Paraguay
Yes, like you when I first heard the name I only roughly knew where it was until I got a map out!. Landlocked and situated inland between Brazil and Argentina and very close to the immense Iguacu waterfalls it was to be a working destination for me. The visit led to me shuttling back and forth between Paraguay and Brazil for nearly a month before having to fly home via a short Venezuela visit. My original 2 week`s job expanded as they often did in Latin America. The job involved correcting some equipment that had shipped there but needed modifications. The first battle however was to get the replacement parts out of customs (aka have our local representatives grease the palms of the customs officials to speed up the clearance process!). So no sooner had I arrived in Asuncion than I was informed that we had to go to the football. It was a Copa America match and Paraguay were entertaining their near neighbours Brazil. The hosts thoughtlessly scored just before half time to take the lead much to the consternation of the visiting Brazil fans. In the event it finished 1-1 with Eder scoring with only 2 minutes before the final whistle and I had seen Brazil play live for the first and only time in my life. The stadium was what I would describe as `basic` and my `seat` consisted of simply concrete terracing with no cover from the elements. I was surprised to discover that apart from the south American obsession with football/soccer they were also keen on rugby union just like their neighbours the Argentines. My hotel on the edge of the capital was a fairly modest affair but not bad and convenient to the factory/office. The factory/office routine involved a mid-morning refreshment break and here was another change from my coffee routine. In many parts of Latin America and in particular here in Paraguay the local mid morning drink is called mate (mat tay). This is derived from a different plant than coffee but the buzz is provided by a similar compound to caffeine provided by a member of the ilex family of plants. I found it tolerable but much prefer coffee. To me mate tasted a bit like very weak hot Bovril. Several popular dishes contain manioc, a local staple crop similar to the yuca also known as Cassava root but were not to my taste so I tended to stick to the `international` menu to be on the safe side.
I rapidly established that not only do 87% of locals speak Spanish but more (90%) speak Guaraní which is the local native language. Also there are significant German language elements (as reflected in my hotel evening meal menu which was in Spanish and German!). These derive not only from German settlers from the early days but also this was a post-World War II bolthole for escaping Nazis bringing with them enough money to buy a comfortable and unchallenged existence. The local car industry consisted of 80% Mau-Mau cars!!! That`s the local term for cars stolen in Brazil and brought across the border to sell locally in Paraguay. I wouldn`t say that it was a backwater but when I was there they still had steam trains operating. In recent years they have developed and expanded their agricultural output in response to external demands for `modern` products like Soybeans,and tung oil. They are also a major producer of stevia sugar substitute being second largest producing nation in the world and have significant beef, wheat and corn exports to the outside world. The climate covers quite a range and this is reflected in their wide range of crops. Some parts are tropical whilst others are sub-tropical. The wind plays a significant role in their weather and as a result they have essentially two seasons - dry and wet. Through the period May-August the winds deliver cold winds from the Andes mountains but October to March warm winds blow down from the Amazon area for a change of season.
All in all an odd sort of place - too far from anywhere to garner much in the way of international tourism. Yet with masses of potential for growth in that area with a wide range of wildlife living inside it`s borders including the armadillo which is the symbol of Paraguay's wildlife. The country is home to large mammals, such as jaguars, cougars/puma, ocelots, sloths, tapirs, bears, wolves, deer, wild boar vicunas, opossums (18 different!) There is no shortage of small mammals either such as giant anteaters, monkeys, porcupines, armadillos (12 different species) rabbits, bats (55 species), the chinchilla, capybara, paca, mice, rats, and foxes. Then there`s the birding side including eagles, hummingbirds, owls, condors, egrets, partridges, parakeets, geese, finches, wrens, toucans, macaws, parrots, and even the Andean flamingo. They are clearly doing something right down there because Paraguay has topped the "world`s happiest place" charts. They have clearly got their act together when it come to the environment. They built the gigantic Itapu dam which generates so much hydroelectric electicity that they use NO fossil fuels at all on electricity production and indeed actually sell their surplus to neighbours Brazil and Argentina. They are in fact the world`s largest exporter of electricity. There you go! WE learn something new every day.
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