El Rio

Aug. 4, 2010

Sunday morning I woke up early and went to the grocery store to buy myself a single burner electric stove. After a week without gas, warm baths or coffee and with no end to this gas crisis in site I decided it was time to take action. I went to a Friendship Day lunch at this lady from the comedor’s house where my boxer was. I couldn’t avoid this event, unfortunately, so I spent 3 hours eating sausage, meat, rice, and sopa Paraguaya (the cornbread dish that I love love love). The boxer is super nice but I can’t help but shake the feeling that even if I was a total bitch/psycho/dullard he would still be interested in me just for my blondness/tallness/Americana-ness. He did give me a box of chocolates for Friend Day (which was on Friday), which I appreciated and enjoyed.

But I was ready to get the hell out of Dodge, or, umm, Villa Madrid. For months now, I have been talking with a PC friend who lives on the other side of Rio Paraguay about meeting up on a boat and just floating/anchoring/chilling, but we hadn’t gotten our shit together to make it happen. He lives 5 miles from me as the crow flies but it is an hour plus bus ride to cross the bridge. So I walked to the other main road through Limpio and hopped on a bus down to the river. It had gotten a bit late (and cold) so I figured just getting dropped off, hanging out with my friend, and then getting picked up a few hours later would be best. I asked a few guys with boats but they were uninterested. Finally one suggested I ask the river police. The water cop (I like the sound of that) said I just had to pay for gas for his row boat’s small motor so away we went. I got to Villa Hayes slightly cold and wet, had a few beers, and then called Jorge to come pick me up. I was slightly nervous about how much he would charge me, though Paraguayans tend not to try to rip you off, so I explained that I was really hoping that when it got hot again I could float around on the river regularly with PC amigos.

We got back to the station and he asked if I wanted wine and Coke. Note: If asked, the answer should always be “Yes” to this. I had the most pleasant conversation with this water cop, chatting about his toddler son, Paraguayan and US stereotypes and cultural differences, and the many trips I will be planning on the river. He ended up not charging me for the boat ride (or wine and Coke) and had a younger river cop assistant walk me to my bus stop. It was, in short, the most pleasant day I’ve had in some time. I can’t wait for the weather to heat up so I can have little flotilla fiestas with amigos!