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Asunción

Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay. Unlike other capitals of South America such as Buenos Aires, Quito or Lima, Asunción is off the beaten path as it lacks well known tourist attractions. However, the number of visitors is on the rise and those who visit the Paraguayan capital will discover an authentic Latin American city which has managed to keep a quiet atmosphere and preserves interesting sights and monuments of its rich history and colonial past. Asunción is nonetheless a thriving city with an important commercial activity, a rich cultural scene with interesting museums, theaters and art galleries, an active nightlife and some excellent hotels and restaurants.

Understand
The Asunción metropolitan area is home to 2.2 million of Paraguay's 6.9 million inhabitants. It is a cosmopolitan and demographically young city with 65% of its residents under the age of 30.

Many landmarks and historical buildings in the old city centre have recovered their past splendour thanks to Paraguay's bicentennial independence celebrations that took place during 2011 and demanded a lot of restoration works throughout the city. In 2012, a new riverside promenade (costanera) was opened along the Bay of Asunción which added a much needed space for running, walking and family recreation. Around the city tree-lined avenues, small parks and shady squares break up the rigid grid system of streets in the downtown area. From July to September the whole city is drenched in colour with the prolific pink and yellow bloom of lapacho trees, which grow everywhere.

History
Asunción was founded in 1537 by Juan de Salazar y Espinosa, a Spaniard and member of the Pedro de Mendoza expedition which was set to colonize the Rio de la Plata basin, on 15th August the day of the feast of the Assumption of Mary, that is why is so named. It is the longest continually inhabited settlement in the Río de la Plata basin and in early colonial times it was referred to as Madre de Ciudades (mother of cities) because it was from here that numerous expeditions and missionaries set off to colonize the region founding many other settlements like Corrientes, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Asunción was established on the eastern bank of a calm bay in the river Paraguay, rendering it a good lookout post. In 1541 the first Cabildo (town council) was created transforming Asunción from a military fort to a civilian town with a local government.

The first president after independence, José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, who ruled Paraguay from 1814 to 1840, began to put some town planning. Under his successor, Carlos Antonio López, the railway was inaugurated, and some of the handsome 19th century buildings went up. The following president, Mariscal Francisco Solano López, in the short period before he embarked on his catastrophic War of the Triple Alliance, built the grandest of the city's buildings, his own residence, known today as the Palacio de López. The city centre is an old testament to 19th century historic ideals, with names reflecting local heroes and battles. During the Chaco War against Bolivia of 1932-35 many buildings in the city were improvised as hospitals and military barracks.

Since the 1970-80s internal migration from the countryside to Asunción has made the city to increase in size and population until becoming one continuous urban spread comprising more than a dozen different cities that form the Greater Asunción metro area. The most interesting for tourists to visit are Luque, San Lorenzo, Capiatá, Itauguá and Villa Hayes among others.

Present day
Today Asunción is a bustling, chaotic city with some 600,000 inhabitants within its city limits, and around 2.5 million people in its metro area. However, behind the new tall glassy buildings, corporate headquarters and shopping malls, Asunción retains a laid back atmosphere. When visiting the city a mix of three different architectural styles will be present: colonial style (present in the oldest houses and buildings of the city centre); italianate public buildings and manors (with beautiful gardens) and modern Latin American architecture (including a large shopping malls next to residential houses).

Tourism has become important for Asunción and it is specially visible in the Business District and Villa Morra neighbourhoods where economic growth has resulted in a plethora of new hotels and shops, as well as innovative new bars and restaurants. The majority of visitors are businessmen of neighboring Latin American countries and day trippers from Argentina. They come to enjoy low prices on practically all goods and services from restaurant meals to electronics and even car tyres.

Climate
Asunción is just south of the Tropic of Capricorn so the climate is subtropical. That means hot weather, especially in the South American summer (winter in the Northern Hemisphere). Between November and March, the temperature can consistently climb over and the humidity can be high and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the weather changes frequently from one week to another. When the sun shines you bake and it can be very dry when the rains hold off for just a few days. Rains can be heavy and make the temperature drop precipitously. Then the clouds build and it becomes cold.

Talk
The city, as the whole country, is officially bilingual, with 79% of people speaking Spanish as their first language, and 20% have Guaraní as their first tongue. English is not widely spoken outside of hotels and tour operators so without some basic Spanish phrases it might be hard to get by. Public transportation, street signs and all road signalization are in Spanish. Business people and the younger generations have some knowledge of English. Although locals will appreciate an effort to say a few words in Spanish, they will try to communicate in English if they can. The majority of restaurants have Spanish-only menus and waiters seldom speak other languages than Spanish or Guaraní.

International flights
International flights are available to:
 * Europe – Madrid with Air Europa
 * Argentina – Buenos Aires with Aerolíneas Argentinas, LATAM and Paranair, and Córdoba with Air Europa
 * Brazil – São Paulo-Guarulhos with LATAM, Gol and Paranair
 * Uruguay – Montevideo with Paranair
 * Chile – Santiago with LATAM
 * Bolivia – Santa Cruz de la Sierra with Amaszonas
 * Perú – Lima with LATAM
 * Colombia – Bogota with Avianca
 * Panamá – Panamá City with Copa Airlines
 * United States – Miami with Eastern Airlines (not around since 1991)

Domestic flights
Domestic flights are available to:
 * Ciudad del Este with Paranair and Sol del Paraguay
 * Encarnación and Pedro Juan Caballero with Sol del Paraguay
 * Concepción, Vallemí, Fuerte Olimpo and Bahia Negra with Setam.

Ground transportation
Ground transportation from the airport to the city centre takes 30–45 minutes by taxi, and they charge a fixed rate of about USDUSD 25.

There is a bus stop 200 m outside the airport terminal where you can catch city bus 30-A that will take you into the city in 1 hour and the fare is PYG 3,300. There are no signs to point the way to the stop, but just walk out of the terminal and turn right. Local buses are not suited for carrying big pieces of luggage, and they don't run during the night from 23:00 to 05:00 when many flights arrive and depart.

Car rental is available at the airport and many companies have offices on the arrivals floor. Also, some major hotels have their own private minibuses.

By bus

Ticket offices for all bus companies are inside the terminal on the first floor. It's also possible to buy tickets for some national long-distance destinations and international destinations at travel agencies and online at the corresponding bus company website.

There are normally two types of bus services to the largest cities in Paraguay: común and directo. While the first are cheaper, they also stop in every town or bus stop along the way to pick up and drop off passengers and take longer time than the directo which runs direct or with fewer or no stops to reach their destination in less time. Directo buses are less frequent having only a couple of services a day generally at midnight or early in the morning or late afternoon.

 * Encarnación, común: 7–8 hr, several daily, PYG 50,000; also directo: 5 hr, PYG 75,000
 * Ciudad del Este, several daily, 5–7 hr, PYG 40,000–70,000
 * Concepción, about 5-6 hr, several daily, PYG 90,000 (possible to negotiate to PYG 80,000 depending on your arguments)
 * Cities in the Chaco: Loma Plata, Filadelfia, Neuland, Mariscal Estigarribia, about 8 hr, 1 or 2 daily to each destination, PYG 90,000 (NASA, Golondrina).

If time is an issue and money not, it is wise to spend extra to get the better service (e.g. the PYG 70,000 bus to Ciudad del Este takes 2-3 hr less than the PYG 40,000 services). Food and drink is often served on the more expensive long-distance services, and almost all will stop en route to let someone on selling chipa and cocido.

International buses
There are several connections between Asunción and Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile and Peru.

 * Buenos Aires, ~17 hr, several daily, PYG 300,000 (Crucero del Norte, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción/Chevallier)
 * Santa Cruz, ~24 hr, US$45-65.
 * From Formosa (Argentina):
 * 1) Direct bus: 12:30; AR$350; 2 hr.
 * 2) Exchanging bus at the border (cheaper and faster):
 * Take a bus from Formosa to the border (San Ignacio de Loyola International Bridge): 07:30, 10:00, 12:20, 15:45, 19:15, 22:10 - AR$150 - 1.5 hr.
 * Cross the border. Do not change money with the vendors standing around right at the border control, their rate is about 10% off the actual/interbank exchange rate. There is an a few 100 m further. Get back to the border control building. The bus to Asunción leaves directly.
 * Take the bus from the border building to the Asunción Bus Terminal (get off early depending on you accommodation): Every hour or so - PYG 6,000 - 30-45 min.
 * (Note that some buses from Formosa just go to the (Argentina) without a stop at the Loyola International Bridge, and others go to Loyola, including Clorinda. But there is also a pedestrian crossing across the river into Nanawa (Paraguay) directly from the center of Clorinda near the bus terminal. Formalities should be similar as just explained. The bus stop on the Paraguayan side is 100 m left after the crossing.)

 * Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) – One bus daily departing from Asunción at night - meaning that you miss out on any views of the Chaco. The bus is extremely slow and occasional roadblocks on the Bolivian side of the border can cause your journey time to double. The trip takes 21-24 hr and costs US$40-60. Consider that a flight might only be marginally more expensive, depending on the time of booking. Any intermediate exit or boarding (like Mariscal Estigarribia or Villamontes) will likely cost the same as the complete trip. But if your nerves are strong, you will get the price down bargaining directly with the bus driver.

By car
Asunción is very well connected to all the major cities of Paraguay; moreover, as the capital, it is the beginning and terminus of the country's main highways. Route 1 goes southeast for 362 km to Encarnación. Route 2 (which then becomes Route 7 at Coronel Oviedo) goes east for 325 km to Ciudad del Este. Route 3 goes northeast for 460 km to Pedro Juan Caballero. Route 9, better known as the Transchaco Highway, goes northwest for 740 km to the Paraguay/Bolivia border. After 15 km on this route just after leaving Asunción and crossing the bridge over the river Paraguay, a side road goes southwest for 20 km to Puerto Falcón at the Paraguay/Argentina border.

By boat
Copanatra car ferries link Asunción to Argentina crossing the river Paraguay between the at the end of Avenida Perón on the southern edge of the city with Puerto Pilcomayo, on the Argentinian side, every 30 min M-F 06:30-17:30, and Sa and holidays 07:00-13:30.

By train
There is no longer any train service to Asunción. The beautiful 19th-century train station building next to Plaza Uruguaya is now a museum and cultural events venue.

Get around
The historic centre of Asunción is small enough to be explored by foot. However, some of the attractions, such as the Jardín Botánico (Botanical Garden) are a bit outside. In addition to the city's historical core - which is essentially between the streets Colón and Antequera - the Carmelitas area has become a hub for retail and entertainment, containing several large shopping centres and North American-style bars and restaurants. East-west street names change at Independencia Nacional, and North-South ones at Avenida Mariscal López.

By bus
Buses are ubiquitous, cheap and an experience in themselves (be careful while exiting, since many only slow down rather than stop for passengers to get off). They go more or less everywhere in the city: destinations are displayed on boards on the front window, if in doubt just shout your intended destination at the driver when he stops and he'll tell you yes or no. There are sometimes a few different versions of each bus number: 16, 16.1, 16.2 etc. which often have different routes from each other, so watch out not to accidentally get on the wrong one. There aren't many official bus stops in Asunción, you can just stick your arm out and flag down a bus pretty much anywhere. No bus schedules or maps are available, but the locals know which buses go where, so just ask. (You'll need some knowledge of Spanish to do that.) The fare is PYG 3,600 if the bus is air-conditioned (con aire), PYG 2,200 if it isn't (as of 2018). Fares are paid with a JAHA card which can be bought at supermarkets, kioskos and drugstores.

Some useful bus routes:
 * Centre (Oliva) to Shopping del Sol: 28, 30
 * Centre to Shopping Mariscal Lopez/Villa Morra: 18, 26, 28, 30.2 (from Oliva), 56 (from Haedo)
 * Centre (Oliva) to the Botanical Gardens: 1, 13
 * Centre (Oliva) to the Bus Terminal: 8, 36
 * Centre (Haedo) to Mercado 4: 2, 21, 25, 27, 29, 133
 * Centre (Oliva) to the airport: 30A

On OpenStreetMap (which is used by mobile apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz), many bus stops are marked with the number of the buses passing by. This can give you a pretty good feeling about bus routes by searching for a bus number. Or just look up a destination and which bus numbers go there, then search for your nearest bus stop with any of the identified numbers.

By taxi
Taxis are also available and reasonably inexpensive. Many of the taxis are old, lumbering diesel Mercedes, which can be a fun throwback. A 30% surcharge is added on late at night (after around 22:00) and on Sundays. Tipping isn't expected. Make sure that drivers use the meter, or arrange a fare beforehand.

From the bus terminal
Walk up the stairs marked "SALIDA", then down the stairs into the car park. Ignore the taxi touts and catch a taxi from the rank. A taxi into the city centre during the day should cost around PYG 40,000.

From the airport
Taxis in front of the terminal charge a flat, non-negotiable rate of PYG 100,000 to the centre. It is possible to get a cheaper fare by walking up to the main road and taking a yellow cab from there, though you're unlikely to save any more than about PYG 20,000.

By car
Driving a car is an excellent way to explore the city and visiting the sights as many of them are off the downtown area (microcentro). It's strongly recommended using a GPS when renting a car since the city streets and avenues lack good signaling and finding your way around can be challenging. Traffic in Asunción has become chaotic specially during the rush hours from 06:30 to 09:00, at 12:00, and from 17:00-20:00 on weekdays. Consider that going into/out of the city can take no less than 1 hour. Highways to places nearby are in good condition. Car rental companies can also provide drivers.

Parking in the city centre is signposted on every block, although it could be hard to find a free place to park the car in the mornings. Parking costs US$0.40 per hour in the microcentro streets but only in the mornings (from 08:00 to 13:00) and only on weekdays. In the afternoons and on weekends parking is free. A special situation comes up when you are parking your car on the street, some people called cuidacoches (car watchers) (men and women, young and old) will approach you and offer you to look after your car when you leave it parked, after that they would expect you to tip them (no more than US$2) when you return to your car. This is a common situation throughout the city specially around major sights (including city parks) and restaurants. It could be annoying at first, but locals are accustomed to this practice and it will be better for you to accept the offer and, by doing so, avoid any kind of trouble. If you prefer not being bothered leave your car in a parking lot. There are many of them scattered around the city centre. Major shopping malls offer valet parking.

By boat
The old is at the riverside end of calle Colón and El Paraguayo Independiente, where small motor boats and car ferries make the 25-minute river crossing to Chaco'í, a small town on the other side of the river where good views of Asunción can be observed. Make sure to return by sunset as there are no accommodation facilities or reasonable places to eat in Chaco'í.

The catamarán Aguas del Paraguay offers one and two-hour touristic trips along the bay of Asunción and the river Paraguay. It departs from and returns to the same point in the costanera and only on weekends.

Beyond the city
There are many interesting sights within reach of 1 or 2 days tours from Asunción. Check out the Southern Paraneña region for these.

Soccer
Watch a soccer match at one of Asunción's stadiums. The classic rivals are Cerro Porteno and Olimpia.

Historic centre (walking tour)
To start walking the microcentro of Asunción go to the bottom of Calle Colón, just before it corners El Paraguayo Independiente, are the colonial façades of La Recova, an array of shops selling local arts and crafts. The river port and Aduana (customs) building are just in front. Continue east along Calle El Paraguayo Independiente to the Palacio de López (government palace) from 1857. It was built in the style of Versailles by Alan Taylor as a palace for Francisco Solano López. Directly opposite the palace is the Manzana de la Rivera, a museum and cultural centre complex comprising ten colonial-era houses, some of which date back from the 1700s and have been nicely restored. They include the Casa Viola, reportedly the oldest house of Asunción, which now houses the Museo Memoria de la Ciudad with historical photos and city information. Casa Clari with exhibition halls and a nice bar which has the best views over the government palace. Other spaces in the complex are the Miguel Acevedo Cultural Centre, the Ruy Díaz de Guzmán Auditorium, and Casa Vertúa, which houses the municipal library.

A block away east from the government palace is the Congreso Nacional, built in 2013 in steel and glass representing a huge ship moored on the river bank and incorporating part of the old congress building. Next to it, on Plaza de la Independencia there is a small memorial to those who died in the struggle for democracy in 1999. On the other sides of the plaza are the old Cabildo building (1844-54) now the Centro Cultural de la República with permanent exhibitions of indigenous and religious art, the Catedral Metropolitana (mid-17th century, rebuilt 1842-49) with an altar decorated with Jesuit and Franciscan silver. From the plaza turn right onto Alberdi and to your right is the Correos (post office) building, known previously as the Palacio Patri. It has a beautiful inside courtyard and a small philatelic museum. One block south at Alberdi and Presidente Franco is the Teatro Municipal fully restored to its belle époque glory. Walk east on Presidente Franco for six blocks and there will be the Estación del Ferrocarril (old railway station) at Eligio Ayala and Mexico. It was built in 1861-64 with British assistance. Paraguay had one of the first passenger railways in South America. There are no more trains running but there is a small museum featuring the old ticket office, machinery from Wolverhampton and Battersea and the first steam engine in Paraguay, the Sapucai from 1861. In front is the Plaza Uruguaya with its shady trees and a handful of bookstores. From here take Calle Mariscal Estigarribia west towards the Plaza de los Héroes where there will be the Panteón Nacional de los Héroes at the corner of Palma and Chile, which is based on Les Invalides of Paris and finished in 1937. It contains the remains of former presidents, national war heroes and the unknown soldier. Plaza de los Héroes is actually made up of four separate squares with different names. These include Plaza Libertad and Plaza de la Democracia.

On Plaza Libertad, there are covered market stalls selling traditional Paraguayan arts and crafts in wood, cotton and leather. Along Palma, indigenous women sell colourful woven bags, beads and baskets. A few blocks further along Palma turn right at 14 de Mayo to reach the Casa de la Independencia (independence house) built in 1772 with a historical collection; it was the place where the 1811 independence revolution was plotted. The huge Iglesia de Encarnación is three blocks up 14 de Mayo at its intersection with Víctor Haedo, where the Museo Papa Francisco is. A small museum with all the relics related to the Pope Francis visit to Asunción in 2015.

Architectural tour
If you are particularly interested in architecture, the following are some important highlights:
 * Mirador Ita Pyta Punta (see above)
 * – by Affonso Eduardo Reidy
 * – (open Thursdays)
 * Museo del Parro (see above) – (open Wednesdays)
 * – by Solano Benítez, in Lambaré (Asunción)
 * – by Javier Corvalán (near the airport)
 * – by Solano Benítez, in Lambaré (Asunción)
 * – by Javier Corvalán (near the airport)

Work
Teaching English is a possibility, but without a visa it can be difficult and wages are low. In a country such as Paraguay with widespread underemployment, obtaining paid work is almost impossible for foreigners. Volunteer work in poorer areas of the city is easy to come by.

Buy
The cost of buying goods and services is amazingly cheap, especially electronics. Some goods may be refurbished items, or cheaply made, or could be pirated or smuggled items. Always ask for a legitimacy or warranty certificate and if you have any doubt or do not trust the vendor, just go to another store. Commercial activity in the city centre closes from Saturday afternoon to all Sunday and the city may appear fairly deserted, but the bustle is in the neighbourhoods of Villa Morra, Carmelitas and the Business District where the main shopping centers, department stores, boutiques, cafés, fast food, restaurants and cinemas are, and they don't close on weekends.

Indigenous crafts and artisan work
Indigenous crafts and artisan work are available such as tooled leather, carved wood, pottery and a particularly Paraguayan lace based on a spider's web called "Ñandutí". Check out the artisan shops in Plaza de los Heroes. Most goods are in fact locally made.

Shopping malls
There are two main malls in Asuncion: Shopping del Sol on Aviadores del Chaco and Shopping Mariscal López on Avenida Mariscal Lopez, exist in the suburbs of Villa Mora and Carmelitas. Take buses 28 or 30 to reach them.

Mall Excelsior on Chile, and the more basic Asuncion Supercentro on the western end of Oliva are both in the centre. These "Shoppings" are useful as places to eat on Sunday evenings, when many more central places are closed.

Markets

Typical souvenirs from Asunción would include guampas/bombillas, T-shirts, traditional lace, or leather goods.

Traveller's cheques

 * American Express traveller's cheques can be changed at Banco de la Nacion Argentina (at Plaza de los Heroes). Above average exchange rate, US$3 commission. It will take a while though - time to experience the place which could be a sight in itself. BBVN supposedly does as well. Casa de Cambios don't. All banks close by 13:30. Also can be changed at Maxicambios which are in all main shopping malls.

Eat
At lunchtime there is no shortage of cheap restaurants to dine in or take away – you can't miss them. The places where you help yourself and pay by weight are usually very cheap and a decent option besides the slightly more expensive restaurants with their daily menu. At dinner time only very few eating places are still open and finding a good deal – especially if you are budget-conscious – is a lot harder.

Budget
Most shopping malls have decent food courts with a variety of restaurants, however, they are away from the centre. Bigger supermarkets often have cheap self-service restaurants inside.

Eat a streetside lomito- these vendors are found throughout the city, with high concentrations near Casa Rica and the Ñu Guazu. It is a sandwich, with mayo, veggies, cheese and a fried egg. You can choose between beef or chicken. Some also offer lomito arabe (shawarma), hamburgers and chorizo. It is a popular hang out place at nights and after a night of heavy drinking.

Don Vito is Paraguayan fast food at its best. Home of the Paraguayan empanada, they have been in business for over 30 years. The original spot is just behind the Iglesia de San Jose, and if you are lucky enough to be in Paraguay around May–June, you can order a pastel mandi'o, which is made of mandioca and beef. Best enjoyed with a cold pulp, a Paraguayan soft drink made with natural fruit juice.

Splurge
For a traditional Paraguayan meal, visit "La Paraguayita." Don't miss a Brazilian steak house called a "churrasqueria."

Sleep
The lodging scene in Asunción has greatly improved. The hostel range, previously nonexistent, started business in the past decade and since then has seen a lot of new openings, especially in old houses of the historic city centre. On the other hand, many new modern hotels, including some luxury properties of international brands, have opened their doors in the new business district of Avenida Aviadores del Chaco and Avenida Santa Teresa. Finding a bed should not be difficult for the common traveller. The highest concentration of hotels from budget to splurge can be found in the historic city centre and the new business district. There are also quite a number of cheap places near the bus terminal, though you normally get better values in the city centre.

City Centre
The centro histórico is where the traditional hotels are found, some of them occupying beautiful buildings from the 1960s and even from the 19th century. This is also where the hostels are, so backpackers and budget travellers are normally found in this area.

Stay safe
The National Police has a highly visible presence. Under the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner crime in any form was not tolerated. Crime is not prevalent, although the perception of crime is that it has been high since Stroessner's fall in 1989. Some houses are protected by high walls topped by barbed wire and electric fence or razor wire, and those who can afford it have a full-time guard on their grounds. Despite the locals' rather high perception of crime, Asunción is one of the safer capitals in South America and violent crime is very uncommon. Because there are few tourists in Paraguay, visitors are not likely to be specifically targeted by criminals. Key things to watch out for are petty thieves (watch your pockets on crowded buses) and taxi drivers trying to rip you off (make sure they use the meter). Pickpocketing is said to be prevalent in crowded downtown streets near expensive hotels.

Prostitution is rampant and obvious after dark on the main avenues in the outskirts and in small parts of the city center's oldest parts near the port. Transvestite prostitutes are common around many areas, and are best avoided as they are known to cause trouble occasionally. Female travellers will receive a lot of unwanted attention from Paraguayan men – this is mostly intended as innocent banter in the form of shouts or wolf whistles, etc., but can sometimes be accompanied by touching, especially in clubs. This sort of attention is best just ignored. Liquor is easily available but not widely abused, there are a fair few street drunks in some parts of the city, but they are invariably harmless.

Be extremely careful when crossing streets in Asunción. Most drivers consider stop signs and traffic lights to be merely suggestions, even if police are nearby. Buses will stop for almost nothing, so be very careful.

The United States Centres for Disease Control recommends that all visitors to Asunción receive a typhoid vaccination prior to travel. Dengue fever is frequently a risk one takes when travelling to Asunción; there is no vaccine for this. To avoid insect-spread diseases, ensure that you use bug spray at all times of the day, without exception.

The "Chacarita" area by the river, next to the Palace is an extremely impoverished and dangerous part of the city, and is definitely not a place to go exploring.

Connect
Many restaurants, shopping malls and some public squares have free Wi-Fi.

Cope
Flies, ants and especially mosquitoes (but no large, creepy bugs) are everywhere. There are no screens, windows and doors are simply flung open for ventilation. Air conditioners do exist but most people depend on less expensive fans. Heaters do not exist, though on the chilliest days they would be welcomed. The soil is bright red and as many streets are unpaved dust becomes a problem. There are trees (some in the middle of roads!) for shade, but palm trees are planted everywhere. Dogs and farm animals of every description are all over the roads. There is no humane society to care for wild dogs and some are pitifully mangy. It is not uncommon to see pigs wallowing in a mud puddle in the middle of a road, chickens are everywhere, horses, donkeys and cows run loose and can be found in anyone's property.

It is brutally hot in Paraguay's summer. If you've ever wondered why Latin culture has a "siesta" where everything closes down at noon for a few hours, you'll soon know why if you spend time in Asunción during the summer. You'll also understand why people eat dinner so late and stay out partying all night: it's too hot during the day to enjoy being outside.

Embassies

 * 🇦🇷 Argentina
 * 🇧🇴 Bolivia
 * 🇧🇷 Brazil
 * 🇨🇱 Chile
 * 🇨🇴 Colombia
 * 🇪🇨 Ecuador
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇮🇱 Israel
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇵🇦 Panama
 * 🇵🇪 Peru
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇰🇷 South Korea
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * Republic of China
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇾 Uruguay
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next

 * A visit to an Estancia makes a good day off or so from Asunción (some are within easy reach of public transport). Horseriding, fishing, swimming, guided nature walks are among the activities offered. Those who participate in APATUR (get the booklet from the tourist information) have generally a high standard. Some can only be visited during the day others have accommodation (expect about 80 US$ per night including all food and activities). Bookings can be made through TACP (021-210 550) or by contacting the Estancias directly. Travel agencies also offer trips to Estancias and typically include private transport back and forth.

title: Asunción


text:
Aswan

Aswan (Arabic: أسوان àswân) is the southernmost city of Egypt, some 870 km south of Cairo, just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, with a population of 275,000. Aswan is far more relaxed and smaller than Cairo and Luxor.

Understand
In the Neolithic era the tribes along the Nile began to combine, so that around 3500 BC there was a Kingdom of Upper Egypt from Aswan almost down to what is now Cairo, and a Kingdom of Lower Egypt which was the Delta. In 3100 BC King Narmer of Upper Egypt conquered the Delta and unified the kingdoms. Upstream of Aswan was inhabited but less important because the Nile was not navigable above the "First Cataract," first of a series of six rapids and shallows across the Nubian Plateau.

Egypt has always needed to harvest as much water as possible from the river, while controlling floods. A dam was therefore built across the First Cataract in 1902. In modern times still more water was needed, so the Aswan High Dam was built further upstream, completed in 1971 and penning Lake Nasser behind it, all the way into Sudan. Whole communities had to be moved, along with priceless antiquities, the most famous example being at Abu Simbel. Construction had political repercussions: the need to finance the dam caused Nasser to court the Soviet Union and China when western support wasn't forthcoming, and in 1956 he nationalised the Suez Canal and closed it (along with the Gulf of Aqaba) to Israeli shipping. This sparked the Suez conflict.

Aswan is today a well-developed tourist city, but hasn't grown to the extent of Luxor, so it feels more relaxed. The climate is hot desert: almost no rain falls here, and all the waters of the lake and Nile have come from over 1000 miles south. It's very hot in summer but pleasantly warm in winter.

By train

Aswan is the southern terminus of the Egyptian railway network. The line follows the Nile north to Luxor (3-4 hr), Cairo (another 10 hr) and Alexandria (another 2 hr). Train is an excellent way to travel between Aswan and Luxor as it is too short to fly, and buses are bumpy and not altogether safe; fares are LE50-100 in AC1, half that in AC2. The train ride from Cairo is obviously much slower than a flight, but comfortable and safe, and amazingly inexpensive.

For practical details see Egypt by train. From Cairo there are four types of train:

 * Daytime expresses have 1st and 2nd class air-conditioned coaches called AC1 and AC2 with comfortable aircraft-style seats. They're a relaxing way to sit back and view the lush landscape of the Nile valley. Fares vary with the train, with a single ticket Cairo-Aswan costing LE140 to LE250 in AC1 (Feb 2018), and about 30-40% less in AC2. Soft drinks and snacks are served, and there may be a dining car, but best buy food and drinks beforehand.
 * Overnight expresses, departing 9PM to 11PM, are identical to the daytime trains and have the same fares; they're not sleepers.
 * Deluxe sleepers are run by a private company, Watania. These have modern air-conditioned sleeping-cars, with a choice of 1- and 2-berth cabins and a club/lounge car. An evening meal and breakfast are included in the fare. Prices one way between Cairo and Aswan are US$110 for a single berth, or US$80 sharing a 2-berth cabin (Feb 2018). One sleeper runs nightly year-round, southbound from Cairo Ramses around 8PM, and northbound from Aswan around 7PM. Extra sleepers run at busy times but these trains may commence from Giza rather than from Cairo Ramses station.
 * Local trains - Non-a/c trains lumber between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, daytime and overnight, stopping at most stations. These are not much slower, but they are incredibly cheap.

The expresses are run by Egyptian National Railways (ENR) - check timetables and prices, and make bookings, with them direct (but be sure to do so 24 hr in advance or the system might not accept!). ENR also runs the ordinary trains but these are not bookable and not shown on timetables, buy your ticket at the station. The deluxe sleepers should be booked online with Watania.

Express tickets can also be bought at the station but in 2017/18, Cairo Ramses station has often refused to sell daytime tickets to tourists, claiming they're only allowed on the overnight train. This is bunkum and there are no similar problems buying such tickets at Giza, or northbound Aswan to Cairo - or even in simply boarding the daytime train without a ticket.

By bus
From Hurghada buses cost LE100-150 for 8-12 hr ride (513 km), buses leave Aswan at 3:30PM and 5:30PM, route operated by Upper Egypt Bus Co. Tickets are sold on the bus, but be sure to ask the price at the ticket office, because the ticket seller on the bus will often raise the price LE5 or so and pocket the excess if you are a foreigner.

By boat
Cruise ships ply between Aswan and Luxor most days. These are luxury cruise tours taking 5 or more days for a splurgy price, they're not ferries. Various operators, shop around online for dates and prices.

A passenger ferry operated by Nile River Valley Transport Corporation sails across Lake Nasser to Wadi Halfa in Sudan once a week. Southbound it leaves Aswan noon on Sundays to arrive midday Monday; northbound it leaves Wadi Halfa 5PM Mondays to reach Aswan midday Tuesday. First class tickets, which get you a berth in a shared cabin, cost from LE385; 2nd class gets you a seat on the deck for LE230. You'll need to have your Sudan visa sorted in advance. From Wadi Halfa, buses and a very occasional train run south to Khartoum.

Get around
Aswan is compact enough to negotiate primarily on foot.

For the sights on the river islands or on the West Bank, you must cross the river by motor boat or felluca. Be sure to pay attention to the price as operators try to overcharge tourists. The public ferry to Elephantine Island is LE5 for foreigners (LE1 for Egyptians, Nov 2018). The ferry to the West Bank is also LE5 for foreigners and LE1 for locals. Felluca trips will cost LE50-80 depending on your haggling (Nov 2018).

For Philae, the High Dam, and the unfinished obelisks, you can take a taxi, tuk-tuk or a horse-drawn carriage. It is also possible to get close to the Philae docks with a public pick-up truck, going in the direction of the university. From the terminus it is only 1.2 km by foot, but there are also tuk-tuks willing to bring you further. You might need some knowledge of Arabic to figure this all out.

West Bank

 * Tombs of Mekhu & Sabni – Reliefs show invasion of Nubia
 * Tomb of Sarenput II – One of the most beautiful and preserved tombs
 * Tomb of Sarenput I (No. 36) – Six pillars decorated with reliefs
 * Tomb of Harkhuf – Hieroglyphics
 * Tomb of Hekaib – Reliefs show fighting and hunting scenes
 * Tomb of Hekaib – Reliefs show fighting and hunting scenes

New Kalabsha
New Kalabsha is a promontory housing several important temples, structures, and other remains that have been relocated there from the site of Old Kalabsha and other sites in Lower Nubia, to avoid the rising waters of Lake Nasser caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

Do

 * Book a cruise ship for 2-3 nights between Luxor and Aswan by tracking down one or several of them along the pier before noon. Most cruise ships have a reception at their entrance and you can just walk in. Do not mind the guards or barriers, they are just there for protection. According to some travellers, prices can start at US$40 per night. Either way, it will be cheaper than when going through an agent or booking online.
 * Book a cruise ship for 2-3 nights between Luxor and Aswan by tracking down one or several of them along the pier before noon. Most cruise ships have a reception at their entrance and you can just walk in. Do not mind the guards or barriers, they are just there for protection. According to some travellers, prices can start at US$40 per night. Either way, it will be cheaper than when going through an agent or booking online.
 * Book a cruise ship for 2-3 nights between Luxor and Aswan by tracking down one or several of them along the pier before noon. Most cruise ships have a reception at their entrance and you can just walk in. Do not mind the guards or barriers, they are just there for protection. According to some travellers, prices can start at US$40 per night. Either way, it will be cheaper than when going through an agent or booking online.
 * Book a cruise ship for 2-3 nights between Luxor and Aswan by tracking down one or several of them along the pier before noon. Most cruise ships have a reception at their entrance and you can just walk in. Do not mind the guards or barriers, they are just there for protection. According to some travellers, prices can start at US$40 per night. Either way, it will be cheaper than when going through an agent or booking online.

Buy
The souqs (markets) in Aswan are refreshingly exotic without the same level of high-pressure selling found in some tourist towns like Luxor. You will generally find that Nubian handicrafts are of higher quality and better value in Aswan. All other goods will be more expensive than in Cairo due to shipping costs to Aswan and the lower tourist demand.

Drink
Aswan is much less strict on drinking alcohol than Cairo or Luxor, and many of the restaurants sell Stella (Egyptian brand not the Belgian brand) and Saqqara, both of which are lagers and comparable to European beers.

Locals take pride in their fresh sugar cane juice.

Budget

 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.
 * Baba Dool Guesthouse (Elephantine Island). Beautiful Nubian guesthouse with plenty of character, and a great view over the Nile and Kitchener's Island. Rooms are clean, facilities are good and breakfast is plentiful.

Stay safe
Aswan is generally a very safe city. However, do watch out for quite blatant attempts at pickpocketing in the souq. These thieves will approach you carrying scarves, shirts or even papyrus in one hand to sell to you, while attempting to go into your pockets with the other hand. The locals know this goes on, but do not count on them to intervene. Also, women should avoid travelling alone if they are not comfortable with leering men, although they are all bluster. Most horse carriage drivers will not commit on the price when you arrive at your destination and you are expected to give more.

Cope
There is so much to do around the Aswan area that time can be an issue. The local people are generally very cooperative, and for a price, doors might remain opened regardless of the hour.

Go next

 * Abu Simbel – most people use Aswan as a base to see this fantastic temple. Many hotels and tour agencies can offer a mini-bus service, often departing at 4AM and going as part of a larger convoy, often with police together. You might take part in that convoy with your own vehicle. Depending on your negotiation skills the hotel-organised mini-bus costs between LE150–LE350 (also try other hotels apart from the one you are staying in). There is also a public bus leaving from the bus station north of town, scheduled to depart at 8AM. If all goes well this should get you in Abu Simbel at 11:30AM, return is at 1PM (although you might be able to delay this a little with a nice 'baksheesh' - use at your own discretion) (May 2019).
 * Kom Ombo – Not far north from Aswan, with the double temple of Ptolemaic. Taxi trips or organized tours are LE150, or you take a (local) train and taxi/tuk-tuk from the railway station (LE10).
 * Cruises to Luxor – The 2-night cruise should cost from US$75 per night, including meals, depending on the boat.
 * Felucca trips to Luxor – see the Felucca guide for a complete itinerary and for information.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Aswan


text:
Atacames

Atacames is a city in the Pacific cost of Ecuador in the south east from Esmeraldas city. It is a typical Afro-Ecuadorian town with hot Caribbean rhythms, fish specialties, its cheerful inhabitants, a large beach of 5 km, possibilities for land and water trips, and surfing.

By bus
There are direct buses from Transportes Esmeraldas, Panamericana and Occidental leaving to Quito (Terminal Carcelen, 7hr, $10) and Guayaquil every day, around 7 - 8 hours. Transesmeraldas also has buses to Cuenca, Machala, Huaquillas, Portoviejo and Manta. AeroTaxi even has buses to Ibarra and Otavalo.

By plane
There are flights from Quito and Cali to Esmeraldas. From the small airport you take a cab and arrives in 30 - 40 min. to Atacames.

By car
Good roads allow easy access by car, about 4-5 hours from Quito by car. Some prefer the way via Los Bancos, others via Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas.

Get around
To the south there is Súa, a little fisher village. An unmaintained path that starts at the soccer field connects Atacames and Súa and passes by a lighthouse that it is not used anymore. Another 5 minutes away Same, a hotel resort village. Be aware that these small villages are totally empty beside high season in July and August. No joke, Same at June is like a ghost city in a bad Hollywood movie but they make for good day trips.

Eat
There are a lot of restaurants, but no varierity at all. So enjoy your ceviche or your pizza.

Drink
There are a lot of kiosks and bars on the beach, and a lot of discos in front of it

Sleep
Be careful when choosing a hotel - thefts are common. Travellers have reported money stolen out of their room, and police say they hear this type of stories often.

title: Atacames


text:
Atami

Atami (熱海) is a coastal hot spring resort city in Shizuoka prefecture, on the east coast of the Izu Peninsula southwest of Tokyo, Japan.

Understand
Atami means "hot ocean". The town has been a popular hot spring resort since the 8th century and is ranked as one of Japan's Three Great Hot Springs (三大温泉 Sandaionsen). These days the coastline is heavily developed and covered in "identikit" concrete hotels, but in summer the sandy beach is popular.

Mokichi Okada (岡田茂吉 Okada Mokichi, 1882-1955) was a multimillionaire and the founder of the Church of World Messianity. According to his official biography, Okada made his fortune in the jewelry business. Okada claimed to have received a special revelation from God in 1926, leading him to found a new religion in 1935 to spread the teachings, aiming for nothing less than a new civilization based the transmission of the diving spirit, natural farming and appreciation for beauty and art. In 1945 he also started the construction of a second sacred grounds, “Zuiunkyô,” in Atami. Much of Okada's extensive art collection is now housed in the MOA Museum of Art in Atami.

Since COVID Atami seems to be just a pale shadow of its former self with barely any public onsen left, but mainly spa hotels catering for guests.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated Google Translate

By plane
You can reach Atami from one of Tokyo's two airports.

From Narita Airport, take the Narita Express train to Shinagawa, then transfer to either a Shinkansen Kodama or Hikari train or a Tokaido Line local train. It is 2 hours via Shinkansen connection (¥7,430) and 3 hours via local connection (¥5,140).

From Haneda Airport, take a Keikyu train to Shinagawa (¥300) for connection to the Shinkansen (1 hr 15 min, ¥4,040 total). Alternatively you can take the Keikyu Line from Haneda to Yokohama via Keikyu-Kamata station (¥370) and change at Yokohama for the local JR Tokaido line (2 hours, ¥1,710 total).

By train
Atami is on the Tokaido Shinkansen main line, just 50 minutes from Tokyo (¥3,740 for an unreserved seat). All Kodama trains stop at Atami, and a select number of Hikari stop there as well.

Kodama trains make the run to Atami from Shizuoka in 40 minutes (¥3,100 unreserved seat) and Hamamatsu in 70 minutes (¥5,170 unreserved seat).

Atami is also a stop on the regular Tokaido Line which runs from Tokyo (2 hours to Atami, ¥1,980), Shizuoka (80 minutes, ¥1,340) and Hamamatsu (2 hr 45 min, ¥2,640). Alternatively, take the cheaper Odakyu Line from Shinjuku (Tokyo) to Odawara (¥910) and continue with the Tokaido Line from there (¥420).

With the exception of the Keikyu line, all train rides listed above are free with the Japan Rail Pass.

By car
From the north-east, Atami can be reached by National Highway 135 (about 23 km from Odawara station). From the west, use National Highway 136 and Prefectural Road 11 from Mishima (about 24 km).

On foot
Atami's city center is fairly compact, but buses connect the train station to the MOA Museum of Art via a veritable hillside of ume trees (bus no.4, blossoms in March) and several other points of interest.

By bus
The YuYu Bus, a tourist bus, links the main attractions including the Atami Castle. ¥800.

By rental car
There are two car hire companies directly across from the Train station (both Japanese only):
 * Toyota Rent-a-car 0557-81-0100
 * Nippon Rent-a-car 0557-82-4588

Do

 * Scuba diving – Atami is a popular day or weekend trip from Tokyo for diving, largely due to its proximity to the city (40 minutes by Shinkansen). Sites feature some spectacular soft corals and sea life including nudibranchs, moray eels, and octopus. Atami also has one of the only divable wrecks in mainland Japan. Visibility can be poor during certain times of year, but it peaks toward the end of the summer/early fall.

Hot springs and onsen
Don't be fooled into thinking that the "hot springs" on the town map are onsen baths — they are literally locations where the hot volcanic water pumps up from the ground. Some even have geysers! There is, however, a free foot-bath directly outside the train station that runs up until the evening. A conveniently placed vending machine sells towels lest you forgot yours.

Eat
Supposedly, the Atami fish stores are very good, and you will also find the best and freshest sushi nearby. They start as early as 07:00.

Budget
3-4 hostels are available in Atami, check Booking.com.

Go next

 * Ito
 * Kawazu
 * Shimoda
 * Izunokuni
 * Mishima
 * Odawara

title: Atami


text:
Atar

Atar is a town of 25,000 people (2013) in Saharan Mauritania. It is a great base for exploring the Adrar region, and tends to be slightly cheaper overall than Chinguetti. The Atar Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the country, dates from 1674.

Understand
Atar is growing in importance due to its proximity to an airport and a regional hospital.

Climate
Atar has a hot desert climate typical of the Sahara Desert, south of the tropic of Cancer. The weather is usually very hot, very sunny and very dry but it can be overcast sometimes. The annual average temperature is close to 30 °C (86 °F), meaning that excessive heat persists year-round. The annual mean rainfall amount is very low, averaging no more than 35 mm and it mainly falls in August and in September while the sunshine duration is high, at over 3,540 hr of bright sunshine yearly.

By train
The Iron Ore Train typically departs from Nouadhibou sometime between 14:30 and 22:00, depending when the cargo is finished loading. There is only one train a day with passenger cars and tickets can be arranged in advance or bought at the Nouadhibou train station (Gare Voyageurs) for around 1,500 ouguiyas. Travel in the bucket wagons is free, just climb aboard, but it will be cold and dusty. The train stops at Choum where you can easily grab a ride to Atar in one of the many bush taxis or pickups which will meet the train for around 1,500-2,000 ouguiyas.

By road
There is a paved and fast road which runs from Nouakchott to Atar served by a variety of minibuses (including one run by a kindly French ex-pat) and bush taxis. All of the rides going to Atar tend to leave Nouakchott from the Garage Atar at the end of town. Typical fare is around 4000 ouguiyas.

Get around
Atar is quite small and can easily be walked, although some auberges and resorts lie quite far out of town. Taxis are available and can usually be caught around the traffic circle in the centre of town, fares are around 100-300 ouguiyas depending on distance.

See
Atar has a few markets which may be of interest to the souvenir hunter and prices tend to be lower than Chinguetti, and bargaining is expected.

Drink
The occasional beer can be found at Auberge Bab Sahara.

Sleep
For its size, Atar contains a good number of auberges, hotels and resorts.

Go next
Bush taxis (taxis brousses) or 4x4s to Choum, Chinguetti, or Nouakchott can be arranged in the Garage, the market or at most hotels.

Many of the oases and other natural sites in the region can be seen in day trips leaving from Atar. Ask around at your hotel/auberge to arrange bush taxis, 4x4s, or rent bikes. If your feeling adventurous wander into the market and you will doubtless get offers of obliging drivers ready to show you what they consider to be the most interesting sites.

Some of the notable sites in the region include oases (Terjit, Mhaireth), dunes (Valle Blanche, Amatlich), and old towns (Azougi, Chinguetti).

title: Atar


text:
Atascadero

Atascadero is in San Luis Obispo County in the Central Coast region of California.

Understand
The town's name is derived from a Spanish word meaning "bog", and in the Chumash language it means "a place of much water". The town was founded in 1913 as a planned utopian colony by Edward Gardner Lewis, a magazine published who had founded the town of University City, Missouri. The centerpiece of the new town was an Italian Renaissance-style town hall, surrounded by the expansive Sunken Gardens.

By car
Car is the easiest way to get to Atascadero.

Go next

 * Morro Bay - 17 miles southwest of Atascadero, this coastal town is best known for the massive 581-foot (177-m) volcanic rock that dominates its harbor, but is also a great spot to see marine mammals and is home to one of California's oldest fine art and craft shows.
 * Paso Robles - Paso Robles is a historical resort town known for its hot springs that is 14 miles north of Atascadero. This city's major industry is wine production, with vineyards located throughout the surrounding area.

title: Atascadero


text:
A Taste of Coastal Texas

A short trip along Texas State Highway 35 can reveal scenes and character that you can't get along the interstate. Expect to see skyscrapers and shacks, sprawl and space, and everything in between - and this is only a small slice of what there is to see in Texas.

Understand
Highway 35 runs from Houston to Corpus Christi, keeping a slight distance from the Gulf of Mexico.

This approximately 250-mile (400-km) itinerary is written for a three-day weekend trip, Friday through Sunday, especially about the second Saturday in June. Several of the listed attractions are available only about that time. Of course, by picking only a few of the listed items, a traveller can follow the full route in under a day.

Prepare
While some locations are fairly remote, you'll never be too far from civilization. You'll need to use a private car (there are plenty of rental locations at either endpoint), so just make sure to stop for gas when you near a quarter tank. Aside from a basic road safety kit, you'll be able to meet any need that comes up with roadside resources. The most remote place on SH-35 is less so than some places on Route 66.

Get in
If you aren't already in the Houston area, it's closer to fly into Houston Hobby Airport - it borders SH-35. Alternatively, if starting this itinerary at the south end and heading north, then fly into Corpus Christi International Airport.

Drive
While the "headwaters" of SH-35 are in Mason Park, on Bray's Bayou, safety, sprawl, standards, and one-way streets limit the practical starting point to SH-35 (Telephone Rd.) at I-45 (Gulf Freeway).

Houston to Pearland
Begin by heading south on SH-35 (here known as Telephone Rd.) from I-45. You'll quickly pass IH-610 and through Houston's Golfcrest neighborhood. This area was considered posh in the 1920s, but has since fallen and is beginning to gentrify. While there is little of specific historical merit along the road, the sights are worth seeing.

See
After you pass Hobby Airport and the urbanization fades, you'll pass pastures and feed stores before you even reach BW-8 (the Beltway). You will notice an abrupt rising of buildings again as you enter Pearland.

Eat
If you started in the morning, you might already be ready for something to eat. Among many great places to breakfast are the Busy Bee Cafe, if you have time to sit down and enjoy yourself, or Sonic if you're in a hurry.

Pearland to Brazoria
Take 521 after Angelton, cross the Brazos.

Brazoria to Bay City
Take SH-36 north to West Columbia, then SH-35 South (left) to Bay City.

Eat
If you didn't catch lunch in Brazoria, there's a couple more places not far down the road in Old Ocean. Bay City has several decent places too.

Bay City to Palacios
Take SH-35 South to Palacios. Stay on Business 35 (1st St., then Main St., then follow it right). If you've been visiting most of the listed attractions, it will probably be coming up on dinner time. Take a couple of hours for a good meal, walk along the water, and look around at some of the history.

Palacios to Seadrift
Get up, grab breakfast (you might consider heading back up north to Blessing to eat at the Hotel), and get on the road. The Half Moon Reef Lighthouse was moved from Palacios to Port Lavaca several years ago for preservation. It's appropriate that you'll pass right by it.

Seadrift is well worth the detour, though getting there can be an adventure. Follow SH-35 south again. FM-185 makes a staggered cross of SH-35 a few miles down the road. Take FM-185 south (left). You'll pass through Long Mott (if you even notice it), and find yourself deep in the middle of nowhere. Press on! You'll eventually pass The Captain's Quarters on the left, and come up Main St. Take it south (right) to reach the water.

If you happen to come into town on the weekend of the second Saturday in June, you're in for a treat. Shrimpfest is held on Friday and Saturday night, and the Texas Water Safari finishers begin to come in Sunday evening. Both of these events are at the pavilion in Bayfront Park. If you stay for the festivities, you might need to spend a second night on the road. Be aware that lodgings in Seadrift on that weekend are usually completely booked a year in advance, and plan accordingly.

You might otherwise consider chartering a fishing trip on the bay.

Seadrift to Rockport
Get out of Seadrift in the morning (unless you dally and get some morning fishing in). Take FM-185 north (left) to SH-35, Then SH-35 south (right) through Tivoli (don't blink, you might miss it!) to Rockport. Rockport began as a cattle packing town about the time of the civil war, but became a fishing village in the 1920s. Its primary industries now are fishing (and shrimping) and tourism (and recreation). You'll be able to rent a jetski or sailboat, swim, and explore the town.

See

Eat

Rockport to Corpus Christi
Follow SH-35 South one last time. It will take you to straight to Corpus (which, despite being Latin for "body", is regularly used as the city's nickname).

Sleep
You might need to catch up on sleep after seeing the sights in town.

Go next
You can fly out of the airport, or take I-35 north to San Antonio, then I-10 back to Houston. Or go back north on SH-35 and see what you missed the first time.

title: A Taste of Coastal Texas


text:
Atchison

Atchison is one of the Midwest's most historic and charming towns, in Eastern Kansas. Atchison has a population of 11021.

See

 * Old Houses:
 * Cray Historical Home Museum, 805 N 5th St. 1882 house and carriage barn with guided tours.
 * The Sallie House, 508 N 2nd St. Haunted house with tours by appointment.
 * 1889 McInteer Villa, 1301 Kansas Ave. Another haunted house.
 * 1889 McInteer Villa, 1301 Kansas Ave. Another haunted house.

title: Atchison


text:
Athabasca

Athabasca is a town of almost 3,000 people (2016) in North Central Alberta. It is nestled in the picturesque Athabasca River valley and is the health, education, shopping, and service centre for the region.

Understand
The town is home to Athabasca University, a major centre for distance education and the town's largest employer.

History
Unlike many other towns in Alberta, Athabasca predates the railway. It was the terminus of the Edmonton to Athabasca Landing trail. Athabasca lies on a southern protrusion of the Athabasca River. During the fur trade era, when rivers were the principal means of transportation, the Athabasca–Edmonton trail connected two different drainage basins. The Athabasca River flows north and is part of the Mackenzie River watershed, which leads to the Arctic Ocean. Edmonton lies across a height-of-land on the North Saskatchewan River in the Nelson River drainage basin, which empties into Hudson Bay. Edmonton was in Rupert's Land but not Athabasca. The trail allowed goods to be portaged back and forth between river systems. Once agricultural settlement occurred, the trail served a similar purpose. Eventually, road and rail links would trace the same path.

The Athabasca Heritage Society has put up signs through the downtown as well as along the riverfront that explain and depict the history. It has also published a historical walking tour that is available from the town office, library and visitor information centre.

By car
It is 145 km (90 mi) north of Edmonton at the intersection of Highway 2 and Highway 55, on the banks of the Athabasca River.

By bus

 * Operates a bus route several days per week between Fort McMurray and Edmonton including a stop in Athabasca.

See

 * The Athabasca Archives has a historical walking tour guide on their website.
 * The Athabasca train station was built in 1912 on 50th Avenue, the main east-west road through town.
 * Amber Valley & Obadiah Place: Obadiah Place is associated with the Africn-American settlement of the Amber Valley area, and two of the community’s leading citizens, Willis Reese Bowen and his son Obadiah Bowen. In 1911, a group of Black Americans emigrated from Oklahoma and filed for homestead on lands north of Edmonton and east of Athabasca Landing. Obadiah Place was settled by Willis Reese Bowen in 1913. Bowen’s log cabin served as a central part of the community, and housed the first post office. The log cabin was replaced in 1938 by Obadiah Bowen, his son, who built the current house.

Do
There are lots of trails for hiking and skiing:
 * The Rotary Way at the riverfront is wheelchair-accessible
 * Muskeg Creek ski and hiking trails
 * The Trans-Canada Trail runs south along the Tawatinaw River and north of the Athabasca River towards the Sawdy district and Smith.
 * The Athabasca Landing Trail follows the historic route first mapped out as a Hudson's Bay Company trade corridor. The trail's most popular section is 32 km between Athabasca and Perryvale along the Tawatinaw River. No motorized vehicles permitted.  The trail is well signed.

There are opportunities for birding, canoeing, and kayaking.

title: Athabasca