Happy Paraguayan Independence Day! On this day in 1811, Paraguay became an independent nation, the first in the New World after the United States (even earlier than Haiti). The Spanish actually withdrew on May 14th, but Paraguay celebrates its independence on May 15th. Last night my wife and I went to the Organization of American States (OAS) building near the White House and attended the independence day celebration in the grand ballroom. It’s a gorgeous building with an ornate interior. Guitarrist Dani Cortaza gave a wonderful performance, and the reception immediately following featured a Paraguayan buffet. The evening was balmy, and we enjoyed the opportunity to break away from home for a change. My mother is in town now, and she watched our son for the evening. Although life has been hectic lately (hence, I haven’t been blogging), last night was a nice diversion from the frenetic pace of life that seems to have sped up in the last week.
