Filadelfia, Paraguay

Filadelfia is a town in the Paraguayan Chaco that was founded by Mennonites in 1930. It operates as a cooperative, where everyone sells their agricultural products to the cooperative and  everyone shares the benefits.  The town looks different than other Paraguyan towns and the German influence is obvious in the  look and feel of the town.   There is also a prominent indigenous presence , which is also unique to Paraguay, as there are not many indigenous people left in the  country.

This is a "bottle tree" which is unique to the dry Chaco region. It stores water in the wide bottom part of the trunk. We were also told that the early Mennonite settlers  used them as coffins during a cholera epidemic shortly after the founding of the colony.

We arrived early in the morning after an overnight bus ride. We couldn't check into our hotel so I took a nap in the city park.

One of the many crops growing here were peanuts.  The colony also produces sesame, chia, and dairy products.

This is a "peccari"or wild boar.  They have been hunted extensively in the country.  We visited a project that raises them and then releases them into the wild, attempting to rebuild the population.

An old bunker from the Chaco War (with Bolivia). 

Thorn of the bottle tree

Main street

It's finally Summer!!

We are gearing up for our 2 month summer break, beginning this Friday.  We'll be busing through Bolivia and Peru this year and have a long list of exciting places to visit. While we are missing our family and friends during the holidays, we are continually aware of how lucky we are to have the opportunity to see so much of South America.

 If you would like to see our trip plans, I created a map; just click on the words "our summer travel map" below.  If you have been to these places or have suggestions for things we are missing out on, let us know.  We will try to post pictures along the way as well.

Merry Christmas!

Our summer travel map

Reserva San Rafael Paraguay

Over our Thanksgiving break a group Asunción teachers traveled to San Rafael, a nature reserve in southern Paraguay. The reserve encompasses the largest remaining areas of Atlantic Forest in Paraguay, as well as incredibly beautiful grassland areas. 

The reserve is primarily a destination for scientists and birdwatchers, although they make their facilities available to anyone interested in a visit. Arrangements for visiting the reserve can be made through the Guyra office in Asunción.  

We were expecting to encounter lots of birds and possibly other wildlife, but saw very little of either.  The area is officially protected, but much of it is private land that is used in the typical way by ranchers and indigenous groups who existed there prior to the creation of the reserve. 

Just getting to the reserve was a bit of a trek.  We drove from the city to the small town of Alto Vera,  From there we followed the ranger down 40km of dirt roads which took about two hours.

At the reserve there are several hiking trails through the forest as well as observation towers that look out over the grassland. We also went on a sight seeing drive with the ranger a few km further into the reserve and to a swimming area where the road crosses a small stream.  One full day was plenty of time for us to see the area around the reserve.  Our group had planned to stay a second full day, but with the heat, bugs, and lack of further areas to explore we decided to move on one day early.  

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