I took the opportunity of the long President's Day weekend (and Carnival here) to fly to Asuncion, Paraguay while my visa is still valid. It's my third trip to this capital city and I still find it to be fascinating. Ruled by an Austrian dictator for over three decades, the disparity of wealth is amazing. Either you're very rich or very poor. The middle class barely exists here. You will see Rolls Royces and high-end Mercedes driving through neighborhoods without running water and electricity.
That said, Asuncion has a very striking colonial architecture and some of the best steakhouses in South America. It's also a very safe city. Even considering the fact that poverty is so high here, there are very few beggars, and the poor are not starving and seem to be content with what they have.
Another interesting feature about Asuncion is that many of the people speak Guarani, instead of Spanish, so it was challenging at times when asking for directions or help. However, the people here are genuinely nice, friendly and honest, and it's definitely a city worth spending a few days in if you happen to be in nearby Argentina or Brazil.
Click here to see more photos from last week's excursion to Paraguay.
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