Google
 

Sunday, March 23, 2008

how about a day in Paraguay





After getting the customs agent to invent a visa for us on the fly for $30 we were allowed into Paraguay. We had heard rumors all around South America about the outbreak of dengue fever and how you shouldn't visit there. Also, it is known as an extremely corrupt place (the fact we could bribe our way into the country didn't give us reason to dispute this!)

We visited the only Paraguayan World Heritage site, a set of ruins left behind by the liberal Jesuit priests who (God forbid!) had tried to educate the local Indians and give them some independence and autonomy. Soon the Jesuits were banned from the New World.

It isn't often you get a World Heritage Site all to yourself. It was beautiful in a solemn way.