Chaco and Formosa 2022 Day 9

Date: Saturday 27 August 2022

Trajectory:  Reconquista – Resistencia

Distance covered: 220 km

It was warm last night at Resistencia, and it was warm in the morning as I left. No more sweaters, I feel. Typical if uninspiring hotel breakfast, and off to pick up last night’s laundry – then on the road again.

This seems to be the standard breakfast for two and three star hotels

Curiosity of the day was undoubtedly this tower, beautifully built of brick in the middle of nowhere. Once part of a sugar cane refinery it has been restored and apparently then abandoned. It’s still very impressive.

Very striking brick tower, not least because it is in the middle of nowhere

Today’s bird of the day was probably this juvenile roadside hawk ….

… while this crested caracara’s tussle with a largish snake is surely worth a mention.

About half way through today’s drive I came to the town of Florencia, for personal reasons well worth a picture. I love the way all these northern towns spell out their names for passing travellers in colourful fashion.

I stopped for coffee here, and as I drove off was stopped by a nice police lady for not having my lights on as I entered the highway. She had me bang to rights and offered me a fine of the cost of three hundred litres of petrol but together we agreed this would mean a lot of paperwork and a long delay so we settled for the price of some meat and wine for an asado for the lads and lasses at the local police station. This is Argentina.

Shortly afterwards we entered the province of Chaco …

….. where the roads turned seriously bad

and in another half hour I was in Resistencia, where I was to spend the night.

But first there was the matter of a spot of lunch …

with pudding, flaming as it arrived at the table …

And then the check-in at the hotel. If it had been warm last night it was positively hot tonight … I guess it’s going to get worse from here northwards.

Tomorrow will be the final leg of my journey north to Formosa 

Trip through Northern Argentina and Paraguay – Day 37/15

Day 37: 23 September 2017 – Posadas

We had an early breakfast. Caroline took a taxi to the bus station at 09.30 to continue her journey North. I hung around the hotel catching up with emails, etc., had lunch there and then took a car to the nearby airport for my [afternoon] flight to Buenos Aires and thence to Neuquén.

End of a successful trip. Next trip with Caroline will be southern Argentina and Chile (Tierra del Fuego) in October 2018. Watch this space

Trip through Northern Argentina and Paraguay – Day 36/14

Day 36: 22 September 2017 – Posadas

An overcast day, cool much appreciated. We dropped off the rental car and took a taxi straight to Posadas bus station (Missions, Argentina) to buy Caroline’s ticket to Iguazú where she was continuing her journey alone.

Final border crossing of the trip, and back into Argentina

Then to hotel, same one I stayed at a couple of weeks earlier, where we dropped bags and went into the city for lunch and a walk around.

Posadas – City Centre

Posadas is the capital city of the province of Misiones and has much more infrastructure than in Paraguayan cities – but for some reason almost everything was closed. Maybe it was siesta time.

This is the size they call a ‘tanque’ (stock photo)

We had pizza for lunch (I ate too much) served with the largest ‘tanque’ I have ever seen – perhaps a 2 lt. stein? Then back to hotel for siesta and relaxed until supper (which we had in the hotel). Both a bit exhausted.

Trip through Northern Argentina and Paraguay – Day 35/13

Day 35: 21 September 2017 – Jesuit reductions

From Encarnación we drove down to two reductions at Trinidad and Jesus. Very impressive sites, the latter somewhat restored.  Signage to both sites was poor, especially considering their world heritage status (although in southern Paraguay signage is a little better than further north and west), but we got there in the end.

Another very hot day. We had lunch at Trinidad, in fact leftovers from a large party that had just left after a barbecue. Chorizos, morcillas, salad and boiled mandioc; cheap and tasty.

Back to hotel for snooze and shopping – and an evening meal in a delightful Japanese restaurant (Hiroshima) – first upmarket meal of the trip and a good contrast to lunch.

WE splurged at the Hiroshima Restaurant – first swish meal for a long time

Paraguay has been a very cheap country for UK travellers – tonight was [relatively] a very expensive restaurant and we paid PYG 200,000 (about £27) for two meals, 1 dessert, wine, and coffee. A farewell meal, as we leave Paraguay tomorrow.

Trip through Northern Argentina and Paraguay – Day 34/12

Day 34: 20 September 2017 – Santa María Fé

Up early for breakfast; I stole two bananas from the sideboard and went to feed the [howler] monkeys in the town square. There was a family there, with some very young; all very tame. One of the younger ones was happy to take a banana from my hand and sit on the bench with me to eat it.

Breakfast with monkeys ..

We visited the town museum in Santa María. It was very interesting, and full of bits and pieces from the old (1669) church, with many hand carved statues. The Jesuits taught the Guarani how to carve, and some really took to it.

Main entrance to Capilla Loreto, Santa Rosa

We left Santa María by a secondary road for Santa Rosa. It was a lovely drive, an attractive road, very red and dusty, as was Sta. Rosa with its old Loreto chapel, and the remains of an old church and clock tower. On to Coronel Bogardo, the Chipá capital, where we had meat and chicken stuffed chipas with beer – very tasty. Chipá is the thing here – and I love them.

Chipa, tasty bread rolls made with cheese and cassava root flour

Drove on to Encarnacion – an open city, with modern waterside development for tourism and lots of parking for the beaches, but not today. We checked in to a hotel where we had ice creams, beer and a shower/siesta. The request for beer was met with a puzzled look (why would we have beer?). Strange hotel.

Encarnación is a major beach resort, but not apparently in September

It had been another very hot day. We had supper in a local Italian Restaurant. Scheduled for tomorrow: Jesuit Ruins.

Trip through Northern Argentina and Paraguay – Day 33/11

Day 33: 19 September 2017 – Asunción – Santa María Fé

Left Asuncion early in horrendous traffic, made worse by the terrifying lack of any apparent traffic rules. This was particularly noticeable whenever two dual carriageways crossed with no roundabout or traffic lights. I can seriously say that this was the worst city for driving I have ever experienced, and I have travelled quite a lot! Getting out of the city was a nightmare too, even with the sat nav, but without it would have been impossible as we saw no road signs at all, and precious few street signs.

No traffic lights, no roundabouts – not for the faint-hearted

Once we had escaped the city and got out into open country it was very different – a much greener landscape than we had seen before in the Chaco area. We stopped in Yaguarón to see a beautiful old (1777) Franciscan Church – it is the only reduction to have its original church still standing in it’s original form. Yaguarón is a very attractive town with a different feel to it compared with where we have been before. It is laid out on a grid system with leafy residential cobbled streets and well built, red-tiled houses.

Franciscan church at Yaguarón

From there we drove on to San Juan Bautista for lunch (chicken, mandioc and salad with sopa paraguaya). The landscape very different from the Chaco – agricultural country with tall trees and abundant leaves, lawns, hedges and flowers around the buildings. Generally a wealthier feel to this part of the country.

Sta María Hotel, in Santa María Fé

After lunch we drove on to Santa María Fé, where stayed in the Sta María Hotel, a beautiful low building which seems to run spiritual retreats. It was established by Margaret Hebblethwaite who was the author of C’s guidebook along with various co-operative initiatives to provide work and income for local people.

Local arts and crafts

There was a workshop where women were making As we entered we spotted an artesania cooperative next door and C bought a some stitched wall hangings and other crafts as mementos of the trip.

Hotel Dining Room

After a long day’s driving we had supper in hotel (roast chicken and vegetables and a bottle of Chilean Red), and a quiet evening. After eating we sat in the square for a while. Too dark to see the monkeys we’d been told about but we listened to a night owl.

Trip through Northern Argentina and Paraguay – Day 31/9

Day 31: 17 September 2017 – back to Asunción

Going home day, so a bit sad. Up early and got last standing shot of Caroline’s plumbeous ibis.

The beautiful plumbeous ibis once again

We spent a good part of the day on the long (500km) drive, stopping once to see Beryl the missionary (who unfortunately wasn’t there) and once for lunch at the same place we had stopped on the way out. Got to Hotel Danieri in Asunción in early afternoon, somewhat exhausted, showered and soon felt better.  

The long journey back down Route 9 to Asunción

 Rest of the day was relaxation and recuperation, in which checking email, drinking beer and diary writing figured fairly prominently. For supper we walked around the block looking for somewhere to eat and ended up in the bistro opposite, where we had a mountain of good food. Found that we had over-ordered and asked the waiter to donate the pizza to someone who needed it!

Trip through Northern Argentina and Paraguay – Day 30/8

Day 30: 16 September 2017 – Reserva Proyecto Tagua – Fortín Toledo

Another cool day, but with a little better light than yesterday. In the morning we walked trails around the ‘Fortín Toledo’, within walking distance of the lodge where we were staying.

Gun placements and remains of trench buildings

The whole area is a reminder of the Chaco War (1932–1935), fought between Paraguay and Bolivia over ownership of the Gran Chaco; also called the ‘War of Thirst’, given the arid lands over which and in which it was fought.

Alleged sniper’s hiding place …

We could still see and walk through trenches machine gun placements (made with felled logs) from that war, including a famous hollowed out ‘drunken tree’ (Nido Francotirador) which legend has to have been a sniper’s home.

The Paraguayan national flag …

There is also an open war memorial with both countries flags flying.

… and Bolivia;s

Oscar also told us that the Bottle trees have been used by indigenous people as burial tombs. The inside is spongy and can be hollowed out to create a cavity and the body is placed in a crouching position inside. The tree eventually grows over the hole. This practice came to light when one tree was being bulldozed during land clearance.

Oscar, looking for a bolt hole, perhaps?

Then once again the Proyecto Tagua, where we saw the three types of peccary again. This was more of an educational visit, with guide. One pair (m/f) of white lip were having a most ferocious fight over food; it really was quite frightening.

View of our lodge in the Paraguayan Chaco

Back for lunch of pork with peas and mixed pure. Not feeling 100% so went for a siesta, and felt much better. Walked a 5km after siesta and saw several mara and a Geoffroy’s cat bounding across path in excellent condition.

Chacoan Mara, a rodent of the cavy family

Caroline found a lovely bird too while walking near the lodge: a Plumbeous Ibis (Theristicus caerulescens), sitting on a nest, though I caught it later on a sandy slope.

The Plumbeous Ibis that Caroline found while she was walking around the lodge

In the evening we went for a final night excursion but, despite driving around with the bright spotlight, we only saw several armadillos and some very pretty pampas foxes. Returned to Ulf who was as usual busy with his moth catcher sheet.

Pampas fox (image from Wikipedia)

Trip through Northern Argentina and Paraguay – Day 28/6

Day 28: 14 September 2017 – in and around Filadelfia

Caroline relaxing and apparently checking email???

Up early (05.30) for breakfast and on the road slowly towards Filadelfia. Stopped a couple of times along the road, by lakes, etc., and did some birding – very hot. Lunch at a small farm, Chaco Lodge, Laguna Salida an estancia of some 10 hectares of which 9 are given over to a nature reserve. There is a system in place to connect reserves to extablish an eco-corridor.

These are Ñandu – the greater rhea, not to be confused with the lesser rhea (choique)

On arrival we were greeted by an Indian and two exuberant puppies who seem to look after the place. He apparently lives in the shell of the old farmhouse, cooking on an outdoor fire. Must be a very isolated existence. There was no water at the farm, but fortunately we were well stocked.

This peccary skull shows how hot and dry everything was

We went around another dry salt lake and some trails while Ulf got together an excellent lunch – give the guy his due, he performs real wonders on a single ring with pretty basic equipment.

Impenetrable is the word …

Walked over to Laguna Flamenco, a vast flat area of shallow water and sand. Saw a group of flamencos and tracks of fox and tapir. The Chaco is an area of dry forest which is impenetrable owing to the density of the undergrowth and the propensity of the plants to have many and large thorns. Thorns are common, as they are an adaptation to drought conditions losing less water than leaves.

Coypu by the side of the road

Back on the road after lunch – in this part the roads form a grid system so it’s like driving a route across graph paper – long straight and ever so bumpy. stopping ed a few times –saw a couple of coypus by the roadside– and then had a puncture so went into Filadelfia to get it fixed. Took advantage to go to Supermercado to buy beer and tea.

Getting the important supplies

Then on to another Mennonite Estancia Ganadera (Iparoma), where we were scheduled to spend the night – very comfortable, young Mennonite couple traditionally dressed – and on arrival had a couple of beers and a siesta.

Compare a hen’s egg (r) with an egg from the greater rhea

The Mennonites cooked for us this time; a tasty evening meal combination of roast chicken, rice, pickled dill, beetroot and a rich sauce.

A smart Mennonite dining room for supper – a contrast to lunch

A treat for us after dinner was a night walk around the estancia where we saw night monkeys (Aotus azarae) and the chaco owl (Strix chacoensis).

Oscar took this photo of the Chaco owl

Trip through Northern Argentina and Paraguay – Day 27/5

Day 27: 13 September 2017 – Laguna Capitán and environs

Chaco Chachalaca (Ortalis canicollis) – a somewhat noisy bird

Woken very early by something cackling horrendously outside my window. Turned out to be a Chaco Chachalaca (Ortalis canicollis, a very noisy bird: you can listen to one here), and we were to see (and hear) quite a few more of them.

As we were up we had an early breakfast followed by a walk around a. nearby lake. We saw a few waders around the shore and with the bins we could see a small group of peccaries in the distance.

Oven bird getting started on the nest …

Oscar has an encyclopaedic knowledge of species names in three languages and an impressive ability to identify them at a distance by their calls. Caroline particularly enjoyed looking at all the different nest structures – so fantastically varied and truly astonishing constructions, e.g. the oven birds and the thornbirds.

… and a little bit later

By 11.00 it was simply too hot to continue walking so we went back to the ranch for beers, an early lunch and a welcome siesta.

Birds were everywhere – these around the place where we were staying

After the snooze I went with Oscar to walk around another lake – to get there we walked across a desolate landscape of dead trees and salt pans – with very dense brush/shrub on either side. It was really quite frightening, very far from anywhere.

We walked a few kilometres around the almost dry lake; we saw lots of birds, and the footprints of various animals crossing the salt flats to get to the water. Oscar diagnosed these tracks as those of tapir, collared and white lipped peccaries, deer, and others but we only saw distant peccaries.

A thorn tree …

The Chaco is noted for it’s thorns and not without justification. We saw many examples – the longest some 6 inches and apparently poison tipped. Oscar told us that the soldiers in the Paraguayan army use them in a very nasty way as a poisonous dagger. As a birder it is easy to spike youself whilst looking elsewhere and Oscar showed us the scar on his forehead!

… and a thorn (which caused a puncture earlier in my trip)

Back to the ranch for shower and another very substantial dinner of stuffed cabbage leaves, rice and salad. It is amazing what Ulf produces from a primus stove – each bit cooked individually and assembled in a glorious final plateful.

Ulf, entomologist and chef …

We then drove and walked around the local lanes and lakes with a flashlight looking for wild life (or at least the eyes of). Saw three opossums, a Geoffroy’s cat (Leopardus geoffroyi) and a small armadillo.

Geoffrey’s Cat – stock photo (from https://www.deviantart.com/snowporing/art/Geoffroy-s-Cat-213095864)

Back for a bit of a drinking session, joined by a rather enigmatic German who claims he has sold up ‘everything’ and is ‘driving around the world’. Pleasant enough company, and the beer as usual good.