Asunción: Where the Heat Hits Different
it’s one of those days when the air feels thick enough to chew. just looked at the weather app and it’s currently doing that 39-degree thing, but feels like a whole other beast at 46. so yeah, hope you’re into that kind of sauna-with-a-side-of-sunstroke vibe. i’m a freelance photographer, and my lens is sweating more than i am. asunción’s got this dusty, electric energy under this heat haze-like a city holding its breath.
wandering around plaza de heroes, the colonial buildings look like they’re melting into the pavement. locals are moving in slow motion, fanning themselves with whatever they can find-notebooks, hats, even a stray newspaper someone handed me. if you start feeling restless, argentina is just a short bus ride away across the border. heard the empanadas are worth the trip.
someone told me that the best churrasco in town comes from this tiny stall near the mercado modelo, but you gotta show up before 11 or they run out. the owner apparently glares at anyone who asks for ketchup.
i overheard a bartender at el tablado whispering that the riverfront at sunset is haunted by the ghost of a paraguayan poet. said it smells like old books and regret.
a local warned me that the botanic garden is actually just a front for illegal smuggling operations. something about rare orchids and dudes in hats watering suspicious plants.
the humidity’s making my camera fog up like i breathed on it. tried to shoot the cathedral, but my lens kept steaming over. found this dusty little cafe called cafe literario where the owner gave me free iced tea when he saw my gear. said he used to be a journalist before “the incident.”
someone mentioned the best ceviche is at mariscos el paraiso, but when i showed up, it was closed. the neighbor next door just shrugged and said “tuesday’s always closed. everyone knows that.” locals avoid the main plaza on weekends because pigeons will straight-up snatch your empanada mid-bite. true story.
if you’re looking for gear, *el mercado 4 is your spot. bought a used lens cap for like 5 bucks. but the real steal? casa de la cultura* has this mural workshop where you can trade photos for art supplies.
anyway, here’s hoping your heat tolerance’s better than mine. tripadvisor asunción has decent ratings, but yelp says the food scene’s overrated. a local photographer i met flickr group swore by this flickr collective for hidden gems. fingers crossed your battery doesn’t fry like mine did.