Jesuit Ruins of Paraguay
Jesús De Tavarangüé Santísma Trinidad Del Paraná
To get there we headed for a local bus.
On this family travel, we were dropped at the corner and were told that it is where we get a taxi or local bus to the Jesús De Tavarangüé ruins. After some confusion as to when the bus would arrive, the girl at the gas station popped me onto an English speaking person at the ruins who enlightened us on the normal bus and taxi fare prices. I have to admit that these are the challenges I have had to deal with as we proceed with our single parent travel. I wish I had a luxury travel expert to advice me when language barrier and exploitation from locals knocked onto my door.
Our Norway friend discovered that it was the same price as a taxi. Then the taxi driver dropped the price. So she picks the taxi, and we follow like sheep.
Well, the taxi is not the taxi. It is the pile of rust next to the taxi. It has a drongo waiting and 2 others. No way was I sitting next to the drongo – well turns out he isn’t coming anyway. So we pile in. It rolls down the hill as it has no starter – on the wrong side of the road. It is held together with electrical ties.
We are just laughing so hard and joking about it. This is it, and the car starts to fill with fumes. We hang our heads out the window, but the acute aroma of animal poo is too much to bear.
The car only drives in 4th gear, so it kangaroo hops up the hill. Somehow he finds 2nd gear for the corner. He tells us he will return to pick us for the journey back. We hope not!
We walk to the ruins. The entry for 3 ruins Adult – 25,000 Guarani’s, and that is a good deal. Children – 5,000 Guarani’s.
It is just so peaceful. I love what I learn. I love to see the housing they had for the Guarani’s, the College, and all the other areas.
I notice he has no headlamps. He has no handbrake and so I quickly push my son from behind the car as we stop and wait by the car.
We then walk up the main road, and then off a side road 750 meters to the Santísma Trinidad Del Paraná ruins. Now it is nearly dark, and we have stuffed up our timing. So we quickly walk around.
Soon, it is freezing. The staff tells us that as long as it doesn’t rain we will have a light and sound show tonight. I pray it doesn’t. This is a wait of 2 hours inside, and it is freezing.
We have brought the kite that our friend bought my son in Asuncion. So as we try without instructions to put it together, we are pretty pleased when a girl comes along and helps our son to assemble it, and she does a great job! So the kids race around, flying the kite – which is great.
Finally, we are told to assemble at the main gate for the light show. It is now 7:00 p.m. We are pretty pleased that the guide speaks Spanish and also English.
He tells us all the history, and I learn so much. 5000 people lived there. The choir had 250 children. The care they took for the Guarani’s was incredible.
We had an awesome time at this place. We also did some catching up with some people seated next to us at a restaurant we visited the night before. We all waited for the bus back to Encarnacion and as we get on the bus it starts to rain. To me, visiting the ruins at night, was actually one of the highlights of our trip. Please make sure you include this in your Paraguay trip!
We all waited for the bus back to Encarnacion and as we got on the bus, it started raining. To me, visiting the ruins at night, was actually one of the highlights of our trip. Please make sure you include this in your Paraguay trip!
- Are you a family that permanently travels around the world?
- Have you visited the amazing Asuncion in Paraguay?
- Have you visited the Jesuit ruins in Paraguay?
- What other exciting features have you encountered in Paraguay?
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