Trinidad

September 8, 2022 to September 9, 2022

A hard day's ride has brought us to Trinidad, site of one of the three Jesuit missionary ruins on southern Paraguay. The same hilly route we have got to know well but with much higher temperatures. I had expected temperatures above thirty degrees for Paraguay but this was the first time they had been inflicted on us.

We stopped for a second breakfast of empenades at about twenty kilometers and then a long lunch stop at a pay-by-the-kilogram buffet in Bella Vista. The second stop revived us and we felt stronger again over the last twenty kilometers.

The German influence is ever present herein southern Paraguay.

The heat did start to take its toll again as we neared Trinidad and our first stop was at a service station to sink a liter of ice cold water. We had got through a lot of liquid on the ride but we still felt a bit dehydrated towards the end.

We are spending two nights at Posada Maria, a stone's throw from the Jesuit ruins. It has a simple and affordable restaurant and the breakfast here has been particularly good.

Our visit to the ruins was in very different weather to the ride to get here with the wind having switched from the north to blowing polar air in from the south. It was cold, windy and miserable but the ruins were still worthwhile. The ones here at Trinidad and the others about twelve kilometers away are both UNESCO Heritage Sites. Restoration is still taking place but there is enough on display to make it interesting.

The main church in the left background with living quarters for the local Guarani converts to the right. Despite the apparent good work done by the Jesuits the Europeans were housed separately from the indigenous population.

The small church was quite simple but the main church had some elaborate details.

The grounds of the ruins were full of common birds.

Many of the Southern Lapwings (Vanellus chilensis) had chicks and were aggressively protective of them. I was attacked a number of times when I inadvertently approached too close to them.

Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) were nesting in the palm trees.

Tomorrow we will most likely be our last night in Paraguay. It is a short ride from here to Encarnacion from where we will cross over into Posadas in Argentina.

Today's ride: 63 km (39 miles)
Total: 322 km (200 miles)

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