Saturday morning was sunny with blue skies, big puffy clouds and a light breeze on our first morning in Paraguay.
I took Rusty for a walk which ended up being a lay down as he is old and it was hot already, so I found a bench and watched him watching people between naps. This is the dog that used to disappear in the mangroves for hours at a time.
We watched people coming and going from the market across the square.
The kid below pushed his younger brother too hard and the tricycle tipped. Much bawling ensued until the sister showed up and repaired hurt pride. I looked at Rusty silently observing the scene and was once again grateful for him.
Layne went to the market for some fruits and vegetables and sent me some pictures, saving me the bother of trailing around behind her.
This photo I am told shows a man giving his wife the money Layne just paid for some produce. Similar to what I do when presented with a bill. I shrug and say 31 years of marriage and I’m lazy. Which I am. I hate money only slightly less than not having enough.
In the road again around 10:30 am. But first the energy report: we used the a/c for Rusty Friday afternoon as we went around the border offices and fired it up early in the evening as it is hot in Paraguay with highs over 100. By 8:30am with Starlink the inverter the fridge and my CPAP we were down to 22%. After an hours drive we were at 41% and arrived at our afternoon campground after four hours with the batteries at 84%. Anyway we took off to explore this little known country.
We passed through bunches of towns and villages on a highway that started out pretty good and turned into a bouncy patchwork quilt as we progressed.
We passed through towns whose names I barely noticed and which mean nothing to me. I have some reading to do as of all the countries we’ve visited Paraguay is the one I know least.
There were some shacks alongside the highway so you may not be surprised to learn the official poverty rate is 20% in the country. Which is a massive drop from 51% in 2003.
Paraguay declared independence in 1811 just like every other Spanish colony, taking advantage of Napoleons invasion of Spain but independence wasn’t recognized till 1842. And the borders have changed a bit over time. Loaded for bear in 104 degree heat. Paraguayans are tough. 
The more motorcycles, the poorer the country is my observation.
The reality is Paraguay looks pretty much like you’d expect, it’s South America after all. One horsepower versus motorized horsepower. 
Paraguay has a rather peculiar history on a continent that specializes in so called magical realism.
If you know anything about this country my attempt at making the details intelligible could be construed as mangling but I’ll give it a go.
Paraguay has always been caught like a walnut caught between the crackers of Argentina and Brazil with Bolivia and Uruguay joining in when possible.
The country was first led by a man called Francis who made himself a dictator and led the country down a very peculiar path. He forces Europeans from
marrying each other in an effort, successful apparently, to integrate native Guaraní into society with white former colonizers.
Furthermore Francia closed the borders, ended trade and shut the country down. If foreigners made the mistake of entering the country they weren’t allowed out. I told it was weird.
The things Paraguay was an uneducated peasant population with a few elites educated in Argentina and Francia made it his task to get the country on its feet and his peculiar methods seemed to work by the time he died in 1840.
Paraguay carried on with the usual strongmen until 1864 when one of those moments occurred when leaders decided it was time for war. Argentina Brazil and Uruguay formed an alliance and attacked Paraguay. The Triple Alliance won but Paraguay continued a bloodthirsty civil war which laid the country to waste.
Territory lost, population ravaged country wrecked and so went most of the 20th century, the classic South American poverty stricken peasants despised by their elite leaders.
The most infamous of them was the last General Alfredo Stroessner a peach of a human being. He came to power in a coup in 1954 and governed till his death in 1989. He ruled by corruption and buying support using smuggling as the country’s main source of income. 80% of the country’s land was owned by 2% of the population by the time he was done.
Since then Paraguay has been getting back on track and the country had the first peaceful transition of power in the 2008 presidential elections. Presidents can only serve single terms under the 1992 constitution and despite some attempts at change the country has stuck to it.
As web. Chile’s told me hydro electricity is Paraguay’s major export. Having all these rivers must be useful for something I suppose.
It is rainy season so some heavy rain should not come as surprise.
There was a toll booth or two at 5,000 guaraní each, 75 cents, it was good we had cash. The second toll taker asked where we from and said he was glad we were visiting his country. Big smiles. Cool huh?
Our goal for the day was just over four hours from the border described in iOverlander as a free campsite created by a Paraguayan businessman who likes to RV and wanted to create place for travelers to rest. Cost? Free.
The cement cube in the grass is an actual dump station. The first we’ve seen since Chile. Small things amaze when you’re on the road.
We plan to spend Sunday here and resume southbound travel Monday with Encarnacion our goal.
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