6.15.2005
In Nicaragua
Just arrived in sweltering Managua after an all-day bus trip from San Jose. My friend and I took the "luxury" bus from San Jose (Tica Bus). The advantages to this ride was air conditioning, which convenient broke down some 20km from the Nicaraguan border.
We arrived at the border and were confronted by some enterprising money changers. I was changing 20,000 colones (about $45) and got ripped off as the young Tico made off with about a $10 profit. My friend was the unfortunate victim of a larger swindle, having been given 1060 cordobas instead of the 1600 he should have received after changing $100. The two youngsters who ripped us off conveniently disappeared once we realized what had happened. I guess the bus drivers were in cahoots since we were mentally and physically exhausted from the hot and humid bus ride.
Upon arrival in Managua, we were escorted to our hotel by what must have been a 14 year old boy and a feeble, older man who was probably in his 40s but looked around 60. I asked him if he was a Sandinista and he promptly replied, "100 percent." He showed me scars from his three gunshot wounds and told of his detainment and torture at the hands of the National Guard: "They put a bag over my head, then shocked me in a puddle of water." Recalling the July 1979 revolutionary triumph, he pointed to his bony arm and showed me his goosebumps. On Reagan: "Malo, malo, malo, malo..."
Should be an interesting four days...
We arrived at the border and were confronted by some enterprising money changers. I was changing 20,000 colones (about $45) and got ripped off as the young Tico made off with about a $10 profit. My friend was the unfortunate victim of a larger swindle, having been given 1060 cordobas instead of the 1600 he should have received after changing $100. The two youngsters who ripped us off conveniently disappeared once we realized what had happened. I guess the bus drivers were in cahoots since we were mentally and physically exhausted from the hot and humid bus ride.
Upon arrival in Managua, we were escorted to our hotel by what must have been a 14 year old boy and a feeble, older man who was probably in his 40s but looked around 60. I asked him if he was a Sandinista and he promptly replied, "100 percent." He showed me scars from his three gunshot wounds and told of his detainment and torture at the hands of the National Guard: "They put a bag over my head, then shocked me in a puddle of water." Recalling the July 1979 revolutionary triumph, he pointed to his bony arm and showed me his goosebumps. On Reagan: "Malo, malo, malo, malo..."
Should be an interesting four days...
# posted by Juanson : 8:37 PM
