This is GCP Paraguay checking in, from poolside at the Gonzalez villa. The last three days have been extremely busy days touring Asuncion and the surrounding country side. We typically start the day around 8:30 and get back at our hotel around midnight. The days have been very warm, mostly in the upper 80's with high humidity. Yesterday was an especially scorching day, in the upper 90's. I think we are adapting well to the heat, thanks to Jay Gonzalez introducing us to a popular (non-alcoholic) drink called derere.

We have been shopping in local craft markets to very upscale Tyson like malls. Yesterday we visited the Makaa Indian tribe a native Paraguayan population. They performed a number of native dances, one of which many of our group joined in. Today (Tuesday) with visited the Presidential Palace and the congress of Paraguay where we met Shenandoah University graduate and current national Senator Hugo Estigarria.

Asuncion is definitely a city of contrasts, very cosmopolitan in certain areas of the and almost like driving in any city in the US. While other areas belay the undercurrent of poverty that you find in most any large world city. Tomorrow we leave on an almost 5 hour trip into the countryside to city of Encarnacion, then on Thursday we travel to Cuidad Del Este where Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil meet at one spot. Then back to Asuncion for one final night.

One comment on the food it is FABULOUS!! The best Meat (Asada) and wonderful fish that come out of the Paraguay river. I will be uploading pictures and video on Facebook when time allows. So for now back to the pool.