(Paraguay) The south of Paraguay is different from the north of Paraguay.

It is too much raining in the morning when I start leaving Asuncion, Capital of Paraguay. The plumbing in the city is terrible that the road is becoming River, and I have other ACCIDENT. No way…

After voting Korean President, I see many people enjoying their holiday with friends and family.

I cook something in the night. Beef is so cheap that it is around 2 dollars. I put some seasoning which I don’t know, but taste is awesome! hahahaha

It is used when they drink Terere. Designs are so different!

It is in front of the hostel.

I got a message from friend on facebook that his parents are in Asuncion. I already stay four nights in Asuncion, but I decide that maybe I stay two more nights with Korean family. He also introduces me his friend so that I have the Korean meal for lunch. Always Korean food makes me so happy.

I eat Asado which is typical food of Paraguay. It is consisted of beef alongside various other meats, which are cooked on a grill or open fire. The center on the picture is Paraguayan who works at shop.

The next day I follow him who is heading to local market.

It is clothes factory. Many Korean people sell clothes.

The next year they have the President Election.

Always it is good to meet Korean family.

I want to head to Brazil as soon as possible, but it rains too much in the morning when I leave Asuncion. I wait two hours on the road. But I can’t wait anymore after two hours so that I decide to push the bike. It is like crossing the river.

But after some minutes, something happens. I push my bike at the sidewalk, but soon there are no more sidewalks. So I move to the car road, and then I fall down to deep water. How can I know there is drainage? Car are going on the road and water is full in the road that I can’t figure out what there is.
When I fall down to deep water, I try to get out of bike from my body not to die. The water is waist-deep. I realize what happen after one second. My bike is floating on the water. My iPod is under the water, because I put it on my back. I try to move my bike to sidewalk, but it is almost not possible. I only move front wheel to sidewalk. The worst is back left side is under the water and my laptop is in the rear left pannier.
So many car come and go, but nobody come to me help. Maybe they think ‘somebody will help her instead of me’, or ‘she can do everything by herself’. After 10 minutes, somebody finally come to me and help. He saves my life.
I check the many things, but fortunately everything is fine. Camera, laptop and Ipod works well. The miracle is there is no water inside rear left pannier which was under the water.

I keep going because I think rain stops in a few hours. I see some store for Terere.

After 3 pm, the rain stops. It is very interesting advertisement, because it is really bigger. But after taking picture, I am too frustrated that I find my every stuff in panniers is wet. I am not sure that it is because of too much rain, moisture or no waterproof. Even I find that Ipod doesn’t work anymore. I am so upset and sad.

I think too many things. But always it is the same conclusion that let’s go a little bit more. It is not time to give up yet.

Before sunset I arrive in Caacupe. It is very interesting that when I ask local people to set up my tent, I meet Korean guy at their house. He is volunteering in Caacupe. I have dinner with them. In the night I try drying every stuff. There is water at front bag of left rear pannier.

Anyway I feel better that I take the shower, dry things and have dinner with kind people.

Caacupe is best known as the site of the Virgin of Caacupe, which is housed in the cathedral. A major religious festival is held annually on 8 December in honour of the statuette “Our Lady of the Miracles”.

Today is 13th of December, but there are still many people.

This statuette, carved in the 16th century by a devout convert, was miraculously saved from a great flood, and numerous miracles are ascribed to it.

There is drawing on the wall at the top.

Caacupe.

Many different design; Price is 130,000 Gu (30 $)

I also have it that Korean friend in Asuncion gave me. It is really good to drink cold water during cycling. Paraguay is too hot that everywhere I can get water.

It is called Chipa which is made from cassava starch, milk, cheese, eggs and butter or oil.

On the basket there are many chipas. It is really warm. Taste is not bad. It is 2,000 Gu (0.4 cents) for one.

There is Cart of ox. I was very confused of the word. Now I understand that Cow is female, Ox is intact male and Bull is male. In addition, females pee out the back end, males pee from the middle of their bellies.

There is street vendor of fruit. I want to buy one piece of watermelon, but they sell only whole thing.

I am so sad to see it. It looks they were too young. I am sorry for their loss.

Ant nest is bigger than ox.

The sun is going down. I get a place to set up my tent at local’s house.

I find that the biggest problem is at the guitar. But fortunately Ipod is now working.

The next day I am on the road again. The north is flat and South of P araguay is up and down. But today I am seeing flat! Yeah!

There is other cart of Ox. I forget to explain to you about interesting Paraguay’s culture. If there is no people at the shop, we usually call as saying ‘hello (Hola)’. But Paraguayan claps their hands to call people. I also try it, but I feel weird. haha

I get water from Gas station. Paraguayan love Terere which is with water-infused herbs such as mint or lemongrass.

I ask them that I want to eat typical Paraguay food. The owners are so kind that they change my water to cold water.

They give me Milanesa which is a common breaded cutlet dish with Mandioca which is the same as Yuca.

Many south people ride a motorcycle, but not many people wear helmet. I think it is because of hot weather.

It is easy to get the place for tent in Paraguay that people are so generous and helpful. I am invited at dinner.
Sopa paraguaya is a traditional Paraguayan food. Sopa paraguaya is similar to corn bread. Corn flour, cheese and milk or whey are common ingredients. It is a spongy cake rich in caloric and protein content.food.But the picture is just leftover.

The left on the picture is owner of house. His wife goes to party of relative Quince anos (15th Birthday in Latin), but he is too tired to go. He invites his friend. It is really good to talk with them.

The north of Paraguay was too hot even in the night so that I couldn’t sleep well. But the south of Paraguay is not too much hot like the north so that I can sleep well in the night. But the south is so humid that it is hard to dry clothes during the night. The happy thing is south doesn’t have mosquitoes which drived me crazy in the North. But the south road is everyday up and down!

It is Paraguayan money. It is different from the Bolivia that Bolivian money is long height. Paraguay money is long width.
Paraguay is a little bit expensive than Bolivia and Peru. But I feel too expensive in Paraguay because of too many zero on the money. 1$=4300 Guarany, local money

In the morning I see people selling terere.

They grind gradients. Three things are for 2,000 Gu(50 Cents)

Here is video of making terere which I take

I also order that I am always curious about everything.

I eat some bbq that it is so tasty.

The bird beside water

The sky is really blue. Always it is too hot around noon.

It is so sad that I fall down my water. The case of water is broken, but maybe I can get new lid. However I will never get Terere which local people give me as gift. I pay for the first terere and when I leave I ask terere to the case. But she doesn’t want to get money from me. She gives me it as gift, but now I drop it all.

I am too upset ever that I cry over one hour during cycling. I have some way that if I am too upset or sad I just cry over and over. After crying I sleep and it makes me calm down. Today is the same that I cry so much and then sleep beside factory where I can get water. And then I feel better.

Local house on the road;

It looks so cool.

I try tuning guitar but it doesn’t work well. I think it is broken after accident. I leave it for children who can play. I feel a little bit sad again. 2012 year is almost done

Ant nest is really bigger. I heard from friend yesterday it is too hard that they can only destroy it with excavator during raining. There is like egg things frame at the inside. It is fired after excavator. Ant nest is not good at agriculture .

Up and down

I feel relax that I find the town before sunset. It is so thankful that most of people let me set up my tent at their yard. Today even I get dinner.

Around 2 am there is thunderstorm. The owner of house worries about me and they let me sleep at the inside.

The next day the weather is so clean. Thank to kind local people, I can have the breakfast. I think I can go to near the Brazilian border today.

Today it is also up and down.

When bus stops, street vendors run to sell their food.

They put their election post at everywhere. I’ve seen it from Central America. Sometimes I am wondering that which has more advertisement on the road. Coca cola? Or Election post?

Yeah, now I am almost at the Brasil border.

There is sudden shower that I run to somewhere I can hide from the rain.

Another friend introduces me his parents’ house. When I arrive I am sick with a stomachache that I throw up. I am too tired to do anything that after shower so that I sleep around 7 pm. I wake up at six in the morning. I feel better. (The picture is taken at the last day). It is really long sleep. I usually sleep around 4 hours to 6 hours. These days I don’t have enough time to sleep and have the rest that I am busy with writing journals and search information. Also I have to tour city and meet people when I get somewhere.

The picture is the town of border. There is really big market like Hong Kong because many people come to buy things on Paraguay. Brazil is so expensive that they cross the border to buy many things.
Also Paraguay is one of the world’s largest electricity net exporters.

I can see the border. The right side is Brazil. Actually I didn’t expect that I will go to the Brazil. There was Chile and Argentina on the list of plan. But plan is changed because of Korean president election and going to Africa.
Paraguay people are so generous and helpful. Although when I have terrible accident, so many cars just passed, I will remember many kind people.
I don’t have enough time to ride in Brazil, but I am excited to meet Brazil people.

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Route

Days in Paraguay= 19 Days
Distance in Paraguay = 838.21 km (523.88 mi)
Cities I stayed = 12 Cities
Paraguay Border, Mariscal, Villa choferes, Pozo Colorado, Rio Negro, Tacuara, Asuncion, Caacupe, Nueva Austrailia, Pastoreo, Mallorquin, Ciudad del Este
spent money in Paraguay= $ 145
(1$ = 4250 Gu)