world—coincided with the popular election where the underlying theme was cambio. They say as a joke that Paraguay lost first place through a bribe.My accommodations, I found, were extraordinary. What I call my casita is separate from the main house and has a bathroom, a television with cable, and an office area on the second floor. Most of the meals are arranged by two women, Marcela and Julia, and they do the laundry, cleaning, and cooking, and other household work. While this setup is provocative and objectionable in the States, it is part of a well-established and inoffensive division of labor in Latin American countries. My, don’t I feel like a VIP?!
To the left is the patio of the main house. Paraguay also has the most hospitable people I’ve met in my short life. The immediate family is made up of five: Stael, her husband José Luis, and their three daughters. No, none of them are single, and since they are like sisters its fortunate that Paraguay is home to
many, many beauties of the opposite sex.The daughters are about my same age and are named Carolina, Veronica (Vero), and Pili. At right are (l to r) Carlos, Pili, (my boss, more or less), Stael, and Jose Luis. We were celebrating his 71st bday. None of the daughters live at the house now, but they are in and out almost daily. And there is Tico, who I've included a photo of, and my shoe should give you an idea of his delectable size.
Paraguayans lament those without company, and are quick to begin a conversation or talk with you while you are enjoying a meal or drink.Despite the fact that it is “winter” here, it very warm during the afternoons. The sun is strong. During the evenings, like in the picture of my casita from the main house, below, a good amount of cool air comes through, and
walking around is very pleasurable. José Luis says that there are only two estaciones here in Paraguay: summer, and the railroad station – the latter of which has closed. I'll manage, I'm sure, and it is supposed to get cooler as the season goes on. I walked around a little bit this morning and saw that they are more developed than I believed. At the house here they have all the luxuries (more or less) that we have in the States. We live quite a ways from the Centro, but I have been down there several times in the car and had some drinks at Lido Bar, which has been there for some 80 years.My travel here went well. There was some confusion about my flight in Miami – mostly because I failed to confirm that I was at the right gate – and a travel agent with American booked me on a later flight to Santiago, Chile. My luck, it seems, had not quite run out. The first week that I was here in Asunción I took it easy and caught up on some things, and went to the office the following Tuesday. When I arrived from the airport, he told me that he had applied for a bid to create the operating structure of the Congressional Library, so I knew that from the start my projects would be ambitious. There was much talk of politics, much of which I did not understand. The political party which has held power here since the rise of the Communist Party in China was about to be ousted by popular vote.
2 comments:
Looks good Nic. I'll keep checking, can't do in spanish though, lo siento.
Looks like all is well in Paraguay. You say it's hot there , we need some of that heat. We're leaving Mon for Moab, then on to parts unknown. My last day of work, is Sunday, unless I'm forced to get another job. Or maybe I'll want to, who knows. Laura is in Dallas, more on that when I talk to you-hasta luego.
Post a Comment