The streets of Paraguay

I used to place Egypt quite high on the paradox list, since the country has are a lot of signs reading “Egypt – the land of peace”, while a stern guard carrying an automatic weapon stands in front of the very sign.

However, there’s a new contender for the list. In Paraguay, as I learned recently, there are people guarding the car tire shops in full Kevlar armor, while holding a sawed-off shotgun with a finger on the trigger. I guess you don’t want to steal a tire here.

Nice knife. Mick Dundee would approve.

We walked along an endless road, up the hills, down the hills, and all we saw were two things: shops selling tires and the heavily armed guards in front of them. There must be a vast market for stolen tires in Paraguay.

Somewhere in Paraguay.

Finally we found a trace of civilization and promptly ordered something vague looking like chicken. At least nobody was pointing a shotgun at us.

“I robbed a bank full of dinero
A great big mountain of dough
So it was goodbye companero
I couldn’t stay and face the music
So many reasons why
I won’t be sending postcards From Paraguay”
— Mark Knopfler, Postcards From Paraguay (2004)

Street market in Ciudad del Este.