Asunción, not a gringo city!

Asunción

Few kilometers from the Paraguay-Argentina border is the most populated city of Paraguay: Asunción, the capital. There are about 500.000 inhabitants here, very few for a capital in South America!

First contacts with people are a bit cold. First of all they speak a weird language that does not sound as Spanish. In fact there are two official languages in Paraguay: Spanish and Guarani. The second one is the language of native people. It is the first country having officially integrated a part of the native culture!
On the other hand, people does not seem to be used seeing tourists and look at us in a strange way.

Sculpture du dictateur Paraguayen déchu, Alfredo Stroessner, Asunción, Paraguay

AS we come from Argentina, the contrast is really strong. We have the feeling to be back in Central America. In the historical centre buildings are crumbling, streets and parks are quite dirty. However a renovation project would be on its way. Far from the centre there are uptown residential areas and big malls.

It has to be said that the end of the Paraguayan’s dictatorship is quite recent (1992). We could find the cadavers of the dictator’s sculpture that had been put in a concrete block, as to never forget those bad years.

Asunción lacks a bit of tourists attractions but it should improve. We will be back in few years!

One comment for “Asunción, not a gringo city!”

  1. Très drôle cette statue coulée dans le béton!Il faudra apprendre le guarani…et revenir dans quelques années constater que cette culture indigène est toujours vivante..avec espoir!!
    Bisous doux de Mum cocci.

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