Roundy bout

Trip Start Jan 30, 2008
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29
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Trip End Ongoing


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Flag of Nicaragua  ,
Wednesday, July 9, 2008

after we left esteli we drove to leon down a pothole strewn back road from the depths of hell (ok, so i was driving) we touched briefly inb leon (nice murals and some monuments to the war but not much else to distinguish it) and headed to los peñitas beach where we stayed at a restaurant recently built by a french canadian woman. there were some beautful waves but the weather didn´t behave itself much and the current was much to strong for safe swimming. from there we took the old delapedated back road to managua (see later blurb on asking for directions in latin america) luckily as managua no longer has a city centre and is just a horrible concrete sprawling mess the traffic wasn´t bad.

this was especially lucky because we had to drive right through the city where none of the streets were marked, the map wasn´t marked, and nothing was sign posted. i will always remember the tone of complete resignation in lindsey´s voice when, after driving through vicious latin lorry drivers down dodgy back roads for 2 hours she turned to me and said "oh fuck, we´re back where we started"

we drove on to masaya where there is a nice market and not much else Back on the Pacific coast, Las Penitas
Back on the Pacific coast, Las Penitas
 . we wandered around there for awhile, bought a couple of little things and failed to eat anything before continuing to granada.

here we had a tour of the nearest part of lake nicaragua and granada´s 364 isletas before eating a delicious meal and free camping at the restaurant. nice. today we´ve had a look at the city (photo essay to follow) and are now off for food and a quick walk up the world´s most accessable active volcano (you can drive right to the rim) hopefully photo to follow of that also. next we´re off to ometepe island and kyacking through a waterfall to a pirate cove!

on asking latin americans for directions (generaly holds true)
"where is the bank/supermarket/road out of town" you ask
your host will then look at you as if you had 3 heads point vaguely over their shoulder and say "over there"
"but how do i get there"
you will then be told to "go left down the street, turn right, go straight on for three blocks and ask someone else"
repeat this process until you buy a map or accidentally find the thing

alternative answer "there isn´t one" (means more than one block away)

ps. also never ask "is it far to walk" one lady in xela told us the mall was too far to walk (it was around the corner on the next street)
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