Mercado Abasto
We took an early morning this Thursday and visited the famed Mercado Abasto, the trading post through which most of Paraguay’s produce passes. At 7 am, the day’s action is almost over, but it was still an impressive sight.
Paraguay is a garden. It’s possible to grow everything but apples and wine grapes here. My training community is big on lettuces, herbs, and sugar cane. Other areas boast cattle ranches, onions, squashes, watermelons, tomatoes, pineapple, carrots, bananas, citrus fruit, peanuts, strawberries, mandioca, tobacco, cotton, corn, and soy. Add to that the imported stuff, and you could keep a gourmand happy for quite a while.
In Asuncion, at least. Only a few staples are available in the campo. You never see lettuce or herbs in stores in my community, for example. If you don’t have a farm connection, you don’t get them. But I do have a farm connection, and I try to bring back something exotic every time I take a field trip.
The Guaraní word of the day is radio so’o. Literally, it means “meat radio”. Figuratively, it’s one of many terms for gossip. Instead of standing around the water cooler, Paraguayans pass word of mouth at slaughterings.
July 16th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
hey-
had my first day of work today. went well but I am now exhausted. will write more lata.
July 17th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
MK~ loved the recent entries. When is lil’ bacon under the wagon meeting his maker?
Definitely have to agree, fate is a female. She’s confusing yet somehow rational. Looks like I’ll be going to our Auto Press area for my next rotation, Operations. I’m less than excited about that. It’s a huge role, $20MM dollar part of the $42MM plant, but with an interesting mix of crusty old men and really green new employees, oh yeah, and one ex stripper…haha. Seriously.
You mentioned having an escort into town to get back to the Cyber. Is crime an issue that the gringa has to deal with?
I was in a striper fishing tournament with two coworkers this weekend. The EHS manager won the fly cast division and came in second over all. I only got one hit, but no fish. We met at the plant at 2:30A Saturday morning and fished until 11A Sunday, only 6 hours of sleep all weekend. It was awesome, despite the horrible conditions of the sea. Anyways, best wishes. Now, back to the Claret, Cavendish and Sox.
July 21st, 2007 at 10:56 am
I don’t know when they’ll have the slaughtering. But lately they’ve been pinching one of them and remarking on how fat it’s getting . . .