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Ciudad Del Este – The Trading Capital Of Paraguay
Paraguay is not on the major tourists trail of South America. This might be ascribed to various factors. The fact remains: it is a very interesting country with a lot of things to see and do. If you plan to visit Argentina, Brazil or Uruguay a visit to Paraguay will not cost much extra and be be surprisingly enjoyable.
Many people’s first and last encounter with Paraguay is a visit to Ciudad de Este – the second largest city in the country and also the trading capital. If you are looking for atmospheric old buildings and quiet side streets with cute little shops, rather go to Asuncion.
If the aim of your visit, however, is to shop till you drop, Ciudad de Este is the place for you. This brash, noisy and sometimes polluted city is virtually one huge shopping mall. There are thousands of shops, both retail and wholesale. If you are a shop owner from Brazil or Argentina looking for a fine jewelry wholesale distributor, you will find several in one of the largest malls.
You can also buy musical instruments of all colors and credentials. If you are looking for a cheap electronic keyboard from China, you will certainly find it. And if you want to buy a state of the art epiphone electric guitar there’s more than one shop offering this as well. Check prices for these items in your home country and on the Internet before going to Ciudad de Este, so that you will know when you are seeing a bargain.
If you’re a family guy, the city caters for you too. Why not buy the wife a nice ring or a beautiful pendant made from Brazilian quarts? There’s a huge number of toy shops, so you are sure to find something for the kids as well. As far as babies go – there are shops selling everything from baby clothes to the latest European trend, the spa type baby bath. There’s also no shortage of shops selling gifts for the friends and family back home.
Ciudad del Este lies only a few short km from a major tourist attraction: the world’s largest hydroelectric scheme. This massive dam, with it’s 20 turbines developing enough electricity to supply 40 million people, belongs to both Brazil and Paraguay. At the main entrance there are regular screenings of a film showing how the dam was constructed.
You can actually take a guided tour right into the dam wall. To see one of the huge turbines from close up is quite an experience. During the rainy season they often open the sluice gates to stop the dam from overflowing. To watch this is like standing at the foot of a massive waterfall – be prepared to get wet, even though the lookout point is quite some distance from the water.
Anthony Bourdain in Uruguay