Robert Carver, journalist & author of the acclaimed ` Among the Mountains`, searches for high adventure & intense experiences as he follows the trail of a family mystery. Once upon a time when Buenos Aires was still a tiny village, there existed an almost magical sub-tropical paradise in the lost heart of South America
- Old Paraguay. In 1537 a group of Europeans founded Asuncion on the banks of the Parana river, where they were enthusiastically welcomed by the Gurani. An extraordinary fusion of New World & Old was created -- a place where magnificent baroque cathedrals were built of carved stone in the heart of the jungle & solemn Catholic masses & high oratorios were sung & performed on European instruments by Gurani Indians & their Jesuit mentors. But every paradise has its serpents & the history of Paraguay is also studded with oppressive & even demented dictators. Robert Carver`s long-term fascination with this intoxicating world was fuelled by childhood stories of his great-uncle Charlie Carver, who vanished into the Amazonian jungle of old north Paraguay in search of Inca silver. He never returned, but his smashed gold pocket watch was traded down river & returned to the family in Engl&. Today Paraguay is the only South American country which is truly bilingual, in Spanish & Gurani: here everyone is a mestizo & proud of their dual heritage. Pink, freshwater dolphins play in the rivers of the Huan Chaco while in the forests soldier-ants cut paths six feet wide & eat anything in their way -- they can devour a nylon tent in an hour. Carver (a fluent Spanish-speaker) travels into this forbidden lost world in search of his own golden city of outlandish experience. The physically reckless journey takes him from mule trains high in frozen mountains to steamers up remote rivers in dense tropical jungle & he faces the threat of malaria, dengue fever & the odd marauding outlaw.
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Almost forty & with nothing to show for it, Hannah Luckraft is starting to realise that her lifestyle is not sustainable. Her soul is unwell, her family is wounded, her friends are odd, her body is unreliable & her drinking is out of control. Robert, a dissolute dentist, appears to offer a love she can underst&, but he may only be one more symptom of her problem. From Scotland to Dublin, from London to Montreal, to Budapest & onwards, Hannah travels in search of the ultimate altered state
- her paradise.
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” In contemporary Argentine literature, ” Paradises” is an almost perfect novel.”--” Tonica” Albert Camus`s ” The Outsider” reimagined with a female lead in in twenty-first-century Buenos Aires. Recently widowed, a young woman leaves the countryside for Buenos Aires with her four-year-old son where she seeks to build a new life for herself. She finds work in the zoo & moves into the human zoo of a squatted tower block at the invitation of one of its residents, to whom she acts as nurse, giving morphine injections. Iosi Havilio`s captivating voice has brought him cult status in Argentina. ...

Paragliding Annapurna from Napa Maps is a detailed map of the paragliding area north-west of Pokhara, plus separate insets showing five paragliding routes annotated with signs showing thermals, turbulence, etc, as well as places of interest & tourist facilities. An indexed, topographic map at 1:50, 000 shows the area north-west of Pokhara, highlighting places of interest, tourist accommodation, bus routes, etc. Five separate insets, all with similar topographic cartography, highlight the flight paths indicating the required height above launch before gilding, big & small thermals, areas of turbulence, bird encounters & cloud base. The routes covered are:* Sarangkot Naudanda Cross-over at 1:40, 000* Sarangkot Drop at 1:25, 000* Korchon Curcuit at 1:80, 000* The Green Wall at 1:50, 000* The Griffon’s Challenge: Dickie Danda to Besi Sahar at 1:75, 000 Also provided is addition flying information & climate data. All the text is in English. ...

Paraguay in the Footprint Focus Guides, which are targeted at cities, regions & countries worldwide that have no, or very limited, coverage from other publishers. Widely recognised for their reliability & independent writing style, Footprint Focus guides all have the same layout. Smaller than their sister Handbooks, the Focus guides are intended to streamline the information contained so that you have more of what you need, without losing Footprint ...

DUE OUT AUGUST 2014
- Paraguay in the Footprint Focus Guides, which are targeted at cities, regions & countries worldwide that
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Paraguay in the Travel Guide series from Bradt; encompassing a comprehensive range of titles to destinations worldwide, with a particular focus on Africa, Central & South America. Bradt are one of the country’s leading independent publishers & have an ethos that focuses on responsible travel, in alliance with a philosophy of sustainability; both in the destinations the guides cover but also in encouraging tourists to limit the impact they have on the local environment. Bradt guides have a reputation for appealing to more independent travelers & often cover destinations that are not available from other publishers. Each guide opens with two comprehensive chapters on Background & Practical Information, covering details of the country’s geography, culture, natural history, government & politics, economy, people, language, religion, education & culture. Important practical advice

Includes:: when to visit, highlights, suggested itineraries, tour operators, red tape, embassies & consulates, getting there & away, health, safety, what to take, money, budgeting, getting around, accommodation, eating & drinking, public holidays, shopping, arts & entertainment, media & communications, business, travel culture & cultural etiquette. Individual sections are organized geographically by region & typically open with information on practicalities & orientation, before focusing on what to see & where to go. Information on what to see, where to stay, where to eat & how to find your way around is provided, with a range of budgets catered for. Simple black & white maps locate key visitor sites & places of accommodation. Bradt Travel Guides include appendices that provide an in-depth introduction to the language of each country, a glossary of terms & a listing of books & internet resources providing further information on the destination.

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Walk around Asuncion`s historic centre & admire the grandeur of colonial-era buildings like the Palacio de Gobierno, styled on the Palace of Versailles, before hitting market stalls selling traditional arts & crafts. Paraguay is an under-explored pocket of South America, boasting rich wildlife, lush forests, & mighty rivers. This l&-locked country is home to a proud Guarani culture, as well as the 16th-century Jesuit Missions, which are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Footprint Focus Paraguay is a concise & portable guide to this friendly country, containing detailed information on attractions that are both popular & off the beaten track. Essentials section with practical advice on getting there & around. Highlights map so you know what not to miss. Comprehensive listings on where to eat & sleep, plus details on festivals & activities. Detailed street maps for Asuncion & other important towns. Slim enough to fit in your pocket. Loaded with advice & information, this concise Footprint Focus guide will help you get the most out of Paraguay without weighing you down. The content of the Footprint Focus Paraguay guide has been extracted from Footprint`s South America Handbook. ...

Paraguay on an indexed double-side map 1:800, 000 from ITMB with an enlargement for the environs of Asuncion plus a street plan of the capital’s city centre highlighting numerous hotels & various places of interest. The map divides the country east/west with a good overlap between the sides. Altitude colouring shows the topography, with swamps & marshes & national parks or other protected areas also marked. Road network gives distances on main routes & indicates locations of petrol stations. Symbols highlight places of interest, including locations with tourist accommodation & medical facilities. Also marked are internal administrative boundaries with names of the province. The map is indexed & has latitude & longitude lines at intervals of 1º. An enlargement presents the environs of Asuncion in greater detail including access to resorts on Lago Ypacarai. The centre of the capital is shown on a clear street plan highlighting hotels & various places of interest. ...

Celebrity, identity & sexuality
- the three poles of our fame-obsessed society, each one a magnet for secrets & lies. Despite
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