Posadas Favorites

Favorite thing: The Paraguay Consulate in Posadas, Argentina is located in a small, orange, old colonial house a couple of blocks from the town center at 179 San Lorenzo Street(the street numbers were changed but the locals still prefer the old numbers - the new number is on the 1500 block) between Santa Fe and Sarmiento streets. There is no sign on the building just a Paraguay flag(red, white, and blue broad stripes) hanging in front with the old street address number 179. I entered the air-conditioned consulate on a Monday morning and there were just a few people inside and I didn´t wait more than a minute, not like the chaos at the consulate in Buenos Aires. The man sitting at the desk immediately upon entering will tell you(I am an American citizen) in Spanish to get 3 photocopies for each of the following:
1. Passport Info Page
2. Argentina Entry Stamp(in Passport)
3. A credit card(only front side)
4. Roundtrip Transport(he asked me for it at first but didn´t require it later- it appears you can´t just buy a bus ticket to Encanacion from Posadas - in the unlikely event they do require proof of onward travel you could book a tour to the Jesuit Ruins just 30k inside Paraguay from one of numerous travel agents in Posadas)

In addition to the above you need to give them 3 passport photos which you can get along with the photocopies at a shop right next door for US$4.

A single entry visa cost US$45 and a multiple entry visa costs US$65 in cash only(they provide change).
Due to recent counterfeit supernotes the consulate and the moneychangers in Paraguay will not accept US$100 bills(Benjamin Franklin) that have serial numbers beggining with "CB" or "D" so I went to the money exchange about 5 blocks south where the pedestrian streets cross at the town center and got 5 US$20 bills.

You then fill out a simple one page personal info form(if you make a mistake and cross anything out like I did you will have to fill out a new form)
After about an hour he will ask for your right thumb print on three pages which you will also sign.

Eventhough there was a Yellow fever outbreak in Paraguay there was no requirements or even notification. I got a free yellow fever shot at the hospital two blocks from the bus station in Encarnación, after I crossed the river into Paraguay.

So I started the whole visa process at 10am and was done by noon and caught the frequent(every 10 minutes) and crowded local bus(clearly marked ¨Argentina - Paraguay¨ in front) for 3 Argentine pesos just a couple blocks south of the town center to Encarnacion, Paraguay.

Fondest memory: Leafy streets and a nice river front walk.