South America

Happy Carrulim Day

Today is August 1, an (in)auspicious day in Paraguay.  It’s traditionally the day when Paraguayans drink Carrulim, a homemade concoction of sugar cane, root, and lemon that makes a potent, sour tonic that Paraguayans claim promotes health, happiness, and protection from maladies (in Korean culture, that honor is reserved for kimchi).  It’s an old Guarani belief that manifests itself in a spirit that is passed around a group of native Paraguayans and Guarani aficionados who believe they must drink Carrulim to survive from year to year.  (The Guarani represent the largest indigenous group in Paraguay–the Guarani language and culture are ingrained in the Paraguayan psyche.)  The word “Carrulim” itself is derived from the drink’s three main components.  I have to admit that I did not have a chance to try some Carrulim today, although my Guarani teacher promised to brew some for us to taste tomorrow in class.  ABC Color, one of Asuncion‘s three main daily newspapers, published an article (in Spanish) about Carrilum Day:
Today is also notable in Paraguayan history because of the Ycua Bolanos supermarket fire, a tragedy that left over 400 people dead and 400 injured.  It is single deadliest event in modern Paraguayan history since the 1930’s.  On Sunday, August 1, 2004, while hundreds of shoppers shopped, cashed paychecks, and ate in a large food court, a fire broke out in the large supermarket in Asuncion.  The owner alleged ordered all doors chained shut to prevent looting, preventing the victims from escaping.  Those brought up on charges were acquitted earlier this year, leading to extensive rioting.  The courts initiated a second review and may overturn the previous ruling.
Today also marks the day after the Supreme Court of Justice referred Lino Oviedo‘s case to the Military Court for possible amnesty.  The former general and head of UNACE, a opposition party, was recently absolved of culpability in the assassination of former Vice President Argana and the 1999 student massacre, paving the way for President Duarte and the Military Court to pardon him for his alleged involvement in the 1996 failed coup against former President Wasmosy.  It all adds up to a possible presidential run in 2008.  If Oviedo is pardoned, he would be free to run for president. 
Pass the Carrulim.  I think I need some.

Tragedy in Sao Paulo, Brazil

We arrived just two weeks ago in Asunción, Paraguay via a TAM Mercosur airliner inbound from Sao Paulo, Brazil. When news of today’s airline disaster in Sao Paulo reached my ears, it hit close to home. Authorities still don’t know how many people were killed or injured when the Airbus 320 airplane inbound from Porto Alegre, Brazil carrying 140-170 people skidded off the runway at Congonhas Domestic Airport and crashed into a gas station, incinerating the plane. The runway was wet, and the news is reporting that the runway was in need of repair and situated in an urban area of the city giving airplanes little room to maneuver.

Although we flew out of Sao Paulo through Guarulhos International Airport, we departed under adverse weather conditions. Our inbound flight was delayed by an hour due to fog, and we waited two hours on the tarmac to depart in our TAM Airbus jet.  These kinds of tragedies always remind me that we could have been on that plane. I’m grateful that we lived to see another day. It makes me appreciate life all the more.

Our home Internet connection went down again overnight.  I’ve heard that that is quite common here, especially after the ferocious lightning storms that frequently bombard Asunción. Connections sometimes remain unavailable for several days. Así es la vida. I am thankful for what I have.

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The Coriolis Force

We finally have home Internet access, so I can now write from home and should be able to post more frequently and prolifically.  I have many initial impressions of Paraguay to share with you over the next few days (mostly positive).  One of the first things I did when I arrived in the Southern Hemisphere was test the theory that water drains clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.  Some believe that water pouring down a drain is affected by the Coriolis Force, which pulls air clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.  The drains I tested in both hemispheres seemed to confirm this theory.  The toilet in our apartment in Virginia flowed counter-clockwise, while the sink drain in our home here in Asuncion flowed clockwise.  However, this is apparently due to how the water is introduced and the geometric structure of the drain.  The Earth’s rotation, which causes the Coriolis Force, minimally impacts water going down a drain.  So much for an interesting theory!