German
Argentina: Sugarcane, Lago Concordia, Colon & Carnaval
August 2023
Sugarcane
The Pretzel family, owners of Parque Manantial in Paraguay, squeezed juice from sugar cane stalks on a Sunday. In a copper pan the 160 liters juice cooked and thickened during about 8 hours on a fire stove. At first, a syrup was created, and finally it was a honey-like sugar mass, which the family uses as an additive for desserts, cakes and as a spread.
Info: 1,859,390,044 tons of sugar cane were harvested worldwide in 2021. This makes sugarcane and corn the only two food crops whose annual harvests exceed one billion tons. Sugar cane is mainly used for the extraction of sugar. Sugar juice is pressed from the cane. As a by-product, the fibrous part remains, the bagasse, which is also used. In addition, the entire plant or parts of the plant are used for various other purposes.
August 1st: Switzerland's National Holiday
On August 1, in the evening, we visited the restaurant Cosmopolis of the Swiss Karin in the immediate vicinity of the park Manantial. Many German-speaking guests let themselves be spoiled with culinary delights. Our “Lomo” with spaetzle was very well prepared, as it had been several times before.
For a long time, I played a few songs on the cornet again. Some of the Swiss people present seemed to enjoy it, as I was asked to play an encore when leaving the restaurant. Is only once a year August 1.
Thermal baths de Chajari with camping, Argentina
We were looking forward to a few days of relaxation in the above-mentioned thermal baths. Unfortunately, nothing came of it.
When we arrived and looked for a pitch on the very run-down campground, it was hopelessly overcrowded. After a short sightseeing tour of the thermal baths, we saw the pools overflowing with crowds of people. Nothing for us, we renounced and quickly moved on.
Lago Concordia
On a previous visit to this beautifully situated spot on the lake, it was flooded at the time because of a stand-up paddle competition of athletes.
Now we had more luck, and we were alone in the charming landscape. Not entirely alone, as a larger colony of Carpinchos lives there. These serene capybaras always fascinate us. Nothing seems to upset these animals so quickly, and it animates how they enjoy the sun and water. We stayed a few days at this quiet place with some thermal baths in reachable, close surroundings.
Colon, the city near by the Rio Uruguay
The Piedras Coloradas campground in Colon is an ideal place to spend the night. The large, somewhat outdated place directly on the water, has its own charm with its partly quite oblique fireplaces. The infrastructure is quite interesting with an event hall, as well as a sailing school and various sports fields, and its own river beach. Also, the short distance to the charming city is attractive.
Now we drove again many Miles on the RN 14.
In contrast to the past, military as well as police behave normally at checkpoints, completely decent.
Ten or fifteen years ago, the policemen were especially creative with the most comical reasons to scam high penalties from inexperienced tourists.
We enjoy the now relaxed interaction with military and police.
Museo del Carnaval
As a former drum major of a Lucerne Guggen music, a visit to this museum was a must for me. Impressive with what attention to detail the costumes are sewn.
Film performance: powned by percussion instruments, is the music with a rousing rhythm. The energy-sapping interludes of the women dancing on high heels with their wiggling backsides are incredible. The dancing groups seem to be in a trance and give everything.
