Friday, April 4, 2008

La Paz, Bolivia to Asunscion Paraguay

First off, if you get the opportunity to fly first class to Paraguay, say hi to this little sweetie for me. She kept me stocked with plenty of apple juice and a lovely smile! Of course, the flight was at the ass crack of dawn...AGAIN!
We arrived in Asuncion and made our way to our meager hotel. My uncles like to sleep cheap and eat expensive. The room below is my haven for two nights. My bed is the twin on the left with the flattest pillow I've ever known. No covers...just a sheet.


I paid about $17 for my half of the room and around $30 for my filet mignon dinner with a bottle of wine, salad and dessert!
Asuncion, Paraguay is warm and inviting. Everyone is drinking mate. EVERYONE. In the parks, they are making it from a variety of roots and well dirty weeds, and in the offices, they make it from a tea like form that they pour over hot or cold water.

I couldn't do it. I wanted to get some mate here, but after looking at her fingernails...um, no. I'll find another way.

These are the jugs that folks carry their mate around in. In every conceivable sports team, cartoon character and color, you can get them anywhere!

On our second day, I take a picture of this guy. Oddly enough, my goal for the day was to try some mate. This guy waves at me for my pic and then insists that I try his mate. I didn't look at his fingernails. Please, don't blow up the pic and ruin it for me!

Everywhere we turned, women are weaving palms. It dawned on us later that next Sunday is Palm Sunday...hence, all the palms. Doh.

Let me tell you that we are eating fabulously! The salads in Paraguay are to DIE for!

And these people eat more meat than anywhere that I've ever been! Fantastic steaks. Every night, guys, every night. Argentina is right next door and the beef rocks!

We're having the worst time finding phones to call home. I've spoken to my girl just a handful of minutes since I left and I vow to myself never to leave her behind again.

20 comments:

Christo Gonzales said...

I've got cherries on my mind....and by mind I mean????

Dana said...

Paraguay is beautiful, but not quite as beautiful as HNT *giggle* Yes, I had to look at that pic again ...

Biscuit said...

The food looks awesome! The pillow...I would have gone berserk. I can't sleep with awful pillows.

Jay said...

Did you happen to give that stewardess ... er ... air waitress ... er .. flight attendant my phone number?? ;-)

Everyone drink there? Oh hell, I'm there! haha

katy said...

Steak every night, drinking all the time, sounds like a piece of paradise to me!

R.E.H. said...

All those food pictures are making my mouth water... as does the stewardess ;)

Akelamalu said...

Your pillow looks as thought someone has eaten the filling! Do they eat pillows as well as steak?

Fantastic pictures and I still envy you! :)

Akelamalu said...

Bugger that should have said 'though' not 'thought' sorry. :(

Doc said...

I love these pics from your trip!

Ken said...

Was I looking at, french fries, hush puppies and filet mignon on the same plate with a broc sause on top of that meat? Holy Hola Yum!

KellyKline said...

I was wondering the same thing as Micky-t - what are the round things with the steak? Also,what is the dark burgundy thing on the salad? And are those hearts of palms?

As for the hotel ... I guess I'm kind of the opposite of your uncle. I'd rather stay in a nice hotel and eat a little cheaper. Those ill-fitting sheets give me the willies.

The flight attendant, on the other hand, is niiiiiice.

SagaciousHillbilly said...

Your travel reports are making me the opposite of homesick.
What are the round things next to the steak? SA beef is so f'ing good. It's wild tasting because they don't keep them in feed lot the last three months of their life.
"mate?" I never heard of it.
I am however very familiar with beautiful brown deep south women. The flight attendant also makes me want to travel. Ah, Amalia. . . I know you're still in Cusco somewhere.
Speaking of beautiful. . . loved the cherries.

The Mistress of the Dark said...

That flight attendant's uniform looks like it came straight out of the 70's!

Real Live Lesbian said...

Well, I don't want to torment you foodies too much.... the round balls by the steak are fried mashed potatoes. They rocked my world and I'll definitely be trying to make them at home. They were extremely creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Yes, they served them WITH fries, of course!

On top of the steak is a compound butter with herbs of all sorts. It was heavenly!

The dark burgundy stuff on the salad are beets and I'm not sure about the halfsies. We did have fresh hearts of palm wrapped in ham and cheese on the flight. Again heavenly...but these were a little crunchier than that.

Anybody know if hearts of palm actually get THAT big?

Jeff B said...

Lisa has an uncle that lives in Argentina. Someday we would love to go there. And you're right, from what I've heard the beef there is some of the best in the world.

Ken said...

Are we talking mashed potatos with a hint of crunchy? Oh my Gawwd!!
YUMeee!!

SagaciousHillbilly said...

Fried mashed potatos!!!! WTF!!!! OK, let's just keep this between us, because I'm about to introduce those who worship my cooking to an all new original incredibly delicious taste sensation! Seriously, I love to deep fry stuff and I love potato cakes. Why didn't I think of that before?

Nothing like beets in a salad. . . with feta cheese, some artichoke hearts, black olives. . . tomorrow's sunday diner is beginning to shape up nicely.

Anonymous said...

Yum. Steak every night... yum.
I didn't look at his nails for fear it would gross one of us out.

dawn said...

i am just catching up and i really thought you meant to say 'everyone IS a drinking mate!' and i was thinking hellzyeah!, but you mean 'mate', but i think that little grill with the beef on it is divine.

so glad that you had a great trip.

C. said...

Having lived in Argentina these photos made me long for the scents and sounds of the different worlds beyond my door. LOVE your blog. Love. Love. Love it.