capelo

On a trip to La Colmena in the Paraguari department, I found awesome landscapes with colourful scenes of urban life such as sugar cane plantations (quite important nowadays for etanol and alternatives to petrol), rainforest and waterfalls!

In these area of Paraguay, it is located the famous Salto Cristal waterfalls (70 mts high). You need to do a bit of a hike to reach them because it is just in the middle of a rainforest. The trip it is worthwhile though as the views are awesome and if it is hot enough you can even swim.

A couple of years ago I stayed overnight at this Monastery of the Benedictine Order in Santiago.

It was a great experience as they designed a spokesperson to communicate with us, at meals we have someone reading the bible, we have gregorian music sang at mass and we enjoyed great gastronomy with products prepared and grown in their farm.

For contact and more info use this site: http://www.monasterio.org.ar/modulotupasy-tupasy.htm

The town of Santa Maria de la Fe was established in 1647 by the jesuit order in the Jesuit Province of Paraguay. The town is renowned when the jesuit brought the first printer to the River Plate in the s. XVII.

Countless books were published in Santa Maria de la Fe, including a dictionary of the Guarani language, and a Cathesism in Guarani that were a notorius help to the survival of the Guarani language as we all know.

Nowadays, there is a museum with several wooden sculptures, a foundation for the preservation of the cultural heritage. Check http://www.cockaigne.demon.co.uk/santamaria/santamariahome.html for more details.

How to get there:
- From Iguassu Falls/Ciudad del Este (280km, daily): cross the Friendship bridge into Ciudad del Este bus Station. Take Empresa Guairena ((595 541) 42678) or Ybytyrusu ((595 541) 41221). Only 0541 when calling from Paraguay. The ride is about 3 1/2 hs, and it costs around 5 to 6 USD.

- From the Jesuit Ruins/Encarnacion (450km, daily): stop over in Ciudad del Este. Ride around 5 hs and Cost: around 10 USD. see above for bus companies.

- From Asuncion (180km, daily): The ride is about 3 hs, and it costs around 4 USD.For bus companies, see above. Add a third one: Yutena ((595541) 42985).

check bus departures from Encarnacion online on this site:
http://www.itacom.com.py/_servicios/omnibus.php

for the jesuit towns of Trinidad and Jesus use any bus heading to Ciudad del Este and hop off 27 kms from Encarnacion (ask the driver) for a 600 mts walk to Trinidad.

Use buses heading to San Cosme for jesuit remains in San Cosme y Damian and the Antiguy Eco Reserve. Contact the Yacyreta Dam autorities beforehand for a free admission.

Use buses going to Ayolas for visiting the Yacyreta Dam and fishing trips.

It just cast my eyes with its low range hills in the Ybyturusu that are easy to climb, its landscapes full of green, forest and waterfalls, its gastronomy with a mix of german, austrian and paraguayan cuisine.

I’d like to spend some time practicing sports and getting active, trekking in the Ybytyrusu Park. Nice sourroundings, accessible hills, exuberant forest, green valleys, natural sources of water, crystally clear streams and several waterfalls would easily amazed you along your path.

There are several paths for all ages, different grades of skills and fitness. The best known are: a) the one that start in Melgarejo and carries you to the Akati hill viewpoint, b) from Campito Vista Alegre to Salto Cantera, c) from Eugenio A. Garay to the Tres Kandu summit, and d) from Salto Suizo to the La Cruz hill.

Rapel, there are several adequate stone walls in the Ybytyrusu hills. Also, mountainbiking following several paths for people with different levels of skills.

Kayaking on one of the numerous streams available for boating and kayaking. The most common of them are from Iturbe to Itape on the Tebycuary river, from Troche to Natalicio Talavera.

Just several houses spread around a clift on the Paraguay River composes the urban scenary that is not on maps or turist guides. However, Puerto Antequera has got its charms. Its trees are full of parrots and other exotic birds, you can hear them singing, colourful butterflies flying and the views over the grand Paraguay River.

Fishing is still the main activity. Another option for young people is to work in cattle ranch in opposite Chaco Region. So tourism is open for Paraguayans and foreign visitors to enjoy fishing and help improving the local economy.

Visit and swim in Vera Lake 1km away from town. Rent a boat with a guide and take your chances on fishing also! Buy Paraguayan crayfish “surubi” at 3 USD per kilo on Pescaderia Chichi (you will need to cook).

Stay at Posada Santa Clara with Adolfo Von Tumpling a Paraguayan writer with german origins. He’s got 5 bedrooms priced at 80,000G a night each (£8, 16USD).

How to get there: From Asuncion, take a the Mandyyupecuá boat in Playa Montevideo, Asuncion city centre on wednesdays after midday, arriving Puerto Antequera on Thursdays afternoon (27hs). Come back on Sundays at 5AM, arriving Asuncion late at night. Mind that it’s not a 5 star ship, so expect fellow cattle ranch workers as exotic people as such!

Also, you can take a bus La Santaniana or La Sampedrana, the night bus cost 50,000 G. ( 10USD, £5) and departs Asuncion at 22h arriving at around 5AM.

Most people cross from the Iguassu Falls to Ciudad del Este for looking at a big bazaar style shopping area for electronics and the sort.

There are great attractions, however, that includes the Itaipu Dam one of the seven wonders of the modern world in Hernandarias, the Saltos del Monday and the Moises Bertoni Museum in Presidente Franco and several eco reserves for the preservation of the local wildlife (Tati Yupi, Limoy, Carapa, Itabo and more).

Ybycui (greated soil in Guarani) is located around 150 km from Asuncion in the Paraguari department.

Ybycui National Park preserves a remnant of what is known as the Brazilian rainforest in the low-lying hills of eastern Paraguay. It is a small park, but incredibly beautiful, consisting of unbroken jungle and picturesque cascades (around 15!). The park is accessible with a series of hiking trails.

The jungle is a beautiful and tranquil place to take a hike. There are several guides available (ask at the Park rangers office). Hiking by the Salto Guarani waterfall is the best experience, with an abundance of metallic blue butterflies around you.

There is another trail that leads you to the iron foundry La Rosada, with an amazing waterwheel and the museum, check the opening hours with the park rangers.

Camping site and toilet facilities available.

The building was opened in 1889 thanks to the colaboration of the Catalan businessman Mr. Baudilio Alio. From 1939 onwards, the theatre has been under the Municipality of Asuncion management.

Several companies offering zarzuelas, operas and other performances have been playing during these years. From 1997 to 2006, the theatre has been through a process of restoration work. It has been recently reinaugurated, and since then, it offers several performances and a beautiful cafeteria with lots of memorabilia.

For calendar of events check: http://www.mca.gov.py/i_cultura/agenda.htm