paraguay
of Colombian salsa, Brazilian samba, Argentine tango and
Andean folk music in the place where they were born.
Buenos Aires’ sultry milongas (tango clubs), Rio’s simmering
garrafeiras (dance halls), Quito’s salsotecas (salsa clubs) –
all great places to chase the heart of a Saturday night. Yet
this is only the beginning of a great musical odyssey that
encompasses the Peruvian trovas, the soulful Ecuadorian
passillos, the fast-stepping Brazilian forró, an act of whirling
Venezuelan merengue, a pinch of steel-pan Guyanese
drumming and what not.
Paraguay – the Heart of South America
There is one country, though, that escapes most travel
itineraries. Paraguay, which is known by many as the heart of
South America, still has an air of mystery to it (like serpentine
climbers harbouring heaven’s magnum doors).
Lesser-Known Paraguay brims with unique contrasts,
nces,
cultural cross-overs and authentic travel experiences,
as though awaiting profound discovery by the e
robust traveller. The virgin country is tucked
away unassumingly in its unique geographical
location, and for backpackers with an old-
school map and an open mind, it offers
untamed natural beauty, scorching summers
and a fascinating colonial story just waiting
to be discovered. Much of the landscape is
ry
wild and waiting to be explored yet. The country
ndant
supports its economy through its incredibly abundant
natural resources; additionally, the bordering is home to the
largest reservoir for drinking water in the world at Guaraní
Aquifer. The Itaipú Dam is also the biggest producer of
hydroelectric power and one of the largest exporters for soya
beans and beef in the world.
However, it is still comparatively cheap and
o
prices are on the lower side when compared to
other South American countries. This means
more savings for the Indian traveller.
And there are a host of reasons more why
India should welcome the mellow country
as a tourism partner. Considering the unique
psychosocial heritage, Paraguayans are loyal
and devoted to their family, similar to the e
Indians.
tional
The economic analysis provides additional
niches for harbouring a strong partnership between the
two countries. India’s recent travel statistics demonstrate
that when travelling abroad, Indian tourists are among the
world’s highest-spending globetrotters. Their spending
power has been estimated to be four times that of the Chinese
and Japanese. In fact, the Tourism Industry contributes to
6.88 percent to India’s total GDP, and the same has brought
an earning of over $27 billion, apart from raising foreign
exchange earnings by 20.2 percent (TripAdvisor, 2017). The
36 • PARAGUAY 2019
Tourism Sector is now contributing to a boosted employment
rate in India which shot up by 12.36 percent in the past 2 years.
Why Paraguay?
Paraguay is a country of remarkable contrasts: it’s rustic
and sophisticated; it boasts spectacular natural reserves and
massive human-made dams; it is a place where horses and
carts pull up alongside Mercedes Benz vehicles, artisans’
workshops abut glitzy shopping centres, and Jesuit ruins
in rural villages lie just a few kilometres from interesting
colonial towns. The steamy subtropical Atlantic Forest of
the east is a stark contrast to the dry, spiny wilderness of
the Chaco, the location of the isolated Mennonite colonies.
In the words of an avid traveller, Asunción, the capital of
Paraguay is a multicultural centre with its pink palace, great
museums and old-school charm that resembles something
from a Graham Greene novel. Cobbled streets wind
through
throug the city to the green curve of the Paraguay
River,
Riv fading baroque buildings are painted in
tropical
yellows and reds, and every plaza is
tr
fi lled with pink blossomed Lapacho trees that
leave a carpet of fl owers on the ground.
On a more historical note, Paraguay is the
only South American country that achieved
independence
without a war - it is the only
i
country
that
right
after independence was led
co
by a dictatorship. José Rodriguez de Francia was
declare
declared as the Supreme Dictator by the Congress
itself and he ruled for almost 3 decades (1814 to 1840).
Then, it was the fi rst Latin American country to rise as a
promising economic and military world-power, thanks to the
protectionism and able leadership of Carlos Antonio López
who became
beca President in the year 1844.
H
Here are 10 additional boosts to mark the
cou
country for the next tourist destination:
1 1. Paraguay is a land of cowboys and
Indians
Cowboys in big sombreros (hats) ride
bucking broncos at local fi estas: one should
tr
try the January festivals in Santiago. Indians
in feather headdresses sit outside the Panteón
in As
Asunción; the traveller must visit their reserve
by the Pu
Puente Remanso Bridge.
2. Spectacular National Parks
Paraguay’s natural beauty encompasses everything from
desolate wilderness to crashing waterfalls.
3. Paraguay’s tablecloths take 18 months to make
To singlehandedly craft one of Paraguay’s intricate ao
po’i lace tablecloths takes almost a year and a half. One must
make it a point to see locals at work in delightful Yataitý.