January 25-February 2: Matagalpa, Nicaragua
Trip Start
Jan 13, 2009
1
9
26
Trip End
Apr 09, 2009
Matagalpa,
Nicaragua
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
(Jan. 29) Took a day trip up to a town called Jinotega. Pretty uneventful except that we found flipflops for Joel (he has lost 2 pairs already to bus rides) and some less greasy enchiladas (which in Nicaragua are actually more like tacos). Not much to see there but good to get out.
(Feb. 1) Watched the Superbowl in the common area of our hostel. Bought a big pizza (155 cordobas, about $8) but it was way undercooked and somewhat of a disappointment. Joseph wanted the Cardinals to win, but at least it was a good game.
We had been trying to figure out what Andrea could take to prevent malaria instead of hydroxychloroquine (to which she is allergic). We then realized that 14 American doctors had just arrived and would be staying in our hostel - what a lucky break! One of them recommended doxycycline, which looks to be working out well. We also confirmed that, for Joseph, Joel and I, the hydroxychloroquine would work just as well as pure chloroquine (pure chloroquine is listed everywhere as what to take in Central America, but at the pharmacies in Panama they only had hydroxychloroquine).
(Feb. 2) Got Joel a haircut for about $4 that turned out to be amazing. A little old guy who was really more of an artist than a barber spent about 45 minutes carefully shaping his coiffe, razor shaving his neck and lightly applying baby powder to top it off.
Bought 1 lb. of the coffee that they have in our hostel for just $1. It is made on the owner's finca (plantation) and only consumed by the people on the farm and the hostel guests.
(Feb. 3) Left on the 6 am bus to León. Will really miss Matagalpa and the nice people but had run out of things to do...
