Vamos a Pilar

We've been in Asuncion for 2 days and are soon heading out for Pilar, 5 and a half hours on the bus, but a fancy one that the staff at the hotel front desk didnt even know about, and then proceeded to roll their eyes at the $10 US cost upon calling the bus agency.  Itś the bus Patricia Paredes recommended so now that Iḿ no longer on a Peace Corps budget, weŕe splurging on the chuchi bus, not the feo one that others suggested.

Asuncion is full of the smells I remember; diesel, chipa, sweat, overly perfumed people in restaurants and dust.  Itś bigger, with more buildings on the outskirts, many new shopping malls, BMW car dealerships, and the like; but still once one crosses the plazas and military complexes by the river the shantytowns are still thriving.  When I have the opportunity to post some photos, Iĺl add some of the street kids who suckered me into giving them moneda.

Yesterday I visited the rehab center where I had worked for a short while before transferring to Pilar.  The doctor I worked with and one of the OT aides was still there.  The place is really hopping now, 10 bed inpatient post acute rehab unit, busy outpatient therapy, school for kids with various handicaps.  Itś nice to see the place really thriving, although I of course wanted to jump right in and start making suggestions about wheelchair seating and positioning, but bit my tongue, I was just a visitor.

So, now weŕe off to Pilar, where Iḿ looking forward to seeing old friends and students, in a town that is hopefully more tranquilo than here, even though it has grown.  Hasta luego amigos!