Managua – A dream shattered

For those that don’t know, Nicaragua was George Bush snr’s Iraq of sorts.

He pervaded influence in the region sometime in the eightees and things have never been the same since.

Alone
When you walk around Managua there is evidence of the beginnings of something, grand structures, wide tree lined boulevards, totems, monuments etc.

When I walked down here I was alone, completely, not a car, not a person in sight.

I imagine this was built as a symbol of the new Nicaragua, a Nicaragua which was never given the chance to develop.

US sponsored terrorism
Unlike Iraq, Nicaragua was a state where the US sponsored terror. Beheadings, ritual rape, food and water poisoning other general nastieness.
The US sponsored Contra Rebels never actually won a fight with the then Government troops and the battle was brought to the people, quite literally.

Hello Nicaragua

Have moved on to Costa Ricas northern Neighbour – Nicaragua.

Also moving a timezone and unexpected time calculations has meant that I have been allowed to spend an additional night in Nicaragua’s capital – Managua.

An unwanted blessing, after having change thrown in my face by one of the shopkeepers in the name of the Nicaraguan people.

Still, don’t let that put you off, it’s time for a wander round town.

Con Job

Have been robbed for the third time on this holiday.

rob #1
rob #2

Robbery #3
Travelling from San Ramone to Costa Rica´s capital San Jose.

The set up
Girl comes to sit next to me from the front of the bus.
Think nothing of it.
I am a good looking bloke..

After normal girly wriggling, girl goes to sleep waking up just as the bus is approaching San Jose bus station.

The sting
Pulling into bus station in San Jose.

Bus is alighting, people are standing ready to get off.

Money is heard bouncing on the floor under seat, girl turns around looking for her dropped coin.

I allow the girl under my seat to look for it.

Two onlookers gather and gesticulate that I should move to let her find it.

I look for the coin myself, I can’t see anything, but let the girl look again, this time standing off the floor completely on my seat.

The onlookers, an old man, and a youngish man, gesticulate that I should come out of there completely.

Having had no luck myself, I let the girl go about her business grovelling on the floor..

This I do moving out into the isle and sideways into an empty seating bay.

We watch the girl look for her coins.

Old man trys to push past me, which I think is stange.

a) because he is old.
b) because there is not really anywhere to go because the girl and I make up pretty much the full breadth of the isle.

I won’t move.

He has to struggle past.

I become aware of a movement in back pocket around the wallet region, turn to see younger bloke turn away.

Missing coin issue is rapidly cleared up, girl thanks me and walks off.

The realisation
20 minutes down the road its raining, I go to catch a taxi and realise that the cash in my front pocket has been stolen.

About 20,000 collons. Just over 20 quid.

The trick

Trapping you in the isle

whilst

Getting you to watch the girl find the money

then

letting the old man past, getting you to turn to a different postion allowing access to more pockets.

Had I turned to face the front and let that old man past, I would now be minus a wallet rather than just 20 quid.

Very clever.

The moral

When girls come and sit next to you on a bus, it is likely she is after your money.

Baths at La Fortuna

Not forgetting the baths @ La Fortuna, Baldi Baths.
Apart from Caño, this is perhaps one of the coolest things to do ala La Fortuna.

Hot Bath
Volcanically heated, the bar staff will provide free beer if you manage to stay in the hottest pool for longer than 20 seconds.

They recon its over 100 degrees, one guy said 400 (Canadian), but I managed to get a foot in there and not remove a stump.

There are another 11 pools and a series of winding pathways, lamp lit and paved to keep you wandering round.

Best pools
I thought the smelly ones round the bottom were best.

Although you might venture up to the top area where there is a better view of the volcanous mountain and the odd lava flow.

The bar
Barman didn’t know what a Mojhito was, then didn’t want to bother so I left it.