Nicaragua

As before this is a new post because Mary and Helen are in Nicaragua…My comments are in blue and on your right is her earlier posts and leave a comment at the bottom of this page

Most of the pictures are clickable to enlarge just backspace to come back.

we are in Granada, Nicaragua

its beautiful..

this morning helñen woke early and we both used the bathroom cos its shared and didnt want to get caught in the rush for it and she said its 0530 so since we had alarm set for 0600 we thought we may as well get up and ready to go..

all dressed and i looked at the time and it was 0445!!! we held back for half an hour and then thought what the hell its nice and cool and buses already leaving for the border so wandered up the street with a few workers heading out and got a taxi to the bus..jumped on the next one and away to the border crossing.. very easy at the costa rica side but pretty slow at Nicaragua cos of queues of people  after a walk for a km with bags.. had a thermos coffee and cake then wandered over to next bus stop..well someone caught on to what we needed so rushed over and grabbed our bags and heaved them up into the luggage rack..had a great trip with the locals in a very airy bus. The guy behind me had 4puppies he had just picked up from CR to bring home!!

yelping and sitting on the seat till he bunbled them into his backpack to go home. we chatted with the bus conductor and shared our fruits and jumped off at some spot for transfer to Granada’ caught a little open air scooter 3wheeler! we are  staying at a really old colonial villa in a tiny tall room but very clean and airy and again $11US a night!

just been out checking the sights locally and we are going to catch a movie tonight in about 20mins. will be a change!!

Two intrepid travelers

Gorgeous girl

Author note : Its hot over there can you tell The border they are now in Nicaragua

January 25th 2010 Granada

we have been advised by the woman who runs our hostel about going out when its dark and quiet. Helen and I had to walk about 6 blocks to this internet site and being Sunday it was getting quieter and dark. On our first night here there were armed police at each block corner maybe cos its near the market and bank or for some other reason.. Sunday I saw 2 guards only..Helen was really tired and finished her email and needed to go for coffee and sleep so we stick together..on our walk home at 1945 there were already people sleeping huddled on the pavement..one was a beggar we had given our uneaten bread from lunch..its quite heartbreaking to  see these people and their retched lives of desperate asking from people who just walk on by..us included sometimes. I feel if it was me injured and asking for help, how awful it would be to have someone turn away!!!

so i hope to have some small change ready but there are so many..

Nicaragua is a beautiful and colorful country and there are so many crafts people selling beautiful stuff…that is unique to here. The countryside is similar to CR with agriculture but predominated  by the volcanoes  around here.

The people are more fine featured and the old ones have lovely weathered faces.

our movie was a fun experience and was English with Spanish subtitles called murder in the antarctic or something like that..a bit of escapism.

yesterday we saw the sites and went on a ferry trip to the islands..

A brown Mary on the ferry wait that rhymes hahaha

it was so funny after we got underway cos they had a family show thing and then hitting the pinata.. well the kids got up and had a go then he gave me the stick.. so i had to dance and whack the fish thing but my first hit broke the stick!! so embarrassing and my strength was cause of great amusement for all!! we all really enjoyed the trip and got to talk with all the local families on their outing.

Such a big fish how can she miss it

the hotel we stay at is very cool quiet and airy and has lovely garden behind the wall opening onto the street with the markets..where organised chaos reigns. sidewalk stalls taked up most of the pavement and theres very little room on the streeet for big buses, horse and cart and pushbikes..at least all heading in the same direction. the inner market area is pretty full on and not the place to get out the camera..

Marys Hotel

we rode on one of the carts to fill in some time and forgot to check its road worthy ness..it had very wobbly wheels on a lean and terribly thin horses..we told the driver to slow down ) to spare the horses=?and to give them more to eat..he said he didn’t own them and the owner was still sleeping! there are equally many well fed and looked after i need to say.

January 27th Leon Nicaragua

We made it as far as <Leon today..got up leaisurely, had some exotic fruit and yoghurt for brekkie, and walked about doing a little shopping then packed up.we dragged our bags down the busy markey street and caught a mini bus going to Managua then on arival it seemed pretty off-putting and thought we ,ay as well keep on to here..so transferred to a air con mini bus for a $2 ride 1 1/2 hrs to Leon. Its very pleasant here staying at the lazybomes hostel in a big upstairs room looking over the rooftops for $10 each a night. Theres a pool and hige courtyard gardens, free coffee and slow internet..skype phones but the guy mext door cant get it working so no pronises.

Our tour up the volcano was pretty awesome…its still active and smoking,,about 20 people had been up at the lookout and as we turned to walk down someone noticed this big black scorpion also heading down!! fairly poisonous

apparently- like it could kill a horse or maybe thats the white one?? anyway a good reminder to be a bit more cautious..however we them went on down an old lava cave with torches and helmets and neasr the entrance we spotted a tarantula spider…not so impressive cos it was similar to thise wood spiders we get and sometimes come inside!!

plenty of little bats flying around and was glad the roof was well clear of my head..for the finale we drove up to the point where you actually look over the rim into the hot lava pool..however there was too much steam..and when the wind drifted I had to rush away as I couldnt breathe with the sulphur fumes…well thats it for volcano tramping for me for good I reckon!! Those poor guides take it in turns to do these tours cos it must be very bad for their health. Ours was trying to get some money to go to university -he was from a big poor family.

The people here are really freindly and lovely for the majority part and travel has been great. Some people trying to sell goods or taxi services are pretty aggressive but apparently theres no welfare.. we ate at a restaurant last night that included a page in the menu advising not to give to the childrem begging! They said its becoming a big problem that parents are sending their kids out cos they can earn more this way and kids are missing school even and staying out late at night mixing with drug addicts and prostitues and starting a dangerous way of life. They also get a taste for poor quality western food and have nutrition and health problems from this..so there were some websites for groups that provide soup kitchens and education that are better to donate to…interesting huh! there are still the very destitute on the streets..

Its very dry here at present and as always hot..people are a little more conservative and I got a few stares in a short blue skirt so put on my sarong!! will be more proper here I think..

I just booked us on a history and revolution tour which will be coool cos its hard to imagine what it was really like cos all seems so friendly and organised to me now..