Asuncion. Antituristic Capital.

By Trapez on 21 October 2016

To Asuncion I went like a prince, on back of pick-up, with beers and cookies. I put down my staff, quick found a place to sleep on hospital parking and another day I went to explore that city. Paraguay is a little bit like a giant circus but in capital city I thought that I can see something special. I had expectations and… I get only that 🙁

Asuncion was one of the first Spanish cities in whole South America. Many years ago had a proud name “Mother of Cities” because that was a place from many expeditions went to place new camps. In the old town, which is fully of wreckage buildings from colonial times, you can smell old famous time of city. I wrote wreckage because condition of them is so bad that it’s sad to watch it. If there anybody just a little bit care about it than Asuncion could be a real colonial pearl in South America. And now there are only crumby walls, empty wholes of Windows and absurdly narrow buildings which are looks like toothpicks.

All right but Asuncion is not only an old town. Maybe there are some traditional tourist attractions? Eeeeee…. Nope! Everything what is worth to see I saw during half day. Of course there is a cathedral, rails museum (interesting as museum of bread somewhere in village), pink governor palace, where you just step on the grass and soldiers will shout on you and… that’s all. I didn’t had courage to go to botanic garden. If that city (and even whole country) is looking in that way I didn’t want to see how they are treating animals in zoo. If someone is looking for tourist attractions than will not find it here.

In one from museum I found glass which was used by some famouse men to drink whiskey. Wow in Paraguay they know what is important in history 😀

Desk of another famouse guy from Paraguay. I’m wondering if that huge television is also part of exhibitions and reconstruction of his room?

Proof that is important to have good graduate papers because maybe someday they will put it in museum. Polish report card from 1930.

Maybe cinema? For searching cinemas I went to the strangest places in Brazil so here also I looked everywhere. And what was my surprise when I wrote to Asuncion and I saw… huge poster of International Film Festival! There can’t be better I think. As a filmeater I thought that maybe finally I will eat something digestible *believe me that in the whole Paraguay, or in this part when I was, there is no cinema!) But why I chose so shity Paraguayan movie? Maybe because that was for free? If all of his cinematography looks the same please run away from it into forest. Our talk after movie was looks like that:

[Moderator]: So… what do you think about that movie

[Me]: Well… let’s go drink a beer

<laugh>

But that was first and last question, we just stand up and everybody went to city. As plants need sun to live that I need a light of cinema screen. I should go to other country, in other way I will die here. It’s not a country for old filmeaters.

Maybe I will go at night to move legs and dance somewhere? Eeeeeeee… nope! Here almost nobody is spending nights on the street. They are afraid of something? If they are go somewhere usually they chose some fancy clubs where from many reasons I don’t want to go. I need to say that I’m missing Brazilian fiestas…

Gig on street! Thats was incredible!

Classic food box on street but with unclassic television. They putted it on… tree!

Some words about being afraid here. I never thought that this city is so safety. Of course everybody said me that isn’t but after that what I saw in Rio and different places in Brazil here I’m feeling like in Katowice, in Poland. In the 50’ after the army coup, Alfredo Stroessner became a president of the country. Crazy general was like a dictator and he used strong hand to lead a country. He didn’t accepted any opposition but also criminals so maybe because of that that is not such a big problem here (but it doesn’t mean that here is no criminality). What is funny and interesting in city center is very small favela, just right next to pink palace and catedra. Is so small but everybody is afraid of that. They should go to Rio I think 🙂

Door secured by… tape 😀

Much dangerous is to walking on the streets here. Absolutely they can’t drive! Nobody is looking on light signals and signs, and cars are stopping on the middle of cross road and than drivers are looking that road is clear or not. I saw when a motorcycle was hit by a car. Motorcyclist flew few meters and after him his cask which probably he didn’t wore. I thought that anybody will react but drivers just pushed hardly horns. Nobody was stopped, and If I didn’t stopped a bus probably could turn a motorcyclist on empanadas. I grab him, pulled through the street, patched him up, and call ambulance. And in that time nobody was came to help me, nobody was stopped. Even more, cars were just pushed motorcycle which was still in center of crossroad! And what about a driver who made all accident? He also just watched. I don’t write that to display but to show that many people here don’t know how to drive and they don’t have a basic social skills to help other men.

So what I will take from that city? Memory of best fruit salad I ever tried (full cup of many kinds of frozen fruits with cream and juice) and new notebook 😀 I walked through funny and scary three floor supermarket which is looks like from late 80’. Is full of small shop fulfilled by old computers, monitors and nerds. When I came through every nerd’s nest finally I founded one. Maybe not the best one I hope that I will not change it in saltshaker like a last one (or than I will not destroy it in other way).

I will also take a memory of old guys who are sitting in small wooden chairs in front of exchange office and without anything they can change you dollars (they have a huge bags of any currency). Also I will remember points on the streets where you can rent a equipment to drink mate and terere (version of mate with cold water).

And what more? Unfortunately… nothing special 🙁 Definitely much better are small cities and villages in Chaco. Maybe that will strong but that’s one of the ugliest cities that I ever saw. It’s hardly to find here any tourist attractions but what is most important, character. It’s time for me! I’m heading south. I want to walk a little in mountains, and because if felt in love, felt in love in princess, if steal than to steal millions than if hiking on mountains than only on that highest. So I’m going to reach highest pick in Paraguay 😀 but what, where, how – later! Now it’s tie for last fruit salad and to hit a road! Greetings my friends!