We are having some trouble sleeping...between the fireworks, the roosters and the church sleep is a scarce commodity around here...I´m a little worried since we are going to be hiking...we´ll manage I suppose.
We were up and ready for breakfast at 6 am again with little sleep...Archie has been sleeping in their kitchen where there is an extra bed while we sleep in his room.
We´re out the door where we catch the local bus to the market in Managua for the express bus to Chinandega connector to Somotillio and our last bus into El Obraje...no man´s land.
It started out pretty good until we found out Andrew´s seat was going to be on the floor of the little combi to Chinandega...someone was getting off right away...but when asked who, nobody was getting off...so off we pile with much talking, us having no real clue what was happening, 2 people got off and suddenly we´re all back on again with me front row and center...actually our driver turned out to be very good and our 2.5 hours to Chinandega were great...amazing views and country side! Somotillio is close to the Honduran border and we took another combi there passing peanut plantations...interesting!
Somotillio is a hot smelly place! We had lunch in some place that was the most edible...it was about 38 degrees...from there we caught the local bus! These old school buses were worn out before they got here...this one was special though...they had to push it to start. Once we got going, all 85 or more of us on the 30 passenger bus were jammed like sardines all smelling rosy of course...The boys stood for the 2.5 hour bus ride on an absolutely horrific road with the bus only able to go 15km an hour...I lucked out with a seat...2 smaller locals squished over and insisted I sit with them...the kids are so cute here and we had fun learning a few words in each others language!
We arrived in El Obraje sweating and dehydrated but were off to an older couple´s home for a quick visit some pictures and hot cafe negre!
Then we set off on our 8 km hike into the mountainous region to the family´s home that is hosting us.
Setting up our tent is a bit of a dilemma to stay out of route of the animals as they are all around...we decide on a spot under the tree only to discover later it is the chicken´s roosting spot...we did manage to dodge the flying poo though!
The tent raising was the event of the year up maybe even their life as no one has ever seen one before...people from all over began to appear and the ¨viewing¨ went on over the course of our stay...a little eerie to be watched so intently but fun all the same.
They loved our ¨pretty¨ house!
We ate beans, rice, some cheese and fresh tortilla for supper a little visit and off for our ¨bath¨ (in the creek) and to bed...we were so looking forward to a good nights sleep, yet again at about 11pm, the rooster announced himself on the hour till morning...
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Finca!
Our new friend George Adams from Anaheim and his wife arranged to pick us all up at the boys bach for 8 and off we went. Truck was full of new faces eager to pick some coffee!
I was surprised to learn that coffee grows on a tree 6-10 feet tall similar to saskatoon bushes when they reach full potential, and the beans are red and yellow when ripe and look like a berry. The finca had coffee plants, bananas, lemons, grapefruit and we spent the day harvesting them all...Andrew was pleased to put his newly found machete skills to use slicing down bananas! It was incredibly hot, but surprising not too bad for picking as we were mostly in the shade...now I understand shade grown coffee...anyway we decided we´d keep our day jobs since 5 gallons of coffee only yields about $1usd to pick!!!
Lunch time was sandwiches and chips with a little surprise meeting for George´s friends...First time I was in a meeting with pants on and obviously the first time in a Finca! Seemed all emjoyed it without too much of a stir...
Back to the bach to prepare for our camping trip....
I was surprised to learn that coffee grows on a tree 6-10 feet tall similar to saskatoon bushes when they reach full potential, and the beans are red and yellow when ripe and look like a berry. The finca had coffee plants, bananas, lemons, grapefruit and we spent the day harvesting them all...Andrew was pleased to put his newly found machete skills to use slicing down bananas! It was incredibly hot, but surprising not too bad for picking as we were mostly in the shade...now I understand shade grown coffee...anyway we decided we´d keep our day jobs since 5 gallons of coffee only yields about $1usd to pick!!!
Lunch time was sandwiches and chips with a little surprise meeting for George´s friends...First time I was in a meeting with pants on and obviously the first time in a Finca! Seemed all emjoyed it without too much of a stir...
Back to the bach to prepare for our camping trip....
Friday, December 26, 2008
Tortillas and Pig Liver!
The day starts here at day break where the daily tortilla making begins. Thinking I would go in and help, I quickly found out I will not be making fresh tortillas at home! Essentially the only thing I was useful for was grinding corn...they are delicious if you don´t think about how they´re made...The kitchen here is similar to what we saw in Peru, maybe even more primitive here and certainly as dangerous to one´s health. It is incredible with all the smoke that these wonderful people are not sicker than they are...Perhaps this is the cause of Don Juan´s perpetual cough???? Poor man...I don´t think he has slept for days.
Today we are in for a big day.
For our big send off we were asked if we like fish...well of course we love fish! But sardines for breakfast??? DEfinitely stretching my comfort zone here and it is one of many times I am thankful for my wonderful hubby who kindly took pity on me and finished up my share when no one was looking...the eyes and heads crunching were getting to me...I did eat all my beans and rice though...
Off we set for a big day of visiting different folks in this hot mountain range...we had a few stops along the way and finally we ended up a family´s home way out in the middle of no where...seems strange since we´re in nowhere already, but there are houses around this place was the only one for quite a while.
When we arrive, the man of the house asked if we were in a hurry, we weren´t so not knowing what he meant we hunkered down for a rest. So hot and dry. Draining our water and no sign of anyone, Archie suggested we go fill up our bottles. We arrive at the water source for this family to find a naked boy hurriedly dressing when he spots us...he just finished his bath and is finishing his duty of cleaning out the water hole. It is a fair size hole dug out of the rock to let the water come in. Very cool. They actually have a line running to their house too and have a somewhat clean gravity fed line. A novelty back here for sure!
As we are finishing filling up we hear distant screams from what sounds like a pig.
Sure enough we´re in for a treat...while we missed the actually pig killing, we arrived on scene to witness the final time of death...
For once it was our turn to stare! The afternoon was wittled away watching the man and his sons skin the pig and slice it up for our lunch. This was Christmas day and this would be a large event to kill and eat this pig as they would mostly live on rice and beans with the odd chicken...
Andrew got some cool picks of the pig slaughtering event, but missed the look on my face when I took my first bite and discovered I got a healthy portion of liver!!!
The meat was done with a local plant that is red...it gave it sort of a peppery flavour, but not too spicy...it wasn´t too bad if you got past the huge chunks of fat and liver etc.
We finally decided since we were eating in a seperate room from everyone else that I would be the one to make the run for a ziplock bag and deposit the unwanteds to take home for the dog...I just finished when the lady of the house returned to check on us!
Truly they were wonderful...I hope this blog isn´t seeming too complaining since we feel small that they are sharing food with us that clearly they need. It is simply to give an idea that life is very different than we know it to be.
We are greatful that they are so open and curious about us...they have only seen workers of course, so we are definitly a novelty here..I believe we are likely the only white people who they have ever seen...many of them have not even gone into a town nearby..only the little village of El Obraje where they would get a few items at the ¨store¨.
We were escorted out after a little meeting by one of the younger sons. It was dark when we made our way back home about 5 km over the decently rough terrain.
The people of the house felt sorry for me...it´s one of the few places I have received so much attention and sympathy! haha
Everyone is very concerned that Archie is going to have to carry us home because I have fainted from the heat, frail thing that I am!!!:)
Another meeting and off to bed.
Although we are Simply exhausted, a bath is much appreciated...now we know where the ´sardines¨ for brekky came from...the creek seems to be loaded...best not to think about it considering the garbage, animals, clothes etc that are washed in the creek.
Anyway we´re off before the rooster crows!
Adios!!!
Today we are in for a big day.
For our big send off we were asked if we like fish...well of course we love fish! But sardines for breakfast??? DEfinitely stretching my comfort zone here and it is one of many times I am thankful for my wonderful hubby who kindly took pity on me and finished up my share when no one was looking...the eyes and heads crunching were getting to me...I did eat all my beans and rice though...
Off we set for a big day of visiting different folks in this hot mountain range...we had a few stops along the way and finally we ended up a family´s home way out in the middle of no where...seems strange since we´re in nowhere already, but there are houses around this place was the only one for quite a while.
When we arrive, the man of the house asked if we were in a hurry, we weren´t so not knowing what he meant we hunkered down for a rest. So hot and dry. Draining our water and no sign of anyone, Archie suggested we go fill up our bottles. We arrive at the water source for this family to find a naked boy hurriedly dressing when he spots us...he just finished his bath and is finishing his duty of cleaning out the water hole. It is a fair size hole dug out of the rock to let the water come in. Very cool. They actually have a line running to their house too and have a somewhat clean gravity fed line. A novelty back here for sure!
As we are finishing filling up we hear distant screams from what sounds like a pig.
Sure enough we´re in for a treat...while we missed the actually pig killing, we arrived on scene to witness the final time of death...
For once it was our turn to stare! The afternoon was wittled away watching the man and his sons skin the pig and slice it up for our lunch. This was Christmas day and this would be a large event to kill and eat this pig as they would mostly live on rice and beans with the odd chicken...
Andrew got some cool picks of the pig slaughtering event, but missed the look on my face when I took my first bite and discovered I got a healthy portion of liver!!!
The meat was done with a local plant that is red...it gave it sort of a peppery flavour, but not too spicy...it wasn´t too bad if you got past the huge chunks of fat and liver etc.
We finally decided since we were eating in a seperate room from everyone else that I would be the one to make the run for a ziplock bag and deposit the unwanteds to take home for the dog...I just finished when the lady of the house returned to check on us!
Truly they were wonderful...I hope this blog isn´t seeming too complaining since we feel small that they are sharing food with us that clearly they need. It is simply to give an idea that life is very different than we know it to be.
We are greatful that they are so open and curious about us...they have only seen workers of course, so we are definitly a novelty here..I believe we are likely the only white people who they have ever seen...many of them have not even gone into a town nearby..only the little village of El Obraje where they would get a few items at the ¨store¨.
We were escorted out after a little meeting by one of the younger sons. It was dark when we made our way back home about 5 km over the decently rough terrain.
The people of the house felt sorry for me...it´s one of the few places I have received so much attention and sympathy! haha
Everyone is very concerned that Archie is going to have to carry us home because I have fainted from the heat, frail thing that I am!!!:)
Another meeting and off to bed.
Although we are Simply exhausted, a bath is much appreciated...now we know where the ´sardines¨ for brekky came from...the creek seems to be loaded...best not to think about it considering the garbage, animals, clothes etc that are washed in the creek.
Anyway we´re off before the rooster crows!
Adios!!!
Niquinomo
So it´s up early with the boys for a breakfast of porridge and eggs and ready to meet our truck at 8am for the ride out to Niquinomo where we are to meet an older couple and spend some time there for the day.
George the american shows up with a big diesel dodge ram with 14 people piled in the back with chairs and misc stuff...7 people in the front.
We travelled about 2 hours up over a smallish mountain with amazing views of volcanoes and lakes around...we picked up miscellaneous beings along the way and ended up on a road that was half dug out along the side of it, not sure whether they were building ditches or what the story was, but we pretty much were scraping the fence to avoid derailing. We arrived to an older poor couple´s farm and were welcomed in.
We were served a traditional Nica lunch of fried pork rinds, yucca, coleslaw and rice.
There were some animals kicking around that looked half dead...unbelievable the starvation! As the afternoon was quieting down, the young boy of the house appeared with a largish iguana for us to inspect...as Andrew was gearing up to take a picture after petting it, the boy suddenly got a rock and smashed the poor critters skull! Apparently it´s quite common as this would be supper for this family...we were a little surprised and Andrew actually got a picture of the fatal blow!
We were back to the batch iwth George doing the full round of drop offs and made plans to head to his coffee plantation for the next day!
Hope you are all well and safe!
George the american shows up with a big diesel dodge ram with 14 people piled in the back with chairs and misc stuff...7 people in the front.
We travelled about 2 hours up over a smallish mountain with amazing views of volcanoes and lakes around...we picked up miscellaneous beings along the way and ended up on a road that was half dug out along the side of it, not sure whether they were building ditches or what the story was, but we pretty much were scraping the fence to avoid derailing. We arrived to an older poor couple´s farm and were welcomed in.
We were served a traditional Nica lunch of fried pork rinds, yucca, coleslaw and rice.
There were some animals kicking around that looked half dead...unbelievable the starvation! As the afternoon was quieting down, the young boy of the house appeared with a largish iguana for us to inspect...as Andrew was gearing up to take a picture after petting it, the boy suddenly got a rock and smashed the poor critters skull! Apparently it´s quite common as this would be supper for this family...we were a little surprised and Andrew actually got a picture of the fatal blow!
We were back to the batch iwth George doing the full round of drop offs and made plans to head to his coffee plantation for the next day!
Hope you are all well and safe!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Managua!
This city of danger has 3 million people that are accounted for and who know how many more...
True to form, I miscalculated our departure time, thinking our return bus was 4pm, when it was 4am! So when we discovered this at noon yesterday, we realized we would be taking ¨local¨ transit...84 person capacity buses with 130 people at least plus luggage and people on the roof...hanging off the back door...¨no such thing as ¨full¨ down here!!!
Andrew was stoked of course for some local culture, but I just haven´t settled into this country the same way yet and was very apprehensive from the get go as the bus collectors were ripping my pack off my back before we´d even negociated a price...not a good start! Oh well as Andrew says...we´re not in Kansas anymore Toto¨ This has been the trip moto so far...
We actually secure a seat and we´re off to Rivas wheere we will connect to Managua.
Of course we are pounced on at arrival and finally one kind local points us in the correct direction to Managua...amongst the many telling us there is no bus, but the y will take us for the small price of $40usd (a $2us bus ride) tin Taxi.
As the bus finally arrives, we´re off and away, only the bus collector won´t give us our tickets when we pay...with a sinking feeling, I suspect trouble since everyone else has gotten there´s...after much ignoring we decide to chill and figure it out in Managua.
When we arrive our bags won´t be given to us until we pay basically our fare twice to him...so this cheaper local version ride has cost us much more than anticipated but we are happy to be away with our bags and getting the heck out of there!
We landed earlier than expected but were happy to wait for a few hours at Archie´s...safe and sound! We enjoyed our lovely Nica meal with ARchie and BEnito from the street for supper...plantin, beans, rice and chicken...Yum!
Thinking of you all and hope you are all well.
Cheerio
AnK
True to form, I miscalculated our departure time, thinking our return bus was 4pm, when it was 4am! So when we discovered this at noon yesterday, we realized we would be taking ¨local¨ transit...84 person capacity buses with 130 people at least plus luggage and people on the roof...hanging off the back door...¨no such thing as ¨full¨ down here!!!
Andrew was stoked of course for some local culture, but I just haven´t settled into this country the same way yet and was very apprehensive from the get go as the bus collectors were ripping my pack off my back before we´d even negociated a price...not a good start! Oh well as Andrew says...we´re not in Kansas anymore Toto¨ This has been the trip moto so far...
We actually secure a seat and we´re off to Rivas wheere we will connect to Managua.
Of course we are pounced on at arrival and finally one kind local points us in the correct direction to Managua...amongst the many telling us there is no bus, but the y will take us for the small price of $40usd (a $2us bus ride) tin Taxi.
As the bus finally arrives, we´re off and away, only the bus collector won´t give us our tickets when we pay...with a sinking feeling, I suspect trouble since everyone else has gotten there´s...after much ignoring we decide to chill and figure it out in Managua.
When we arrive our bags won´t be given to us until we pay basically our fare twice to him...so this cheaper local version ride has cost us much more than anticipated but we are happy to be away with our bags and getting the heck out of there!
We landed earlier than expected but were happy to wait for a few hours at Archie´s...safe and sound! We enjoyed our lovely Nica meal with ARchie and BEnito from the street for supper...plantin, beans, rice and chicken...Yum!
Thinking of you all and hope you are all well.
Cheerio
AnK
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS....
Well we have arrived...
It all started with a nice -30 send off and no taxis availble from Calgary. Bl I hope you found the car ok!
We landed in Managua Nicaragua on Thursday...All I did was go to the washroom before going through customs and when I came out, Andrew had made friends with everyone in the line up of course, bt one particular man was going on about how we were ¨personas¨ and how we need to stick together etc...he tells the custom agent we are with him...I still don´t know anything more than this and I am a tad frantic as they are searching his bags...then he´s shouting for us to wait for him, wait for him. But he appears to be a local. I´m an frantically trying to ask Andrew under my breath what on earth is happening...turns out he is a native Nicaraguan turned Canadian for the last 20 years! This kind man takes us to meet his family and they shoo us over to the truck and we pile in the back...¨personas¨ we stick together us Canadians and help each other out!
They give us curb side service to Huembes Market where he helps negociate some exchange money and off they go...leaving us grateful and somehwat exhausted from the ordeal!
Our bus is a ¨decent¨ greyhound type that takes us direct to
San Juan Del Sur. The ride is noisy, smelly as per expected...as we near San Juan, the collector on the bus pays a visit...from what we can make out he wants money for his friend...our white skin is becoming a detriment to us here already! One can hardly blame them, but htere is a certain unease that we haven´t felt before....
San Juan turns out to be a lovely tourist town, we have wonderful fish and chips and gringo food in the market across from our simple and barely clean hostel. We find out from the locals that the turltes aren´t here yet...maybe tomorrow...maybe tomorrow...it was still ¨maybe tomorrow¨ when we left...maybe we will try to get there again before we leave.
We did go to the Da flying frog canopy tour...17 platforms 2.5km of cable...not as exhiliarating as you would think, but beautiful views of this magnificent land scape...it was fun all the same and we flew down the mountain side in our harnesses and stylish helmets 300 feet above tree tops in record time!
Our couple of days in San Juan have come to a close...
It all started with a nice -30 send off and no taxis availble from Calgary. Bl I hope you found the car ok!
We landed in Managua Nicaragua on Thursday...All I did was go to the washroom before going through customs and when I came out, Andrew had made friends with everyone in the line up of course, bt one particular man was going on about how we were ¨personas¨ and how we need to stick together etc...he tells the custom agent we are with him...I still don´t know anything more than this and I am a tad frantic as they are searching his bags...then he´s shouting for us to wait for him, wait for him. But he appears to be a local. I´m an frantically trying to ask Andrew under my breath what on earth is happening...turns out he is a native Nicaraguan turned Canadian for the last 20 years! This kind man takes us to meet his family and they shoo us over to the truck and we pile in the back...¨personas¨ we stick together us Canadians and help each other out!
They give us curb side service to Huembes Market where he helps negociate some exchange money and off they go...leaving us grateful and somehwat exhausted from the ordeal!
Our bus is a ¨decent¨ greyhound type that takes us direct to
San Juan Del Sur. The ride is noisy, smelly as per expected...as we near San Juan, the collector on the bus pays a visit...from what we can make out he wants money for his friend...our white skin is becoming a detriment to us here already! One can hardly blame them, but htere is a certain unease that we haven´t felt before....
San Juan turns out to be a lovely tourist town, we have wonderful fish and chips and gringo food in the market across from our simple and barely clean hostel. We find out from the locals that the turltes aren´t here yet...maybe tomorrow...maybe tomorrow...it was still ¨maybe tomorrow¨ when we left...maybe we will try to get there again before we leave.
We did go to the Da flying frog canopy tour...17 platforms 2.5km of cable...not as exhiliarating as you would think, but beautiful views of this magnificent land scape...it was fun all the same and we flew down the mountain side in our harnesses and stylish helmets 300 feet above tree tops in record time!
Our couple of days in San Juan have come to a close...
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