After leaving the indescribable beauty of Iguazu Falls (click HERE for previous post), our next stop was Asuncion, Paraguay. Our original itinerary had this as stop #2 after Sao Paolo, which city we could not visit due to the lack of our visas arriving. That flight would have been a breeze — less than 2 hours and nonstop.
Below, first dinner in Asuncion at La Cabrera. A steakhouse in case that’s not obvious..
But flying from Iguazu to Asuncion requires a stop first in Buenos Aires and then on to Asuncion. Neither flight is much more than 90 minutes and I’ve come to love Aerolinas Argentina. The challenge? The timing of the second flight departing at midnight and arriving in what could charitably be called the “antiquated” Asuncion airport.
By the time the bags arrived (seemingly one at a time), it was after 2am. Fortunately the driver from the Crowne Plaza was there waiting for us for the 20-minute drive.
We were introduced by our Miami client to his Asuncion friend who was invaluable with recommendations and offers to help. When I told him where we were staying, he strongly advised against both the hotel and the area. But I went ahead with my plan anyway. After arriving there, I understood why.
The hubby called it a “hotel museum” recalling how things “used to be.” Nothing worked. Nothing was inviting. And the area? Eeek. So at roughly 3:30 am, I am searching for alternative accommodations.
As most travelers know, hotels take a credit card for “guaranteeing” the charges but do not process the card until check out. Hmmm, that conversation was fun as there was some indication the entire stay had been charged. I hated to be blunt as to the reason for our change of plans (as in your hotel SUCKS) because the personnel were quite nice and tried hard to be accommodating. There was NOTHING they could offer to get us to stay. They did kindly reverse the charge for our brief stay.
A short time later, we were happily ensconced in an Aloft Hotel, with all the modern conveniences, well located to walk to countless restaurants and stores. As a bonus, the cost for 3 nights equaled the cost of one (10-hour stay) at the Crowne Plaza.
For one of our days, I planned an excursion to the local Yacht Club and Resort on the Paraguay River as seen below. It was pleasant enough for lunch and the 20+ minute drive allowed us to see some of the city. But the return drive was priceless.
Omar, our return Uber driver, spoke pristine English having spent more than a year in the US plus countless visits since. So not only was that a plus, but he was extremely knowledgeable regarding both the history of Paraguay as well as the current situation. It was a very enlightening conversation and we came away with an even more positive opinion of this country.
It is a small country of just 6 million people. The economy is stable and the people all get along. He said there’s virtually no racism or anything of that nature. There’s petty theft, for sure, but overall it is quite safe. And with a cost of basically $10-11 for the lengthy ride, one keeps thinking the Uber app must be mistaken. But that’s what it cost. Like I said, it’s a very affordable country to visit.
We had an incredible dinner at Tierra Colorada with our new Asuncion friends. I had already booked there prior to leaving on this trip and it turns out new friend Diego knows the proprietor/chef. Well, Diego knows most everyone in Asuncion. He shared with us after hours of chat and a superb Malbec that the original time I proposed for dinner was quite amusing (7ish) — as the restaurants are barely open. And he was puzzled as to why in the world people who live in L.A. even want to come to Paraguay at all?! (He knows L.A. well).
Below, what we ate and drank which I should have noted! “Milanese” is a very popular and common preparation for meat in South America. And it’s delicious.
After 3+ hours of nonstop talking with Diego and his wife Ana, we have a connection where we know we shall stay in touch.
One final thought/takeaway: The hubby and I repeatedly talk about the benefits of our travel “a deux” — meaning just the two of us. No cruises (except Antarctica!); no organized group tours; etc. The kind of conversations we had with the Uber driver and our dinner companions provide us with the opportunity to really learn and ask questions. It is often a favorite — and often most rewarding — part of a trip.
Next stop: Aruba
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I’m in!!!!
👍👍👍