Sunday, August 8, 2010

Day 9: A Photo You Took

It has been over a year now since I took this picture, and yet, it still never ceases to amaze me. I think I've posted it before, but let's recap. This picture was taken in downtown Asuncion last summer during my seven-week stint in Paraguay. Asuncion was once upon a time the most technologically advanced country in Paraguay. It had the first train system and a whole list of other accomplishments that, at the moment, I can't remember. But anyway, long story short, there was a big war, commissioned by the president at the time, and the country was seriously unequipped for said war. Basically, the three countries surrounding it (Bolivia, Brazil, and Argentina) got together and went to war against Paraguay. You know how tiny Paraguay is? And how big the other three countries are? Well, bits and pieces of all of them used to be Paraguay. If I'm not mistaken (and it's quite possible that I am) Paraguay used to be the biggest country in South America. You know, back when it was technologically advanced. Anyway, if you go to Asuncion today, it's like the city has been frozen in time. It's very antiquated, lots of old buildings, and native Guarani indians line the sidewalks, selling their handmade wares. Thus, the picture. Which happens to be of one such indigenous lady, weaving with her feet. That's right. Her feet. Mad skills redefined. What now?

A side note, this lady totally gave me the stink eye after I took her picture. Apparently, typically when tourists (which, I guess I kinda maybe qualified as) take pictures, the people want money afterwards. I was in a moving car, it was raining, I was kind of, sort of instructed to NOT give people on the street money, and so...stink eye.

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