Monday, January 19, 2009

ON THE ROAD

January 19, 2009

We prefer to travel the five hours to Asuncion very 6-8 weeks to food shop and get business things done, but sometimes it is more frequent depending on meetings and the arrival of company. I remember the first time we drove through the campo (country); my eyes were wide as I saw things that I had never seen on my state-side drives. Over the last year and a half the drive through the campo has become very familiar and less exciting. However, as we drove to Asuncion last week I decided to look out the window and again see our journey with wide eyes.

Cows blocking the road…do you honk or swerve?
A lady carrying 5 kilos of ground corn on her head…does she ever have a crick in her neck?
Men peeing of the side of the road…really, men have it easier than women in this regard
A crowd gathering at a house for a funeral
A house burning down (we’ve actually seen this three times)
Cart and ox carrying sugar cane
Multiple burning trash piles
A field being burn
A mother pig nursing her 6 little babies in the middle of the road
Women washing clothes in a stream…definitely more fun with other women
Family of five on a motorcycle, no one with helmets
Boys playing volleyball using a bamboo pole set up on sticks as a “net”
Men fishing with bamboo poles….bamboo poles are quite useful – we use one for our phone antenna
ATVs….on the highway…not too safe
4 feet tall termite mounds



Cows on the road


There are many bridges like this on the way to our house





co 2009 Amy McKissick

3 comments:

Christie said...

For the record, we honk AND swerve for the cows (and occasional horses or sheep). I would prefer that Hubby stops while they lumber past, but he always has the faith that they'll move in time. I still can't get used to men peeing everywhere I look. :)

John J Sweeney said...

I miss Paraguay...

Norberto Kurrle said...

Definitely swerve! Cows own the road and don't move for vehicles. Swerve toward their tail as they will not change directions, unlike sheep, horses, chickens or pigs.

You know when you've adapted to the culture when your own husband stops on the side of the road! lol!