South America – Page 12

A Paraguayan moment

Dear Reader, I haven’t added a new feature to World Adventurers for a long, long time (mainly because I haven’t written much at all!). Tonight I introduce you to "Moments." No, I’m not referring to some sappy Korean drama; I’m talking about sharing snippets of those unique moments that truly define a culture. Think of an "American moment." What’s an American moment…a moment in time that it uniquely American? I really can’t think of any at this moment because I am down here in Paraguay.

So here is a Paraguayan moment for your to contemplate; a moment to ponder whether your own culture should adopt this habit or custom that is unique to Paraguay. Tonight, as I drove home from work, I saw a couple riding on a motorcycle. The man drove the bike; the women was seated behind him. The man, displaying a courageous act of chivalry, gave his helmet to her and drove helmetless. They stopped at a stoplight next to me, and what did my bewildered eyes behold? I saw the woman pulling out her mate tea jug and pouring some mate tea into the mate cup and hand it to the man. The man drank his mate tea quickly at the stoplight and then handed the cup back to the woman. The woman lovingly put away the cup and the jug, and then they sped away when the light turned green. An intimate Paraguayan moment of sharing mate on a motorcycle at a stoplight. Only in Paraguay.

Ethnic Cuisine in Buenos Aires, Argentina

We returned yesterday from a five-day trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. We had a good time visiting what some call the “Paris of South America.” We were most impressed by the architecture and generally affordable and excellent quality of life we saw. Perhaps our perspectives have been influenced by living 11 months in nearby Paraguay, but it still struck me as a good place to live. I can see why Porteños (residents of Buenos Aires) are proud of their city.

Buenos Aires is a no doubt world-class city. However, I was struck by its lack of diversity. This city with approximately 12 million residents seemed overwhelmingly of European descent with a dearth of other races, including immigrants from Africa, Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Our difficulty finding ethnic cuisine confirmed this. There are no Greek, Indian, or Thai restaurants in Paraguay, and we searched from throughout Buenos Aires to find these cuisines. I finally found restaurants for each cuisine, but it was a bit of an undertaking. Each offered excellent food at moderately expensive prices (by Argentine standards). Here they are:

Mykonos Greek Restaurant, Olleros 1752, Buenos Aires. For reservations, call (54-11) 4779-9000 or visit http://www.mykonostaso.com.ar/

Kathmandu Indian Restaurant, Av. Cordoba 3547, Buenos Aires. For reservations, call (54-11) 4963-1122.

Empire Thai Restaurant, Tres Sargeantos 427, Retiro, Buenos Aires. For reservations, call (54-11) 4312-5706 or visit http://www.empirethai.net/

If we had had more time, we also would have liked to have eaten Japanese and American food. The good news is that as a large city, Buenos Aires has a wide variety of restaurants. In fact, Empire Thai restaurant owner Kevin Rodriguez — an American from New Jersey — told us that Empire Thai is one of the only Thai restaurants in Latin America. Amidst all of the “Parrilla (grill), pasta, and pizza” — as he put it — you can find a great selection of cuisine in Buenos Aires.

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Back in Paraguay

Well, so much for writing from the United States! I just returned to Paraguay today. I’m determined not to let any more time pass before I write again. If I do, this blog would be well on its way to a slow death on the ash heap of blogging history. During my visit to the U.S., where I visited family, I spent little time on the computer, and when I did, I just wasn’t inspired to write anything (I haven’t been inspired for awhile). Perhaps I’ve lost some desire to write, or maybe I’ve developed writer’s block. During the past two weeks, I spent more time with my family and actually read a book for the first time since last June. I picked an easy read — "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." I read the first book in the Harry Potter series a couple years ago but had not got around to reading the second one. I think I was waiting for J.K. Rowling to publish her final installment, "Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows," so I wouldn’t be in suspense waiting to read the end of the story. I bought the third book, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and am almost finished with that as well. As you may know, I’ve always been a fantasy buff, and I’ve been curious as to why J.K. Rowling is the first billion-dollar author in history (unless you measure the Apostle Paul in terms of tithing). The books are entertaining.

I’ve felt so rushed since we arrived in Paraguay. Although the pace of life is slow here, the job is not and has kept me devilishly busy. Plus, our family has gone through some transitions, including the fact that my wife accepted a full-time job and is now in training in Washington, D.C. for three months. She will be there with my son and her parents until mid-December. That — and my job — have taken so much time that it’s taken until now just to update you on that! We’re all doing fine; just a bit distracted, I supposed.

I’m determined not to let another week or two pass by without updating World Adventurers. I struck upon a great idea for a series of books, but I will hold it in my mind and focus a bit more on the daily update.