The Pearl of the South: Encarnacion, Paraguay

Next stop for the Matney family was Encarnacion, Paraguay, which is located in the deep south of Paraguay on the Argentine border. You can see the city of Posadas, Argentina right across the river. First stop when we got to town was the newly built Costanera on the Paraná River. This is the closest thing to a beach there is in land locked Paraguay and honestly it is pretty awesome. There are a few food places right on the sand, volleyball courts and a long, winding boardwalk.

The next day we wandered a little outside of the city to Trinidad the site of impressive ruins of a Jesuit Mission. Founded in 1706, Trinidad is said to be the most complete set of ruins in the area, with all of the aspects of a functioning mission and in 1993 it was made UNESCO World Heritage site. I was not expecting much before we got there, given the state of tourism in Paraguay, but I was thoroughly impressed. There is a small welcome center at the entrance with an introductory video and small exhibit of photos and artifacts. They have tour guides available at your request. The ruins themselves were also quite interesting and they were in a surprisingly  well-kept state. 

Final stop on the Matney family vacation : Asuncion, Paraguay!

Kittens Inspired by Kittens

We are taking a break from the regularly scheduled programming of the Matney family adventure in Paraguay to bring you lots of pictures of KITTENS! 

My cat had been knocked up for little over a month when I went away for the weekend. My host sister who normally takes care of her while Im gone told me she would call if anything happened. When I got home after being away my cat greeted me at the door and she look distinctively less pregnant. I looked around for little cat babies and could not find any, talked to my host sister and she didn't know anything either, so I decided I must be going crazy. So I went about my day, hung out with my neighbors and played some volleyball. When I got back, some clothes had been knocked out of my 'closet' an armoire type thing. I went over to put them back and what do I find but two baby kittens nestled among my clothes. So I am now an abuela!

Feeding time!

Look at those adorable little paws.

They fit in the palm of my hand.

Bro and Sis cuddling.

One day it was super hot so I put this personal fan next to them to help keep them cool and she just climbed right on top of it .... "But its just soooo hot." 

This picture wouldn't rotate, but too cute not to share.

Just cuddling with mom. 

Hopefully, I will be able to eventually find them good families. Even though they are adorable 3 cats is just too much!

It's One of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World for a Reason!

It is so hard to describe Iguazu Falls in words. Pictures don't even do it justice. It is just one of those places you have to see for yourself! It is breathtakingly beautiful; I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all.

Panoramic view of "La Garganta del Diablo" (Devil's Throat)

It takes the whole day to wander around this massive national park, with numerous paths to take and several waterfalls to see. It would definitely help if you look at the maps and plan your route ahead of time you don't want to miss out on anything. 

These waterfalls were called "2 Hermanas" the "2 Sisters"

We also ran into a bunch of animals on the way. Some times they were a little overwhelming, in the rest areas where they were food you better keep an eye out. At one point I was walking down a path, eating a bag of chips and I noticed a monkey trailing me from the corner of my eye. Decided it would probably be a good idea to stop eating at that moment!!

These little guys are cute but pesky. Definitely need to keep an eye on them.

These buggers are called 'Coati" - they look kind of like a mix between a raccoon and an anteater. They will steal your food too so watch out!

Overall, Iguazu falls definitely lived up to the hype! We stayed in the town of Puerto Iguazu at a lovely hotel called "Hotel Jardin de Iguazu" -- they were super helpful and even have people who will  take you, at affordable prices, to the falls and will pick you up when you are done. 

Next stop on the Matney family adventure : Encarnacion , Paraguay and the Jesuit Ruins