Country and Life

The Market in San Bernadino offers what your heart desires, German Bread, German Sausages, German good and articles, but anything like Hats and Honey, Dishes and Herbs. We bought German Cough Drops. Best was drinking a smoothie with Jürgen and Bella, it was a nice surprise. In this short time here, we already have caring friends.

We spent the afternoon touring from San Bernadino, where we did a lovely boat ride on the Lake, ate German donuts, then to Altos, Nueva Columbia, visited the "Airplane Hotel" and back to Asuncion.

In the evening we went to the Youth Celebration of CFA.Then we went to the food park to eat and met the Pastor of the CAF, imagine, a German, born here in Paraguay. Him and his wife both spoke German to us, all 4 of us were totally enthralled!!! Saturday was a fabulous day.

Sunday morning after a long breakfast, we took off for the City Beach, Playa de la Costanera - that's highly interesting on Rio Paraguay - were life happens. We visited the peninsula, where people picknick outside or eat in the Restaurant... but the way there, Man, sticks and stones, streets with loose "gravel" where the people live in "slum-like" circumstances between trash, in huts and loud music. We pass the huge ship trasses, old rusty ships. You notice the huge gap between the poor and the Rich Asuncion. When we arrive, the poverty quickly disappears between party, lots of BBQ meat, children dancing... again and again people come over with the ferry to spend their weekend here.

The evening pulls us back to the Playa to be part of the total normal traffic jam, where thousands of people meet, walk, eat, drink and celebrate. It is beautiful, the good mood is contagious and the people are happy. Then we discover something very special, the ASUNCION FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL. Song and Dance by the Guarani Indians, Spanish Folk dance, Singing by excellent bands, by young boys, harp and guitar, that enthuse the crowd. A cultural spectacular event till late at night and we arrive home late filled with delight and thankfulness about a felicitous weekend here in beautiful Paraguay.