Ruta 6. Across the street, you'll find a perfectly acceptable copetin where you can eat for 10mil ($2).

Getting to Jesus is a bit trickier. Walk down Ruta 6 to the gas station (about 200 meters). At that corner, ask for a taxi to Jesus. The banged up cars that double as taxis might not be there. Try the gas station, asking for a taxi or the colectivo (local bus) to Jesus. You may have to wait a bit. We payed a dude 50mil (10 USD) to take us up to Jesus, wait there for 30 minutes while we walked around, and then drive us back down. Had the colectivos been running (the road was being asphalted that day and so the buses weren't going up the hill), we would've done that and spent more time at Jesus and spent about 5mil per person for the ride.

This is not a walkable distance, from Ruta 6 to Jesus is a 12km (7.456 miles) walk up a hill on asphalt in the hot sun with you carrying your water.

To get back to Encarnación, wait in front of the taxi stand on Ruta 6 with the crowd of locals that's also gathered to catch whatever bus comes by. Again, price for standing on a crowded bus for 30 minutes is 5mil.

So, let's say, for example, that you're a tourist visiting Paraguay. How do you get to see this?

A way to rephrase the question is: what's the simplest way to cross from Ciudad del Este into Brazil? The first thing to note is that the locals, because they're in Mercosur, which has a common id card (cedula) that allows entry into all member countries, think it's just as simple as walking across the bridge that connects Paraguay to Brazil. This would be incorrect.

Public transportation is the way to go: Either in the form of the buses lined up on the Ruta Internacional (the road leading up to the bridge (Puente de la Amistad) on the Paraguayan side that charge about 8mil Guaraní or 2 reais (a little more than a dollar))-- look for it on the double lane part of the highway in front of Monalisa or via taxis (this option is a Very Distant Second and charges considerably more-- be prepared to pay at least 40mil Guaraní). Remember that Brazil is one hour ahead of Paraguay and so at night, by 7pm Brazil time, the buses between the cities stop running and the best way across back into Paraguay is taxis (be prepared to pay 35 reais--$19 USD-- to get your from the urban bus terminal in Foz back across the bridge into Paraguay). Take a moto taxi only if you have a death wish. Just sit tight on the bus as you pass through Paraguay's and Brazil's migraciones and aduanas complex, comply with the request--should a customs officer come on board in Brazil--to open your purse as they want to see if you've purchased anything in Paraguay, tinker with your cellphone, don't gab loudly in English (this is rude behavior in general), and consider resisting the urge to take out your camera and photograph whatever it is that is catching your eye as you cross that bridge.


You want to go to the "terminal de omnibus"-- the urban bus terminal, which the bus running between Foz and CdE stops at. There, go to the entrance (where the turn stiles are) and pay your fare for the urban buses (right now it's 2 reais 20 centavos) and ask for "parque nacional" or "cataratas." They'll point out where to stand (on the platform on your left after you pass through the turn stiles).

Get in the back of the bus that pulls up-- this is usually the exit, but since you've paid your fare already, you go through here. The last stop on the bus (perhaps a 30minute ride) is the entrance to Iguazu. Citizens of the United States pay a 20 reais entrance fee. Realize you'll get wet-- wear appropriate shoes.

Tango Contempo is a series of intimate performances begun by a group of tangueros (tango musicians) who were looking for a way to play classic pieces and their own compositions in a setting that's not as commercial or kitschy as the overblown showpieces found in tango shows. The result: small concerts every Thursday night at 9:30pm at Buenos Aires cafe venues.

Last night's show was at Café Vinilo on Gorriti (but check the "agenda" on the website to confirm details) and featured two sets: the first included piano, bass, bandoneón, and vibraphone performing original compositions. The second was [2004 Grammy nominee] Pablo Maimetti and Cesar Angeleri on bandoneón and guitar. Both were world class and lovely.


My favorite thing from the evening was the way Pablo (the bandoneón player) would use his body for percussion-- not only would he tap his feet or shake the body of the bandoneón, but in dramatic moments, he'd slide his right foot with a stamp and a long slip to the right.

UPDATE: Just to give a sense of the quality of the musicians we heard for 25pesos, here's one quotation about Pablo Mainetti:

"the most talented composer of Argentina's new Tango generation"

One of the benefits of living in Mos Eisley is the diversity of the cuisine. Though there are several Korean restaurants in this Paraguayan city of 300,000 (I'm more inclined to think the real population of CdE is closer to 125,000), Man House rises above them.

Not to be missed: the bulgogi is good, the pork ribs are even better, and the spicy seafood (marisco) soup (I think it's number 10 on the first page of the menu) is stellar. They serve the meat with sesame leaves for rolling (not just lettuce). Prices (which are reasonable are in dollars, but they accept guaranies, reales, and pesos--even all at once.

Open for lunch and dinner during the week. On Abay between Adriana Jara and Pai Perez.

Note: I'm trying to show the exact location via Google maps, but it has the streets either unfinished or mislabeled for this city-- in fact, they label the city Puerto Presidente Stroessner (!!!) a name not used since 1989. Wow. Bad job on this.

I give up. No Google Maps link to CdE is accurate enough.

It's nearly impossible to get a good espresso in Asunción (this is, after all, the native country of yerba mate and this is to be had in copious amounts and in creative ways). I haven't been able to buy coffee beans at any price (which is why I brought in several bags of coffee as well as a cappuccino machine in my luggage when I moved here-- it raised a few eyebrows at customs).

Nevertheless, Cafe Literario, in the microcentro of Asunción serves a compelling brew. It's located on Estigarribia (aka Palma) between Caballero and México just next to the Plaza Uruguaya and is open daily from 4pm-ish until past midnight. Outdoors there's great people watching. Indoors is a cozy two-level room crammed with books and tables around which you can crowd and talk anthropology or sit quietly at your computer trying your best at a dissertation chapter.

One exposed-brick wall is a photo tribute to Paraguay's literary greats. This is the only cafe of its like/caliber I've been able to find in Asunción that isn't an imported franchise. And it's excellent.

No internet, unfortunately. The food and desserts and drinks are fine. The chocolate mousse cake is particularly worth a try. As is the "cafe literario"-- sweetened-condensed milk and espresso.

On Pte Manuel Franco between Ayolas and Montevideo (micro-center), Asunción, Paraguay. Here you can get excellent breads (including many whole-grain varieties), desserts, a middling cup of coffee (par for the course in Paraguay), baked breakfast goods, and sandwiches. Open during the day (and not on weekends).

Notice the empty shelves? It's 9 in the morning and they are already selling out of delicious breads. Mostly German recipes (quarkbrot), but their ciabatta sells briskly. But fear not, through a large window you can see more being prepared. And while you sit, sipping coffee and nibling on your palma, read the local German newspaper. Note: no air-conditioning (this is a bakery, after all).

(Images by me.)