Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
put you off trying it elsewhere. Sopa
Paraguaya is not soup, but a savoury
cheese cornmeal cake, delicious when
warm. Chipa Guazu is similar, but made
with fresh corn and egg. Both come as
accompaniments to meals.
Ask around for unmarked eating
houses, which local people always know
about, where you may be able to find
home-cooked Paraguayan food such as
bori-bori (soup with corn balls), guiso de
arroz (a sort of Paraguayan paella) and
so'o apu'á (meatball soup).
Paraguayan desserts include ensalada de
frutas (fruit salad), which you can buy
from street sellers after lunch, the
sandwich spreads dulce de leche and dulce
de guayaba , as well as dulce de batata con
queso paraguayo (a candied sweet potato
accompanied with cheese).
behaviour or clothing that may be
misconstrued as “flirty”, especially away
from the major cities. Equally, it's not
considered normal or appropriate for
women to be drunk in public. If you
wish to take a photo of somebody, ask
permission and don't offer payment if it's
not asked for.
Tipping is not expected but is always
appreciated. A tip of Gs2000-3000 is
appropriate for an ordinary meal, and as
most museums are free, a tip to the guide
is always welcome.
SPORTS AND OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES
As in most South American countries,
soccer , or fútbol , is the main sporting
obsession and Paraguay's special claim is
that it now houses the Museo de Fútbol
Sudamericano , near Asunción's airport
(Autopista Aeropuerto Internacional
Km12, Luque; Mon-Sat, call in advance;
free; T 02 164 5781; bus #30 from Oliva/
Cerro Corá). For football fans this
museum has become a pilgrimage to see
the trophy room containing all the most
important cups South American teams
play for. Regular matches are played on
Sundays and the two biggest clubs are
Olimpia and Cerro Porteño. Tickets to
see games are bought at the stadium
upon entry. Motor racing fans will want
to look into the Trans-Chaco Rally , one
of the most demanding motor races on
earth (see p.709).
DRINK
Wondering what those wildly decorated
thermos flasks contain? It's tereré , or
ice-cold yerba mate , a refreshing and
addictive herbal tea, undoubtedly the
most widely consumed drink in Paraguay.
It is sometimes drunk mixed with fruit
juice ( tereré Ruso ) or with milk and
desiccated coconut ( tereré dulce ) . Look
out for street vendors with baskets of
yu-yos : native plants with medicinal
properties. Whether you have a hangover
or want to lose weight, let the vendor
know and he'll add the appropriate plant
mix to your tereré. Ask a “ yuyero / a ” if
they sell the tereré por el vaso (by the cup)
if you want to try some.
The preferred local beer is Pilsen.
Chopp is a generic term for draught beer,
although beer is more widely available in
returnable litre bottles.
8
COMMUNICATIONS
Postal services , run by Correo Paraguayo
( W www.correoparaguayo.gov.py), are
unreliable, so important mail should
always be sent registered ( (certificado) ) or
by international courier. There are no
post boxes - you have to go into the
post office. Making telephone calls in
Paraguay can be tricky as there are no
street payphones; you need to look out
for cabinas telefónicas , telephone booths
inside a shop. Copaco ( W www.copaco
.com.py) are the national phone company
and they have an office in most towns
with cabinas that tend to open roughly
CULTURE AND ETIQUETTE
Paraguay is generally a safe, informal and
laidback country. Men greet each other
with a shake of the hand and women are
greeted with a kiss on each cheek. The
main religion is Roman Catholicism.
As in many Latin American countries,
there is a typically macho attitude to
women , who may be seen as “fair game”
when travelling alone; try to avoid any
 
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