Border Patrols

It's HOT here!

The first thing I noticed when I stepped off the plane (yes, off the plane onto the tarmac), is HEAT! Apparently, it rains about every day in the late afternoon, and the humidity is generally VERY HIGH. But (and Mom, you'll love this), EVERYTHING is so green. Everywhere you look there is fresh grass growing. It's lush and beautiful.

But again, I warn you, HOT!

My internet friend, Oskar (from Germany, but living in Paraguay for almost 17 years), and his driver picked me up at the airport and wisked me off to this rather nice hotel on the outskirts of the only country club in this part of Paraquay.

To explain a bit, the falls border Argentina and Brasil, the airport is located in Brasil, but his hotel is across the Bridge of Friendship (ironic since Brasil and Paraguay are always fighting about something...they've actually had some pretty bloody wars) in Paraquay, so here we came. (He works here and got me a good deal on a hotel room). Well, you know me and a good deal...how could I refuse. Plus he's a very nice guy and I'm happy to finally meet my internet pal.

Tonight after a short couple hours break, he walked me into the country club to the club area itself and we had a pizza that I must say was GREAT!

The homes around this very exclusive club are BIG, and relatively cheap. Rob, your home here might sell for $500,000, on the golf course, in a gated community. So yeah, pretty inexpensive--relatively speaking. That's the upside. The downside, you're in Paraquay...a VERY developing country. But developing countries always have their perks. Meaning you could have your home at that price, all the maid service, driver, etc. you wanted, and still have cash left over for about anything you wanted.

For example, my friend says that the country club is SO special, that even the police can't enter if not given permission. In other words, it could harbor terrorist, etc., and the police force is powerless to apprehend. Interesting, right?

If they are living there, they all have nice lawns and big homes.

YOU PAID WHAT FOR THAT

Tonight I had to buy some toothpaste, so we stopped off at the local grocery store. My small tube of paste and a Twix bar came to about $15,000 quaranies, or about $1.20 (lol). Supposedly they plan to drop the 0000000's in two years...thinking it will take that long to educate the population about the new valuation. But those high numbers...talk about sticker shock.

SHORT CHANGED ON THE VISA

Speaking of shock, while I was waiting for dinner, I actually took a FIRST look at my Brasilian Visa in my passport. What I thought was a 180 day visa, is actually just a 90 day visa, so I guess I would have to be home and out of the country by the 10th of January. Of course, being that I'm in Paraguay right now, I have left the country so I could get another visa if I wanted to...hum, I'll think over that tonight.

Ok, off to bed...tomorrow I get to figure out how to take the local buses to the Falls, and avoid a $100 taxi charge. TRUST ME, I'll figure that one out. It's kind of an adventure/challenge I'm looking forward to.

Night.