Esteli, Twas the night before Christmas
Trip Start
Dec 02, 2008
1
12
39
Trip End
Feb 07, 2009
Esteli,
Nicaragua
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Some guy appeared out of the crowd and said where are you going? I replied, Esteli! He echoed Esteli, grabbed my bag and off he went, I was close behind. He did a lateral with the bag to another guy, I was still covering him closely, someone else made a hand sign to me pointing at his eye and then to my bag. I was already all over it. I got the bag back at the front door to the bus, avoiding the I will take it to the back door of the bus for you routine. We boarded and secured our bags in full view overhead. While we were sitting there relived, the local sales people were boarding from the front carrying all sorts of food and drink with them. Yelling out the contents of their baskets and bottles.People kept boarding. One guy got on with his chicken.
I asked a local, Esta Autobus a Esteli? He said No. Some one else said yes. I found out as the bus was pulling out at 12 sharp, that we had boarded an ORDINARIO, not an EXPRESSO. Well we left 45 minutes ahead of the expresso and finally got to Esteli after a transfer about 30 minutes after the expresso. Seems we took the back road, a very bad back road through San Isidro. Slow going, lots of folks onboard, and seemed to stop every quarter of a mile for anyone and anything.
Typical Ordinario
When folks got off, they we frequently met with someone on horseback who had an empty hose for them to ride outta there. We rode up hill almost all the time. There weather cooled and a breeze came. The weather was much more agreeable up here in the mountains! We arrived a bit late at the Esteli Bus Terminal, and took a van to town. We looked at a cheap place and found it wanting in the bed quality and sanitary department. The place we wanted was closed for the next two days. Navidad. We wandered around town and took a few photos of the church, the boot shiners, and several of the murals this town is known for.
We were forced to move up to the Hotel Los Arcos. Nice place, breakfast included $40 US. we went out to dinner. Most of the restaurants were in the process of closing. Walking around the main square, we could see the church all lit up, people moving everywhere, heading to their family festivities. They celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve down here. We found Esteli much cleaner than Leon. They do not throw their trash out on the street and the result is marvelous. WE tried the local fried chicken shop, closing, the main restaurant was closed.
Then we spotted a Bar Restaurant on a side street called Las Brasas (the Arms). There was a small bar, it was smoky inside, we took a seat near the door so we could breathe better. There were only single males in there 3-4 behind me. Barb said one was glaring at us. I was hungry. We ordered, and then I began to look around. There was a hallway going back into the bar. I got up walked back and there was a black light room with blacklight posters on the wall. Further on there was a larger, but even darker room with several couples sitting alone, no groups. then more rooms in the back. I wandered back toward the bar and a waiter from the bar asked why I had come to Las Brasas. I said I was new in town and had found all the restaurants closed for Christmas. He nodded understandingly. I went back out and sat down with Barb, and actually took a few pis in the Bar Area. Now another guy was looking quite disturbed. Go figure, I thought. I was waiting for my filete of beef in jalapeno sauce.
The food came, and we realized this place was really not all about food. While my steak was acceptable, the rice was old and cold. Just ten a young person (boy or girl?) stuck their head into a window that opened into the bartenderīs area. They screamed their head off in rapid fire Spanish. I missed it all. Then just after the screaming ended, It erupted again, and this time at the end of the screaming, I made out the woods (casa de Puta!) . The bartenders jumped up and tried to take a swipe at the screamer, But the kid got away. So Barb and I were somewhat gratified that we did indeed take the seat next to the door, and we will always remember our Christmas Eve dinner at the whorehouse. No wonder the guy was pissed as I shot photos of him there on Christmas Eve!
Comments
Merry Christmas!!!
Or as they say where you are: Feliz Navidad!!!
K & D
!
A whore house? How shocking! Some of these rustic pictures remind us of rural Portugal 30 years ago. Peaceful and quaint.
Don & janis