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Tour 1
July 10 to 24, 2009 - Tour Hosts: Wilf & Marianne Sawatzky
IGUAZA FALLS, MENNONITE COLONIES
& MENNONITE WORLD CONFERENCE
JULY 10 -24, 2009
This 15 day South East Travel Tour to the Global Assembly of the Mennonites World Conference begins at the majestic Iguassu Falls in Brazil.
We will then travel through the rich farm land of the East Paraguay Mennonite colonies and onto Asuncion to attend the 15th Global Assembly of the Mennonites World Conference.
After the enriching experience of the conference we will spend 4 days touring the prosperous Chaco Mennonite Colonies.
Wilf and Marianne Sawatzky will be your tour guides. A native of Paraguay and very knowledgeable in Mennonite history, Wilf has made many trips to the Mennonite colonies where Wilf and Marianne still have connection to family and friends. Wilf has experience in international agro business projects and this may provide a unique insight to the tour as most Mennonite colonies are focused on agriculture. Marianne, is a staff member at South East Travel, she will co-host and be the tour administrator.
All ages are invited to join this tour from the young in age to the young at heart. Along the way we plan a ASADO, drinking some Terere’ , and having lots of SPOS.
Let us do the planning and in return you will have the chance to see the majestic beauty of South America as well as fill you soul and mind with some Mennonite history and Spiritual food that will last a life time.
Registration Form
Tour 1 Itinerary
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Friday July 10, 2009 (Day 1)
Depart Winnipeg via Toronto or Miami to Iguassu Brazil
You may depart from any other city in North America and join up in either Toronto or Miami. This will be an over night flight to Brazil.
Saturday July11, 2009 (Day 2)
We will arrive around noon in Fosto Iguassu Falls Airport.
After checking into our tourist Hotel, we will have the afternoon free to relax, shop, and get acquainted with the group. We will have an early dinner at the hotel and get a good night’s rest .
Sunday July 12, 2009 (Day 3)
We will get an early start and tour Iguassu Falls on the Brazil and Argentina sides. These falls are one of the Natural Wonders of the World. The Iguassu Falls are a series of dramatic waterfalls, merging into the worlds most powerful single waterfall (in terms of volume) not to mention beauty.
After lunch we will tour the Itaipu Hydro Plant - one of the largest hydro plants in the world. Itaipu produces more power than 10 nuclear power stations and supplies the second largest city on the planet with
zero-emission electrical power. Power consumption of Brazil and 78% of Paraguay is supplied by Itaipu.
After a full day we will head back to the hotel for dinner and night.
Monday July 13, 2009 (Day 4)
Foz Do Iguassu - San Bernardino
We will leave by bus for Asuncion, on route we will travel through the Bergthal and Sommerfeld Mennonite farming colonies. We will stop at the eMeda Plan and visit the dairy factory " lactolanda" (founded by the Canadian immigrants that left Canada in 1948).
We will have lunch on the way at the Mennonite restaurant.
After lunch we will continue to the Leprosy Hospital, that was founded by The Mennonite Immigrants, the Hospital Mennonita KM81 is the referral center for leprosy service in Paraguay.
We will continue on our drive through Itagui and Aragua cities where you can find and purchase all kinds of typical Paraguayan clothing, souvenirs and see artistic displays.
We will continue for supper and over night in San Bernardino which is located on the shore of Lake Ypacarai, a current summer resort, home of the famous Nanduti (spider web in Guarani language) handmade lace whose design is based on the spiders web.
Tuesday July14, 2009 (Day5)
San Bernardino - Asuncion
After breakfast, we will leave for Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. We will check into our hotel where we will stay for the next 5 nights and then we will head to the site of the15th Global Assembly of the Mennonite World Conference for registration and the opening session.
Wednesday-Saturday July 15 to 18, 2009 (Day 6-9)
Mennonite World Conference (Assembly)
Each day there will be worship and bible studies, seminars, and workshops for you to attend. There will also be a limited number of tours and activities that you can participate in during the conference. This will be a great time to meet people (Mennonites) from around the world. This week will be spiritually enriching.
Sunday July 19, 2009 (Day 10)
Asuncion – Chaco Mennonite Colonies
Depart by bus for the Chaco where the 3 Mennonite Colonies are Menno, Fernheim and Neuland. This is a 6-7 hour drive along the Trans Chaco Highway. On route to the Chaco colonies, the tour guides will give you a history on the different Mennonite colonies and on the culture of the natives. We will make
a stop for lunch.
The Chaco is a remarkable area of almost featureless plains with bush and savannah. It has a substantial population of numerous indigenous tribes and Mennonite settlers (Canadian descendants from 1926, Europeans 1945 and 1948. The only paved highway is the Ruta Trans Chaco.
Upon arrival in Loma Plata we will be checking into our hotel where we will be staying for the next 3 nights. After a short rest we will tour some of the local industries and acquaint ourselves with the Mennonites. If possible, after a dinner at a local restaurant, we will attend a church service or some other entertainment, before we settle in for the night.
Monday July 20, 2009 (Day 11)
After a good night’s sleep and breakfast we will tour the Historical Museum, cattle and hog killing and packing plant, which is new. We will also take a tour of the dairy processing plant (Trebol), hospital,
retirement community, education system, and Indian reserve etc. (will tour as time allows).
Back to the Hotel for dinner and a well deserved rest.
Tuesday July 21, 2009 (Day 12)
Tour Mennonite colonies and mission station.
Breakfast and on our last day in the Chaco Colonies we will visit one of the Mission stations, Yalva Sanga, in Neuland colony (this is the 1948 group from Europe). We will learn more about the Chaco Indians and their culture as well as how they and the Mennonites relate and work together.
Stop for lunch in a Hochstat Neuland restaurant and continue to Luguna Capitan to tour the experimental farm. Last but not least we will head to a cattle ranch for ASADO (BBQ).
If possible and time allows, we want to go to the historical sites in Hoffungsfeld. This is the first Mennonite settlement in their new territory in the Grand Chaco 1926-27 group. "Isla Poi" this is Paraguay’s main Military fort during the Paraguay and Bolivia war in 1932 to 1935.
Wednesday July 22, 2009 (Day 13)
Chaco - Asuncion
After breakfast we will return to Asuncion by bus. On route we will visit another mission school for the Hispanic children that has also been started by Mennonites and are still operated by couples that do not have there own children.
As we get back on the Trans Chaco on our way to the city we will have story telling time, singing and more history of what we have learned, seen and heard in the last 2 weeks. We will have lunch on route and I am sure some siestas as we travel in our comfortable coach.
We should be back at the hotel in time for supper and a good night’s sleep before we head back home the next day.
Thursday July 23, 2009 (Day 14)
This morning we will have time to relax our do some shopping at the flea markets.
Lunch and maybe a nap before we had to the airport to catch our flight back to North America wherever your home destination is.
Friday July 24, 2009 (Day 15)
Home sweet home.
We should be arriving home some time this day depending on your final North American destination.
Registration Form
We will be continually working on aspects of both the conference as well as additional tours and sites to visit.
To join our email list for updates and more information please click here or you can email us at mwc@southeasttravel.net.
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