Travellingman reisverhalen - - Madrid - Asuncion
Day 2: Zaterdag 25 februari 2017
Madrid - Asuncion

The flight went well. After an hour we got some food and then I tried to sleep as much as possible. Without an entertainment system there is less distraction. Ninety minutes before landing we got a breakfast. Above Brazil hung a lot of clouds that I could see and he the sun was rising. Once above Paraguay the clouds became considerably less. Around 8 AM local time (it is four hours behind the Netherlands), the plane landed on the Asuncion airport, fifteen minutes before the schedule. The land looks green from the air, with a meandering river. Just before landing I saw the first houses. Again the specified flight duration proved so much more than reality.

The passport control lasted fifteen minutes and my bag was already on the belt so I could go straight forward. I first smoked a cigar, because I had not one since Schiphol. After that I went to the office of the car rental. After filling out the paperwork I was given a decent damaged car. The advantage is that damage that I make barely make more that can be seen. I still took a navigation system, as it soon turned out that my iPad would not cooperate. It cost me US $ 80 extra, but I will certainly save a lot of wrong turns. That turned out when I drove to the hotel, a road I had to take was closed and the navigation system led me to the hotel fine. The traffic was not too bad.

Around 10 AM I ws at the hotel, but my room was not ready. After some wandering, I could put my car in an adjacent car park. I then went for on the walk. From the hotel I was given a map. First I went to Plaza de la Democracia (or Libertas) A small park, but there was just a performance of a folkloric dance group. I kept looking at it for some time. Then I walked to Plaza Uruguay, a slightly larger park, but very quiet. I sat in the shade on a bench smoking a cigar. Along the way I had bought a bottle of water, which is needed in the rapidly rising temperature.

Then I visited a railway museum, right behind the park. It's an old station with some old utensils. In Paraguay, the first trains of South America were running. There were also black and white photographs showing the construction of railways, but also an old telephone switchboard, telegraph and even the original books in which arrival and departure of trains were kept. On the track are two ancient carriages, which I could see one from inside. There was also an old locomotive that operated for 80 years (1868 to 1948).

Then I walked to Republica and saw a big cathedral (closed), the cultural center (which is also to visit, but I did ignore it) and Palacio de Lopez. Then I walked back to the hotel through several streets where I was around 1:30. PM. My room was ready and I put my stuff out of the car here. Not a big room, but just big enough for me. I stay at Hotel Bristol.

Since I was pretty burned out, I took a break under the air conditioning. Around 4 PM I walked around a bit, but saw that many stores had already closed their doors, and it was already pretty quiet in the center. I walked to Plaza de la Democracia to smoke a cigar and looking at the people who walked by. There are many stalls where clothes, flags and such were sold. The area also contains a number of restaurants, which is quite nice to know, for my own hotel has no restaurant. Back in my room I refreshed myself, relaxed and watch TV.

Around 7:15 PM I went out to eat. I have to get used to be in a country on vacation when it is still light around that time. I ate at a pasta restaurant with surprisingly good quality pasta. Hereafter I went to the park. The last cobbler was storing his stuff. Back at the hotel I watched a movie and went to bed.

Initial publication: 27 februari 2017
Last update: 03 maart 2017
© A. Heeroma










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