It was time for a relaxation day. The morning was spent at a local ranch with horseback riding, games, a treasure hunt, lots of lounge chairs, and a Paraguayan barbeque. You can’t visit Paraguay without eating at a barbeque. Think Fogo De Chao at a fraction of the price. One of Paraguay’s primary exports is beef. You’re craving a good salad, it might not be easy to find. You want beef, we’ve got you covered. I am so glad I did not have access to a scale.
Maliya’s best friend 
Tracy wishing she could have a horse 
Ready to ride 
Can you find this treasure hunt item 
Giddy up cowgirl! 
Owner of the ranch 
Minding the grill 
Lunch buffet 
Dessert anyone?
Later that afternoon we visited the church camp started by Tracy’s in-laws, Camp Jack Norment. One of the more interesting stories from the camp is Abuela Roga (which means grandmother’s house in Guarani, one of the official languages of Paraguay). When the camp was trying to buy land for expansion, there was a very old Guarani woman still living on the property. To close the deal they agreed to let her continue living in her one-room hut until she no longer could, at which point they would take over the land. Once they took over the land, they left the hut in place, hired people to play the grandmother, and told stories about her at the camp. In recent years the tradition has started to die off, but Tracy’s father-in-law recently secured funding to restore the hut, which we visited during our time there. Also, as a part of the visit, the camp cooks gave a demonstration on how to make Chipa Guazu and Sopa Paraguaya, two traditional dishes you find everywhere in Paraguay.
The camp dining hall. 
Cooking demonstration. 
Brick oven. 
Abuela Roga. 
Stay tuned…Will