Road Trip

I had the most hilarious road trip yesterday. I went to Matagalpa, but this time my friends Carlos and Edwin (yes he´s Nicaraguan) offered to give me a ride. I was quite happy at the offer because taking the bus for 6 hours in one day is no fun and its also really hot and sweaty and dusty and dirty...you get the idea.

So Carlos said he would pick me up at 10 am, sharp. At 11:30 they arrive, complete with Carlos´s mom and an unidentified little girl. The car is a beater, and it really needs a muffler. Which means that I couldn´t understand anything that anyone was saying to me. But I did realize that we were on the road to Managua and not Matagalpa...turns out Carlos and company had errands to run there. No worries, we did the errands and then back to Masaya at 1 pm. We dropped off Carlos´s mom and the little girl...at 1:30ish we left again for Matagalpa.

Now, I want you to picture this car. I have no idea what year it was made or any details like that. What I do know is that the motor was putting out so much heat that my feet and legs got really hot. Windows down of course because there is no AC and its hot hot hot here, and radio blasting to overcome the noise of the unmuffled car. We saw a roadside stand and Carlos pulled over to buy watermelon. Blissful. It is also important to note that I was wearing white pants. Luckily, Carlos had an extra hankerchief to keep me from getting watermelon juice all over myself. So we continued along the highway listening to 70s music.

At a little more than halfway, the highway gets really really bad. Potholes are everywhere, and basically you just bump along for an hour or so. The views are incredible by the way. As we were going up one of the hills, a car came up next to us like they were going to pass us and handed Carlos the hubcap that had just fallen off. Nice.

As we arrived in Matagalpa the boys were asking how to get to San Ramon. ¨Pass the last gas station, take a right.¨ Interesting...how are we to know what is the last gas station? Anyway, we´re going along and all the sudden Carlos pulls over without explination. Edwin and I ask him whats up and he says that the clutch isn´t working...so luckily we were near a mechanic and asked for help. He directed us across the street to what I will call the car graveyard.

This car graveyard was every stereotype you could ever have of mechanics...men covered in grease taking cars apart and building them back together. There was a strong smell of oil and grease, and occasionally gasoline when they would try to start one of the cars. One of these nice gentleman told us that we needed a different pipe or something for the clutch, so we waited an hour and a half for the clutch to be fixed. Finally it was fixed and we continued on to San Ramon where I visited the participants, all is well there, and we began our trip back to Masaya.

Our return trip quickly stopped when we ran out of gas in Matagalpa. Luckily we were close to a gas station so Edwin went to get some gas. Carlos and I watched some locals play soccer while we waited. After filling the tank with 30 cordobas of gas, we continued along to a real gas station, put in more gas, and decided to stop to eat, since we hadn´t eaten all day. Tip Top is the national chicken fast food place...and I have to say its actually good. You all know that I don´t like fast food, but its really good there...the chicken is real. Bellies full we returned to the highway.

Going back down the mountain we lost 2 more hubcaps. That would be 3 out of 4 possible hubcaps lost on the highway. Since it was night we couldn´t see the other two, so I´m sure someone was pleased to find hubcaps today. It was pretty impressive because you can see Managua and Masaya from the mountains, city lights shining in the darkness.

Edwin and I were trying to keep Carlos entertained as he was getting tired of all the driving (did I mention no power steering). Carlos pulled over again...no gas. Impossible! Actually no...the car just EATS gas so there we were, arriving to a tiny town with no store lights on, and no gas. So I got in the drivers seat and the boys pushed the car along until we found someone who told us where we could buy some gas. We bought the gas and continued along our way.

We arrived at the entrance to Masaya and we all cheered. I have to say that even though there were quite a few hitches, I really had a good time and laughed at all of our problems. So there you have it...road trippin in Nicaragua.

Selva Negra

Selva Negra was AWESOME. And it was cold. I put on a long sleeve shirt and a jacket. I´m not kidding, it was blissful. The place we stayed is on a little lake on an organic coffee plantation. I got to go on a tour of the plantation, its pretty cool...all shade grown coffee. I had never seen coffee plants before. By far the best part was riding horses. Exhilerating. Helen (one of the participants) and I decided we wanted to give it a go, so we went down to the stables and got our horses. I assumed that the jefe of the horses was going to go with us...but after Helen and I got on the horses started to walk and we asked him if he was coming. No, he said, the horses know the way. So the horses started to walk and Helen and I were laughing or heads off and the fact that we were essentially just let loose on the plantation with NO idea where we were going. Then the horses stopped walking and wanted to eat grass. They walked a little farther and then just stopped in the middle of the road. Then we heard the blissfull clip clop of another horse, and there was the jefe, with another couple. Once the horses saw their master they shaped up and we went all around the plantation. I even galloped! Helen took pictures, so I will post them soon.

I would like you all to reflect on a very North American concept that I didn´t realize until yesterday. There was a breakfast buffet. (very exciting) so we got our little cards for the buffet and went up to start. Now, when I hear buffet to me that means all you can eat buffet. No issues in coming back various times. Not so. This buffet was a one time only kind of a deal. It´s a miracle we asked before filling up on stuff. But the BEST part about the buffet was that there were pancakes. Yes, pancakes. With syrup, Aunt Jamaima to be specific. It was a glorious breakfast.

On our way back to Masaya we stopped at an organic farm in Chawitillo (I´m sure that is a misspelling). We didn´t get to go see the farms because apparently it was too late in the day and the mosquitos were too bad. Don´t worry, I still got attacked. Anyway, they grow and sell their own fruits and vegetables, and we got to try some of their stuff. It was amazing. I bought a jar of Papaya jelly...it is awesome, I had it on toast this morning.

I was happy to get back to Masaya and rest, I was exhausted from the long trip and so much activity.

Volcanos!

Yesterday I hiked a volcano!!! Very exciting. It was a lovely day really...

First I went to my friend Carlos´s farm, its very close to the volcano. He showed me all these trees that I have never seen before. Mango trees, mamon trees, hocote trees, almendra trees etc. It was very exciting. It was also nice to get out of Masaya for a bit. Then we went to the volcano, it was awesome really. You can stand right next to it and see the smoke coming out. The smoke is sulfurous, which I discovered after inhaling a lot of it. There are three craters on the volcano, two are active and one isn´t. The last time they erupted were 1970 and 1971. We hiked up to the top of the inactive crater, and now it´s a forest...they say there are monkeys and all sorts of cool wildlife there, but we couldn´t go down. Seeing an active volcano up close was pretty exhilirating though. I have a picture but there are some technical difficulties, so I´ll post later.

I would like to offer you all some tips on staying cool in the heat. First, walk on the shady side of the street. Any shade is good shade. Second, walk around in the early morning or in the late afternoon. Midday walking is not a good choice. The real test if you can handle the heat is if you can walk around in jeans and a long sleeve shirt in swealtering heat. Thats what all the Nicaraguans do. Everytime I´m impressed, because in my tank top and skirt I just sweat all day long. Big news though, I actually was cold two nights ago. AMAZING. I went to this lookout over that lake that I went swimming at a few weeks ago. It is a pretty sweet view, the stars are amazing and you can see Granada across the lake. And there is a nice breeze, I had a long sleeve shirt on! It´s the little things in life really.

Today has been a bit slow, but thats good. I needed a break. Its been raining almost every morning here, and unfortunately I got stuck in the rain today, but it cooled me off a bit. Tomorrow is Father´s day here, so I think everyone gets the afternoon off. And Saturday I will be going to Selva Negra with the group for our midterm trip. Should be interesting...

I will try to post the tortilla recipe...I need Beatriz to teach me how to make tortillas, we haven´t gotten there yet. Next on the list is arroz con leche. It might be my favorite dish here....tight race with pico though.

Food....

So I think I will take this opprotunity to let you all know about the crazy food that I have been eating here. First of all, lots and lots of beans and rice. Gallo pinto is black beans mixed in with rice, but you can also have beans and rice cooked separate. Then there are tortillas...very good simple tortillas. Those three things are staples for lunch everyday. The meats vary...chicken or beef in various forms, sometimes pork. I don´t eat the more exotic choices: pigs head stew, chicarron (pigs skin, fried), mondongo (intestines), chicken liver etc. But the BEST part about eating here is all the fruit that is available. Nicaraguans don´t really eat fruit plain, they mash it up and make delicious juices. Beatriz makes juice every morning...and when I say make juice I mean fresh squeezed and all that jazz...no frozen mixes here. So here are the fruits that are new to me.
Calala - I have no idea what it would be called in English, it looks like a sad misshaped lemon. You break it open and inside are lots of little seeds and juice. For this fruit you just drink all the insides...very good. It tastes a little tart.
Mamon - These are the size of big grapes, but have a green shell. You break the shell in half and then suck the insides out. It has a big seed in the middle, so you have to take the fruit off in your mouth. Every time I eat them I think about that game where you try to tie the stem of a cherry in a knot in your mouth. It´s difficult...eating this fruit is a bit more challenging. The Nicaraguans can all do it without trouble...I have to use my hands sometimes.
Zapote - This has the skin of a kiwi, but its about the size of an apple. On the inside the fruit red and pretty soft, you eat it with a spoon. Delicious.
Hocotes - They are also about the size of grapes, but more oval. They taste like a mix between mangos and papaya.

And then there are the staples mangos and pineapple. People here eat fruit with salt...and sometimes chilis! You can buy mangos off the street and they put the salt and chili on for you. Of course its not recommended to buy stuff off the street because it´s not particularly hygenic.

On Sundays we buy a liter of Coke, its very exciting. Sugar and caffiene all in one.

That about sums it up for the food here...go look for some Calala!

Let´s see, where to start. There was some excitement when I went to Matagalpa. I was waiting for my boss Maria to arrive, so I sat at the bus station. It happened to be raining, so everyone was trying to fit under the small shelter. I had a bit of luck and got a seat, amazing. So I sat paitently and was looking around at the scene, when I saw a policeman walk up. He took out that big rod they have and it looked like he was trying to sneak up on one of the men sitting down. I listened to the people around me and they said that this man had tried to steal from the woman he was sitting next to. All of the sudden the man gets up, the policeman follows him, and then WHACKS him on the back and the guy falls down into the mud. I heard more thuds but I didn´t look, and then the man got dragged away by the policeman. It put law enforcement on a whole new perspective.

Other than that bit of news things have been pretty normal here. Its hot and sunny today, so I´m going to see if I can go to the laguna....

So finally, here are the pictures of the riot cops or antimotines. Note the bulletproof vests and rifles. I am taking more pictures (I´ve been instructed to pull up my socks and act like a real tourist) so I will be posting more pretty pictures soon.

Yesterday I was sitting here writing an entry and a big truck drove by and RIPPED down the electric wires that run over the street...so alas, no electricity. The best part about it was everyone´s response, the breaking of cables apparently is nothing new. After advising passerby to avoid the cable which was still charged, life went on as usual. And today everything is in working order.

Yesterday I learned how to make pineapple jelly. It is very easy, and I was quite pleased with myself for learning. I have also asked Beatriz to teach me how to make arroz con leche and frijoles. It´s really funny to ask how to make the beans, because it seems everyone here knows how to cook rice and beans...but I don´t. I will soon!

Tomorrow I´m off to Matagalpa again...hopefully I can find out more about those coffee refineries there. I will also be more savvy abot which seat to choose...NOT the one above the wheel. Oh, and I´ll talk pictures of those crazy men on top of the buses!

Vigilia. Noise pollution!

I have never really been a fan of this phrase: noise pollution. It never really resonated with me before. I have become it´s biggest promoter!!! Here in Masaya, there are a variety of noises, some of which I think are very interesting. For example, every morning there is a woman who walks around town calling out ¨ayyyyyy, la cabeza¨. It took me about a week to decipher that that was what she was saying, but yes, she is selling pigs head. And truthfully, I kind of like that noise. Its very unique to Masaya and I´m a fan. The continual sounds of trucks and buses and cars have become white noise to me, and I even enjoy hearing the roosters at all hours of the night. However, there is another phenomenon that I am NOT a fan of. One of the methods of advertising here is paying for ¨air time¨ with these trucks who go around BLASTING commercials. They have speakers in the back of the truck, and they just drive around all day. Also, the electronics stores have taken to playing music on their fancy speakers as loud as possible...I assume this is to attract customers. But last night was by far the worst. I live near a church, and when I got home I saw lots of buses around...I asked what was going on and my host mom told me that there was a vigilia at the church, and that it would be going on all night. Now, when I hear the word vigil, it brings to mind silent reflection, lighting candles etc. Here, it is a big concert where youth from all over Nicaragua come to spend the ENTIRE night singing and cheering and who knows what else. Basically, there was a concert in my backyard last night. Never fear, I did manage to fall asleep at some point.

I was in Managua for a few days, giving orientation to our new group of students. I think it all went smoothly, no problems. However, I did have a GREAT fall. It was raining and the stairs were slippery, and I totally bit it. Heather, I thought of you...and no, no injuries.

Yesterday I treated myself to some chocolate cake (spelled queque) and real coffee. It was blissful. Also, I have discovered this new kind of sweet bread called ¨pico¨. Its doughy bread with honey and some sweet cheese on the inside, and bits of sugar on top. I am quite a fan of this pico...Maria warned me not to ask any men for pico because it also means a kiss. Good to know!

Matagalpa and other bits of news

So I went to Matagalpa on Friday. It was quite an interesting trip. I think my favorite part was getting to the bus station (which is just a big parking lot) at 6:45 am and watching all the activity. Buses here are old school buses that I´m sure come from the US becuase it has a list of ´riding priviledges´ on the front which is written in english and reminiscent of many field trips as a child. Keep you hands to yourself, and keep your head inside the bus etc. Now, on top of these old school buses are men without shirts on who are lifting huge baskets full of fruits or vegetables or whatever else on top of the bus. They pack them on there so they don´t fall off during the trip. I didn´t see any ropes or anything, so it looks like one big balencing act. And the most interesting part of this whole phenomenon is that they don´t get down before the bus starts to move. Actually, they don´t get down until the bus is going about 30 miles an hour. I didn´t realize this until I saw a foot outside my window. The guy who was on top of my bus shimmied down the side of the bus into the open door. I think that he would have lost his riding priviledges in the US.

So anyway, my trip to Matagalpa took about 4 hours, in a seat that was clearly made for an 8 year old in respect to leg room. I also had the good luck of sitting on top of the tire...further eating into my leg space. But the views were pretty impressive...Matagalpa is more in the center of the country, getting into mountianous zones. Its also cooler in Matagalpa, the wind isn´t so hot. Once I arrived there I took another bus to San Ramon which is a little little town outside of Matagalpa. I think the whole town is 8 blocks, and there is no internet or telephone. But again, very pretty. Maria and I visited with the interns to see how they were doing and then hopped a ride back to town. The last bus for Masaya (where I live) was supposed to leave at 3:20. I was fretting the whole ride back to town that I would miss the bus. As it turned out we pulled up to the bus area just as my bus was pulling away, so I jumped out of the car and sprinted to the bus...everyone around me really thought it was funny, but I jumped on and happily squeezed into a seat for the ride back.

Saturday we had a meeting with the students in Managua, and then I stayed for a little North American moment, watched the Da Vinci code. We had some trouble finding a bus back to Masaya after the movie, but it all turned out ok and I got home with no problems.

Monday I went to Ciudad Sandino with one of the interns. We toured the hospital there which was very interesting. FYI, giving birth in Nicaragua is without any drugs, unless you have a C-section. Also, a nurse there offered to teach me how to stitch up a wound, a little boy had a cut over his eyebrow. I said maybe next time. Then we went to the only mental institution in Nicaragua. It was terribly depressing...it scared me and made me so thankful that I have my mental health I can´t even express. People who are labeled agressive are locked up...its terrible. Those who have chronic mental health issues are left there...they are totally abandoned by their families.

And today, I´ve been running around Masaya checking in on people and helping with problems and the usual camp counselor antics.