Last night in San José and passage to Guatemala

In San José when one is attempting to locate an address, it is something very different than what we have experienced in any other locale. Instead of having street names and numbers, one depends upon metes and bounds in order to identify and locate a desired location. An example would be that given to us by Daniela for our restaurant and meeting place our last night in Costa Rica. The name of the restaurant is Antologias and the written directions which mean absolutely nothing to a foreigner or stranger to the city were as follows: San Rafael Arriba de Desamparados, del Maxi Bodegas, como 1 km, mano izquierda. Fortunately for us Daniela wisely gave us her mobile phone number which I had along with me just in case those directions failed to connect with our taxi driver.

Since we were four who were going to meet Daniela and Gustavo at the restaurant, we took a taxi instead of having them pick us up in their vehicle. I first tried the directions on the front desk folks at the TICA hotel and they said that any driver should be able to find the restaurant. When we hopped into a cab outside the hotel, I gave him the written directions and he nodded his head in accord. We began our ride which the front desk told us should take no longer than 15 or 20 minutes and were still riding on one crowded street after another until we found ourselves at a stop light. The driver asked to look once again at the directions and I suggested that he call Daniela to find more specifics. He did and took a left turn at the light and continued three blocks to our exact location. We settled with him for our ride and he handed me his card and suggested that we could call him if we needed a return lift. 

We entered the 80-something year-old home converted to a restaurant/bar. An interesting place indeed. It was filled with vintage vehicles which were situated adjacent to the tables and chairs for diners. Daniela found us immediately and showed us where she and Gustavo were seated. We were the only ones in a fairly large room and a Chevrolet Corvair was parked immediately next to our table. We made introductions between Don/Nance and Daniela/Gustavo and then settled down into catching up with them and ordering beverages and platos fuertes (real food) for our group. Daniela suggested a plate something like un poco de todo (a little of everything) which we agreed upon and had a pretty good sampling of what this establishment had to offer.

When we had finished visiting and eating our meal, we decided to clear the table and play a round of Five Crowns. We knew from previous experience that both Daniela and Gustavo were fairly competitive while playing games and perhaps even in real life so we were in for a serious game. We continued to play and had coffee/tea while visiting. I cannot recall who won but Daniela and Gustavo quickly got the drift of the game and when we finished, I gave them the game for them to have more practice when we next see them. We bid brother and sister good-bye and invited them to come to the USA in order to visit us. With a loud whistle, Gustavo summoned a taxi for us and we were soon headed for the TICA hotel (at approximately 10:20 p.m.) for our last night of slumber in Costa Rica. Interestingly, even on a Friday night with streets still somewhat congested, we made it back in half the time and three-quarters of the price charged by the driver of our outbound leg to the restaurant. Perhaps the TICA bus terminal was a better known site for the new driver, I do not know. 

According to John, he found sleep almost immediately upon situating himself in a position horizontal with the floor and ceiling overhead. As well, I was sleeping probably within a minute or two of pulling the sheet and quilt over my body. 

We awakened early and were going to treat ourselves to a buffet breakfast at one of the large hotels in the city. We headed towards the Coca-Cola bus terminal and then walked with speed nearly a mile to the Holiday Inn Express where we thought we would be feeding our faces on the last morning in the city. Not to be. Oh, it could have been but neither of us thought USD15/each was a reasonable exchange considering our appetites demanded only USD3 or 4! It was easy to walk away from the well-stocked buffet table and waddle without nourishment the mile or so back to the area of our TICA hotel. We found a small pastry and breakfast shop where each of us opted for a beverage and side of our choice which ended up costing the USD3 or 4. Thank-you very much!

Then back to the hotel to ensure that Don and Nance were not slumbering past the 8:00 o'clock time of rising. I knocked at the door and found that they were ready for the day. They had greeted the dawn with wellness and happiness and were now making ready for the day which would include a flight to Orlando.

I had made arrangements with a taxi driver the day before for a 10:00 o'clock pickup at the hotel. We shook hands and so when I heard a knock at our door at 9:30, I figured Don and Nance were giving me the half-hour warning. Not so, the driver was there chomping at the bit for our next small leg of the journey. I told him while holding my left hand about face height and pinching my thumb with my index finger "diez minutos, más o menos" (ten minutes, more or less). He nodded and we were all down in the lobby with our bags and acquisitions by 10 minutes before the hour of 10. We loaded our items and ourselves into the waiting red taxi and began our approximately 20 minute ride to the airport.

We exited the taxi, paid USD30 and entered the lobby where we paid the USD26 exit tax each and headed for our airline check-in counter. Don and Nance found theirs before we did ours. They were to fly Jet Blue to Orlando and we were flying TACA (code share with LACSA) to Guatemala via San Salvador. When John booked our flight the fares listed for the clase ejecutiva (business class) were less by an amazing amount than what coach class was so we flew in the front section of the aircraft instead of the rear. Lucky for us as there was more than adequate space for us and we were treated to a meal and drinks (in which we did not imbibe).

We all went through security and visited briefly before we went to the area of our boarding. Don and Nance roamed about looking at the Britt coffee shops and perhaps the opportunity to catch something for breakfast. Their flight was scheduled to depart about one hour after ours so they came to our boarding area to bid us good-bye. Before long our flight was called, we bid adieu and boarded our flight.

Our first leg was 1 hour, 36 minutes from Costa Rica to El Salvador and our second leg was only 35 minutes from El Salvador to Guatemala. Quite a contrast to the hours we spend riding in buses at speeds averaging perhaps around 45 or 50 miles per hour at best. I like both modes of transport and will gladly repeat both of them again sometime.

We arrived in the capital and quickly gathered our things and headed for immigration and customs. We were waved through without any hesitation and were outside the terminal in minutes. We found the shuttle and seated ourselves. The wait for other passengers was perhaps 20 minutes and soon we were headed for our second home. 

I told the driver where we lived and about half way between Guatemala and Antigua he turned around and told me that because of Semana Santa (holy week) activities the highways were clogged so he would be taking an alternate route to Antigua. It was the first time we had traveled via El Hato a small aldea (village) just outside Antigua. And, what a view! One of the most impressive I believe I have seen in Guatemala. The scenery apparently quieted the fellow passengers because they seemed stunned with the beauty as were both of us.

We pulled right up to the front gate of Casa Philippi at 7 Calle de Rubio, unloaded our things and entered the gate where both of the dogs were ecstatic about our return. Sandy with her new ball and Chico nudging up for attention. 

So, we were home and I called Don and Nance and found that they had arrived also in Florida. 

This ends our recent trekking experience. Now we have approximately two and one-half weeks remaining until we too will be packing our things and heading northward to our other home.

From Jacó to San José and in the capital

We slept our last night on the beach. Well, not on the beach but you get the drift. I could hear the pounding of the waves. A very comforting sound which lulls one to sleep to be sure. We awakened to a beautiful day with full sunlight and even the resident feline came up to the apartment for a call. She had slipped in once before and I was careful to not let her in again as she is prone to exit on her own terms and there were numerous hiding places she could find on her way out.

We tried to contact David and Pam but their mobile phone was not answered so we decided to just get our things ready for our last bus trip on this itinerary from the lower altitude to the capital city. But soon there was a knock at the door and David was ready to come in for a morning visit and some coffee. Pam joined us later at the Soda Jacó Rústico restaurant for breakfast. Typical Costa Rican food is served there at a very economical price. Once can get Gallo Pinto (a mixture of rice and beans) along with eggs, tortillas, fresh fruit and other assorted breakfast items.

We returned to our hotel Girasol (sunflower), paid our bill for the three nights and packed our personal belongings for our next leg of the journey. But before we departed, there was time for one more game of Five Crowns. We gave David insufficient information concerning the game and he did poorly for one or two rounds until he got the drift and was doing very nicely.

Our time of check-out in the hotel was noon so just minutes before noon we bumped down the stairs with our things, gave the key to the gardener and walked out to the main road where we hailed a taxi. We said our good-byes to David and Pam and headed about one mile to the area where our bus would soon arrive. There was no lobby area for waiting so outside on the curb was where three of us plopped ourselves down on our behinds. I waddled across the street to the Best Western and found a breezy and cool portion of the outside common area where I waited until just minutes before our report time of 12:45 p.m.

So, I walked over again and found the remaining three still on the curbside. And within about five minutes our coach pulled up beside us. There were a couple of dozen others who had booked their tickets for passage to the city as well. At 12:55 the bus door opened and we filed in to our appointed areas on the motor coach. John spread himself out on two seats, I sat directly behind him and Don and Nance sat just across from me. 

On our trip back to the capital, the bus slowly and steadily climbed from the heat and humidity of the beach up to the highlands. We noticed the vast difference in lack of humidity and a drop in temperature within one hour of the two hour, 20 minute return trip. It was wonderful. Windows were open as there was no air conditioning on this run. The curtains flapped and the tails of some of the window coverings flopped outside of the moving bus. We made many stops to discharge passengers and engage new fares. Almost all seats were filled. One passenger even sat in the aisle until another passenger finally exited and provided room for her.

We traveled over some very gorgeous areas of this country. Vast ranges of mountains covered with verdant life were visible all around us. 

We finally did arrive at the Coca-Cola terminal from which we had departed just three days before. We exited, collected all of our personal items and headed the four blocks to the TICA bus hotel. Our rooms were awaiting our company. We checked in and headed for our rooms. The surprise is, there was no surprise as we had stayed here before. We cleaned up and exchanged sweaty and moist clothing for dry, clean rags. Then we convinced Don and Nance to join us for supper at Wendy's for our supper. John reported that we may have paid 16 dollars for our two suppers. We figured that the prices here are not inexpensive when compared to other Central American countries. US dollars are acceptable here along with their official currency, the Colón. In Nicaragua US dollars were accepted and in El Salvador, the US dollar is their official currency. The exchange rate for the dollar here in Costa Rica is 520 to one USD.

We slept wonderfully and John and I awakened and were out of our rooms this morning around 7. We walked and scouted our area of town so that we could pretend to be seasoned guides just an hour or two later when we would be leading Don and Nance out into the wicked city. We walked as far as the Gran Hotel de Costa Rica and found that their buffet breakfast went for USD16 each. We nixed that and walked about 40 yards to McDonald's where we dined in style in open air for a fraction of that amount. On our return we spotted a large market about the size of a city block square. It appeared that locals frequented the area perhaps more than tourists but it did have a good selection of items for sale. Oh, we both enjoyed our vittles along with tea and coffee at McDs!!

We walked back to the hotel but on the way bought some apple strudel pastries for Don and Nance. Stopped down in the lobby and purchased two coffees and a bottle of OJ for them. Delivered the goods to their door and told them we were ready to take them out when they came knocking at our door. 

We relaxed a bit and soon we were summonsed by Don and Nance. We began our walk up the main street which soon turned into a walking street. We found the market and spent some time therein and continued on the walking street. When we had been out for about an hour, it was time to refresh so we headed for the hotel El Presidente. Seated ourselves in the lobby and were served coffee, tea and coconut macaroons. It was a time for potty break then too for some of the group.

We continued on our journey up the walking street which now had turned into a vehicular street once again. I asked a newspaper vendor what was up ahead and he told me the national museum was there was also a tourist market specializing in items from Costa Rica, Panamá, Guatemala, Nicaragua and perhaps other surrounding countries. This market was filled with English-speaking, white-skinned folks milling about doing more window shopping that actual trading efectivo (cash) for goods. After a swing through the long market, we hailed a cab and told him we wanted to return to our hotel. He took us there for about USD4.10.

We both signed up for another night in the hotel and now the price had fallen from US37 per room to US34. I do not know why the difference but that is pretty snazzy when one considers a/c, full private bath, TV and Internet.

Don came knocking on the door and wondered if I would go along with him to a leather place just about a block distant from the hotel. His belt was worn and he was wondering about a replacement. Although there were many stands with belts in the market, none carried a belt sufficiently thin to be attached to his buckle. We stopped at the first shop and although the lady assured us it could be done in a day, it would not be quite enough time to complete before we needed to be in a taxi tomorrow for the airport. I then asked her if she would recommend a shop or person who might be able to help us. She told me to go to the shop across the street. This we did and found a person who assured us he could have a belt made to order and that it would be done by 3 sharp today. Figuring that it was already 1:10, that seemed a great turn around to me. Almost too good to be true. We talked about stitching which Don did not want and color and then finally the price. He had been quoted USD7 for such a belt in Guatemala but it would have taken longer than the time he had allocated before we were going to begin our journey out of Guatemala. Here we were quoted USD20 or Costa Rican C10,000. Don asked me to ask the man if he would be willing to accept USD15 but he was unwilling to negotiate the price and did not meet us in the middle. Don finally decided to go with the USD20 and a receipt was drawn up and we departed the shop. Before we did though I asked the man if he was referring to Guatemala time or Costa Rican time. He retorted that it would be ready for pickup at 3 sharp!

When we returned to the hotel, I received word from Daniela who with her brother will be meeting us tonight at a local restaurant. We will meet them there later tonight as Daniela is in school until around 7 this evening. I will have a report on the next posting regarding our meeting with our Tico (Costa Rican) friends Gustavo and Daniela. I will also be able to give you a report on the belt.

In Jacó with David and Pam

David and Pam have taken time off this week to be available to us. We have had a great time learning to know of and about their adopted hometown. They had plans also to take us out of the area to points of interest some of which were at higher elevations and thus cooler and perhaps less humid than their hometown. We opted to stay put considering the time we had spent during the past seven to ten days on the road in buses and cars. And also considering the short length of time we would be spending here. We think that our choice was good.

We are situated in a hotel which abuts the gorgeous sea shore and beach. The waves pound in a wonderfully rhythmic manner which almost mesmerizes me while I sit out on the balcony each morning. The toucans fly overhead and chant their unique songs. The other birds have a special time early in the day when they perform their morning chorus. Too bad you are not hear to experience the harmony and lack of discord. It is good for both the spirit and soul.

The means of transportation for David and Pam would be bikes. As myriads of other ex-pats and North American visitors seem to do, walking and biking appears to be the most popular method of moving from one place to another in town. There are taxis here and they are available at very low metered rates. But, more often than not one will see folks wander about with a surfboard, clad only in the scantiest of coverings. It is hot and humid here. It would match the weather in the hottest part of the year in New Orleans or San Antonio. Or, for that matter anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Many folks do not refrigerate the air in their homes and some even operate without fans overhead. I do not know how they adjust to this discomfort but they seem to do so. Even the dogs lie very near the ground and their very bones seem to flatten out on the earth. Nobody ambulates very swiftly here.

Pam has cooked for us no less than two times at their home. The first night she served us some very delicious grilled tuna with a ginger/pepper seasoning. There were wonderful fresh green beans and other vegetables served julienne style. She accented them with a wonderful sauce using a soy base. The starch for our meal was cooked white rice. Watermelon was served for dessert. The second time we were invited over to their home we enjoyed an old family favorite (at least of the Swansons). She stirred up two batches of Swedish pancakes. She offered syrup, two or three types of fresh fruit, butter and all of the fixings. We enjoyed our breakfast out on their patio overlooking the gorgeous garden and pool just below their balcony. Life is rough, my friends. Yes, it is!

Today we have spent much of the day visiting and catching up. John and I found a great restaurant called Brown Box. We enjoyed our second meal of the day there by ordering and consuming paninis. We thought when we first entered that we would order something sweet after the sandwiches but there was no room in the pansa (stomach). Instead, I ordered two cinnamon/caramel rolls to go for us to share in the morning with coffee and tea. I also asked for una caja para llevar (a take-away box) for one-half of my sandwich which I could not eat. Do not get me wrong, it was a fantastic offering but it was just too much! A score of 8.9 on a scale of 10. The salad served on the side was also superb: heirloom tomatoes thickly sliced with cubes of feta, sunflower seeds, balsamic vinegar/oil, salt and pepper. Yummy!

This afternoon Pam rode her bike several miles to the area where tickets are sold for the bus ride back to the capital tomorrow. John requested two seats as he was cramped on the outbound leg of the trip. Tomorrow he should be sufficiently comfortable. Our departure time is around 1 in the afternoon and the ride to the capital is approximately two hours and 15 minutes.

We will be staying at the TICA hotel just about four blocks distant from where our bus should arrive tomorrow. This will be our parking place for the next two nights leading up to our flights to the USA and back to Guatemala on Saturday. While we are in San José, we have plans to connect with our new-found friends who are Tico (nick-name for those born in Costa Rica) living in the capital city. Daniela and Gustavo (brother and sister) enjoy practicing their English and we our Spanish. They also enjoy the card games we brought along and one that we will introduce to them on Friday - Five Crowns. We met them when John and I were touring in Belize about one month ago. We look forward to seeing them again.

So, tonight is our final night here on the beach and tomorrow we will be heading for a higher elevation, cooler temperatures and far less humidity. Yea!!!!

Passage to and arrival in Jacó

San José is situated in an elevated position in the country of Costa Rica. At just over 3,800 feet in elevation, the capital city enjoys a far more comfortable temperature and weather pattern than do Managua, Granada or the city we would soon be traveling to on our final leg of our southbound journey.  Good evidence of that was seen when we peeked outside of our hotel room in the morning. Pedestrians were wearing sweaters and jackets instead of only t-shirts and shorts as had been the case in Granada just a day or two before. Nice change to be certain. And a very comfortable difference for us.

John and I got up and headed out for a light bite for breakfast while Don and Nance were still slumbering in their bed. We decided to go out and purchase tickets for the bus ride to the city where we would connect with our friends David and Pam. We walked just a few short blocks to a commercial multi-level building in which there was a food court situated on second level. We found a bakery of sorts which had something that interested us. We ordered sweet bread together with coffee and tea and directed the vittles and libations to an area for storage and processing about two feet below our mouths. It was interesting watching working folks scurry about and catching a little nourishment also there.

We walked just a block or so more and found both the bus station and the place where they vended tickets for our route. We paid the equivalent of USD4.50 each for our passages scheduled at 11 that morning. Depending upon traffic or construction delays, our travel time should take no more than two and one-half hours to cover the sixty-one miles between the two cities.

We returned to the hotel and purchased coffee and two orejas (elephant ears) for Don and Nance and took them up to their room. Then we packed and got ready for our on-going adventure.

At 10:30 we began the four-block hike with our luggage to the Coca-Cola terminal from which area our bus would be departing. We waited with dozens of others for our bus which did show up around 10 minutes before departure time. We were assigned seats and the bus was soon loaded with few if any spare seats. Most of the buses we had used were comfortable to very comfortable. This one was crowded and left precious little arm and hip room to spare. It reminded us of the stingy way that all of the North American airlines had chosen to configure their airplane seats. More bang for the buck. But, on the other side of the coin, the seats on all of the long distance buses here are measurably comfortable than any airline seat that has been assigned to me for years. Apparently the bus companies are not restricted by weight as are the airlines. But, the airline companies could learn an important lesson I believe.

The trip passed from a high central plain toward a lower elevated area making almost a constant descent towards the sea coast. The bus had no air conditioning which made little difference at the inception of our journey but became increasingly an issue as we progressed. Windows began to be slid open and window shades began to flutter in the breeze. About three-quarters of the way to our destination, the rains began to fall and most of the windows were either shut completely or to just within a crack to allow some ventilation in the bus. It was not uncomfortable since the rains had served to moderate the temperature.

We had been given instructions by David and Pam to call them when we knew our arrival time. We did that a couple of times but their mobile phone was unanswered. But Pam had given us excellent instructions about what to do upon arrival and about our specific arrival stop. Additionally, she had made reservations for us at a hotel and had given us the name of it. So, when we pulled into the parada (bus stop), we exited and collected our luggage and headed five or ten feet to a small bakery. Yes, we did stop and yes, we did purchase and consume. More sweets with coffee and tea. And, yes, they were pretty good - far above 6 on a scale of 10! We waited until 2 and then John and I told Don and Nance that we would go out scouting for our hotel which we did. We walked about four blocks to find the hotel, the Girasol (Sunflower). We talked with the front desk and told them we would be back soon to occupy.

We returned to the bakery but before we walked into the eating area, we spied David riding his bike. We gave him the Swanson hoot and there was immediate recognition. So, we connected with him, collected our things and walked over with Don and Nance to the hotel for check-in. 

This area is very laid-back and the front desk appeared to be disinterested in taking any credit card or personal information. We still have done nothing to memorialize our presence. I suspect we could bolt and there would still be nothing done! 

We were assigned to a unit which sleeps four. Many residents of the hotel and of homes in the area depend on no a/c and some even survive on no fans. Sorry, folks....that is not for me nor will it ever be when I visit or find myself in a place in the world where it is both hot and humid. The temperatures here reach into the 90s easily this time of year and the humidity can reach that percentage also. That duet is not an admirable combination for me. Of course, many of the locals are clad in skimpy swim suits without any covering on the tops except for the ladies of course who are covered. It is hot and moist here when one is outside there is always presence of perspiration on every square inch of one's body. For those of you who have visited New Orleans in the summer time or Cartagena, Colombia, you know what I am talking about. But, for those who worship the beach and the sun and find themselves in the ocean or in their swimming pools for the majority of the time, it is a fantastic place.

A very interesting and beautiful place to be sure with loads of exotic birds, palm trees and ex-pats. There is no need to know one word of Spanish here as I have found no areas where English is not spoken or understood. If I were interested in improvement in Spanish, this would not be the place for me.

More about Jacó and about David and Pam in the next blog entry.

Passage from Managua to San Jose - Nicaragua to Costa Rica

The car attendant dropped us at TICA bus and we bid him goodbye with thanks. We entered a more crowded terminal than before and checked in for our next leg of the journey. That was done quickly and we found the waiting room. We were given customs and immigration forms to fill out in the waiting area because we would be crossing from Nicaragua to Costa Rica. Soon it was the appointed time for loading the bus and we filed up the stairs and back to our assigned seats for the next leg of our journey. This segment was scheduled to begin at noon and the expected arrival time in the capital of Costa Rica was between 9 and 10 p.m. Based upon the expected arrival times on the previous leg, we were not hopeful that we would make it at the first time and even not for the second.

We began our journey on a very full bus and any empty seats were soon filled by successive stops along the highway. We continued on our journey for two or three hours and came to the frontier between the two countries. There were formalities that we had to do both in leaving one country and entering the next. This was the first time that we would have to queue up for immigration in any country since leaving Guatemala. There were several lines. I selected the first one and John, Don and Nance selected the next one. I got through without any problem but each of the others was asked to provide evidence of a return ticket after entering Costa Rica. I suspect my attendant was just forgetting to follow his checklist in dealing with the foreigners.

We were soon on the bus again but before gaining speed on the highway we were sent through a mechanism that appeared to be much like a spray wash for cars. Apparently Costa Rica did not want any unwanted bugs or germs from where we had been.

The journey continued during daylight hours and into the dark of night. The highways were better here in Costa Rica and did not have as much pedestrian traffic or local bus services starting and stopping frequently ahead of us. But my estimate for speed might have been a good solid average of 45 mph due to two-lane roads and cautious drivers. I did not have much hope for an early arrival in San Jose but when we approached the city lights and finally arrived within sight of the TICA bus station, I was encouraged. Our coach pulled into the station at precisely 9:12 p.m.

We had enjoyed a more than adequate stay at the TICA hotel in the previous city and made reservations for our first night in San Jose. We checked into the front desk and enjoyed yet another night thanks to TICA bus. Tomorrow we would make arrangements for the final outbound leg of our journey south. Onward to Jacó where our friends David and Pam live and work. Tomorrow will be a new day!

In Nicaragua - from Managua to Granada and back

After a wonderful night's rest, John and I arose and contacted the front desk for information on reaching the car rental office. An attendant took us out to the TICA bus lobby and found a taxi driver who knew where we needed to go. Well, he said he knew where we could find Hertz but after two or three attempts, it was apparent that he had an unclear understanding and was unable to locate the rental agency. The third attempt was at the Crowne Plaza where there was a sign indicating that Hertz cars were available there. So, after two false starts, we arrived at a place with promise.

We paid our driver and walked into the lobby and were directed to a small office. We walked in and found both Dollar and Hertz sharing a small space therein. We talked first with Hertz and they checked and found that since we failed to report for our reservation the night before, our reservation was completely cancelled. And, they had no cars so we turned to Dollar who offered us an upgrade for just a couple of US dollars more. So, we decided that any port in a storm was good and signed a contract for an almost new Corolla. We waited no more than 15 minutes and we soon drove off in the new vehicle which had nearly no cosmetic imperfections. A word here for those intending to rent vehicles in Central America: be prepared to examine in depth every nook and cranny of the car for imperfections because you will be responsible for any new marks or scratches acquired or not otherwise noted prior to your accepting the vehicle. Also, have a good balance available on your credit card because they will hold anywhere from USD800 to USD2,100 until you return your car in the exact same condition as you took it from the agency. Also, if you are not somewhat proficient in King Carlos' idiom, you might want to take somebody who is able to converse freely along with you. 

John and I jumped into the car and with his navigation we drove back to the TICA hotel where Don and Nance were waiting for us. We collected them and all of our belongings and John within one hour had us moved from the capital city to the delightful colonial town of Granada. This town in some ways resembles Antigua in Guatemala but with one very major difference. That would be the altitude above sea level where each of these populated areas is situated. Antigua sits at about one mile above the level of the seas of the world while Granada sits on the shores of the largest lake in Nicaragua at about 188 feet above the mean sea level. The population of Antigua is approximately 45,000 while the population of Granada is nearly double at 90,000. Humid and hot would be two terms I might honestly apply if I were describing Granada and cool and comfortable for Antigua. You get the drift. While we are at it chalk up another difference: horses are used to transport tourists in buggies in Granada and there is an omnipresent stench of equine urine and defecation in the streets and sidewalks of Granada. This is not the case in Antigua as the only animals who might be responsible for fouling the sidewalks and roadways there would be dogs, cats and humans.

But before we arrived at Granada, we passed by the Masaya Volcano National Park. It is the first national park in Nicaragua. We drove into the entrance booth, paid our fees and continued for another five miles to the cauldron of the Masaya Volcano. We were warned to stay in the area of the active volcano for no more than twenty minutes and to park our vehicle in a position where it was backed into the parking space. This was to ensure that should the volcano erupt, we could get out more quickly than if we were to head in front-first. We were also warned that should there be eruption, that we should seek shelter under the chassis of the vehicle. Lots of luck in that three of us are larger in the mid-section than the distance from the roadway to the undercarriage of the car. Nance would be the only one able to squeeze under the car. So, it was a nice idea but for the majority of us, a waste of words. Such is life in the fast and portly lanes. We did manage to see the volcano and breathed into our lungs no more than twenty minute's worth of the sulfuric steam escaping from the bowels of the earth.

So, John led us directly to the street of the hostel where he had booked us. A disgruntled and unemployed Irish gentleman had packed up his bags and moved lock, stock and barrel to Nicaragua. He had found this tourist facility and was now sharing it with sojourners for a bargain price. There were perhaps six or seven different rooms which were situated about a small swimming pool in the central court in the double leveled home. Aside one of the edges of the pool was a kitchen which was available for all who called La Casa del Agua home for the night.

John and I waddled out to the central park area and he visited a bank where we obtained some Nicaraguan cash with his ATM card. We then sat on the front veranda of one of the hotels overlooking the park and had licuados of pineapple. Then we returned to the hostel to fetch the remaining contingency of family for a walk about together. We visited a few shops and walked part way down to the lake shore. Finally, we returned and found our afternoon eating place on the main avenue running perpendicular to the main plaza in the direction of the lake. It was a gorgeous hotel with restaurant facility and coffee shop. We sat in the restaurant and enjoyed another good meal. I ordered a chef salad and a tuna sandwich (which I consumed the next day for lunch on the bus ride to Costa Rica). We shared a couple of desserts but my favorite one was a rich , moist chocolate cake drenched with a a chocolate sauce. We sat around and had good measures of tea and coffee before we decided to return to the hostel for the evening.

John and I were assigned an upstairs room with two beds. Don and Nance were given a room on ground level just off of the pool. During the early evening I asked the owner if his location was quiet. He responded that there was a club behind the property and that there was also a large mango tree above the roof both of which had tended to disturb the otherwise quiet of the night of Granada. John and I found him to be true to his word. The mangoes never ceased to disappoint us as their reports of converging with our roof overhead disrupted sleep dozens of times as the fruit collided with the tin covering with a canon shot. The revelers at the bar were entertained with a loud thumping throb throughout the darkness of the night until the clock struck two. Then there were shouts and sounds of glee as those who had imbibed found their egresses. The quiet was welcome and now only the occasional bombardment of the ripe mangoes would serenade us.

I suspect the quiet was just too much for me as I lay awake and finally decided I should get up and go down into the kitchen area to update this blog. That I did while enjoying one or two cups of freshly infused tea.

Not long after I was joined by others in the compound. There was a couple from Portugal, two young ladies from Sweden and a family from Maine who were all enjoying the hostel during our stay. All of us enjoyed exchanging our experiences and the portly inn keeper too added spice to the conversation.

As morning broke the rest of our gang also stirred. Our hostel was just one block off of the central plaza where on an adjacent lateral stood a gorgeous yellow and white colonial Catholic church. The central plaza is vibrant with peddlers, horse buggies and tourists as well as locals. The central park is surrounded with good eating establishments and hotels. But, we were desirous of breaking our fast so now that was priority for us. On a previous visit to Granada, John and I had found a great eating place for breakfast. We decided to walk the two or three blocks and see if the eating establishment named after the owner's deceased former wife was open. It was and we had a substantial repast there to start the day. That duty having been ticked off of our to-do list, we headed back for the hostel where we packed and stowed our things into the car and headed back to Managua to turn the car in and head for the TICA bus depot for our next road adventure and our penultimate leg of our journey to Jacó, Costa Rica.

It was Sunday morning and the roadways were neither full of vehicles nor of pedestrians. So, our passage way back was relatively unobstructed by buses starting and stopping, bicycles and walkers. We opted to swing by a mirador or overlook that we had visited previously. We drove off the road about five miles through a small white village that is known for its plant nurseries and flowers and is known by the name Catarina. We ended up in a parking area which gave access to an overlook across a lake which had filled the cone of a spent volcano. Very few fellow visitors were enjoying that spectacle that morning but we stopped and tarried a bit before we decided it was time to move on to Managua.

We made the return trip in good time, turned in the car and convinced the agent's assistant to drop us at the bus depot for our next adventure and noon departure for San Jose, Costa Rica. 

El Salvador to Honduras and Nicaragua - San Salvador to Managua

Before the alarm sounded and long before the call came from the front desk, John and I were up and getting ready for our day. There was no coffee in the rooms but there was a refrigerator and microwave and I wisely brought along tea bags. San Salvador is modern but the number of fast-food places that remain open 24-7 are far fewer than what we have in the USA. So, those of us who are addicted to caffeine would not be pleased by the situation this morning. That is, all those not imbibing in tea which I did. I also offered two bags of tea to Don to calm the pounding which may have been caused by lack of java. 

The evening previous, we had visited a supermarket within a block of the Comfort Inn where we had stocked up on treats for the scheduled twelve to thirteen hour bus ride. We had been warned that there would be no stops and absolutely no catering by the TICA bus crew on this leg of our journey. So, we had been warned and took the opportunity to be as prepared as we could be.

We had left word at the front desk that we needed a taxi at 4 a.m. Our driver was there at 4 sharp and we all checked out and headed for the diminutive coach which waited for us in the parking area just outside the door of the motel. Yes, we did get all of our luggage aboard and yes, we ended up holding some of the items in our laps. But, the streets are uneven here in El Salvador and some of our group are portly. This combination caused the pan to scrape, drag, rattle and squeak during our 15-minute passage to the TICA bus depot near the Sheraton. I cannot tell you if the oil in that taxi is still full-up or if some of it leaked out as a result of all of those scrapes. But, that is how it happened. Maybe I should have listened to the front desk person who questioned whether or not we may have needed two vehicles.

On our first leg of the journey we had no assigned seats but selected the first unoccupied ones that caught our eyes. On this leg we were assigned seats according to our choice when we purchased our tickets. John and I were seated together as were Don and Nance. Since the bus turned out to be not full, I later reseated myself back several rows whereby each of us ended up with the seat next to us vacant.

What was scheduled for a 12 or 13 hour bus ride turned out to be just under 14 hours. Our departure time was shortly after 5 a.m. and we reached Managua just before 7 p.m. Of course we had traveled from El Salvador, crossed into and out of Honduras and into Nicaragua. Indeed, we were warned about no stops and no food or water available on our journey. This turned out to be untrue as there were stops from time to time, one of them in an area where there was a restaurant where one could purchase food or water. Our stop at this specific place was long enough to order and to eat as the steward told us our journey would not reconvene until 30 minutes had elapsed. There were other stops, border searches and inspections and passports being stamped and checked.

Aboard this bus there were folks from Mexico, from the USA, from Japan, from Europe and from other countries of Central America. The steward made all announcements in Spanish but gave individual attention in English to some of the folks who were not comfortable with Spanish. There were a few stops along the way just long enough to discharge passengers and others to collect new fares. These were very few and very far between.

Had the bus arrived on time and as scheduled, we had reservations to pick up a rental car and drive about one hour to Granada, Nicaragua for our first night in Nicaragua. However, this was simply not to be as the car rental place was closed by the time we arrived in Managua. Fortunately for us, there was a hotel run by the TICA bus folks with availability adjacent to the terminal. Our room rate was USD56. We got the last room for four with air conditioning and a private bath. Yea!! We contacted the hotel and quickly found our nests and found good rest. Tomorrow we would pick up our rental vehicle and drive to Granada.

Guatemala to El Salvador - Trekking from Antigua to San Salvador

On 28 March we took a mini van from Antigua to Guatemala City. Our reserved seats on the Pullmantur bus were for departure from Guatemala City at 3 p.m. sharp. We arrived in the capital city within an hour and we asked our driver to let us off at the Holiday Inn, our point of departure later in the day. We were far too early to check-in at the counter but we did drop off our luggage at the deport. Then we walked to a small coffee shop and bakery where we enjoyed our lunch for the day. 

After eating, we walked to the lobby of the Hotel Intercontinental where Don and John waited for Nance and me. We decided to go on a quick tour of the Ixchel Museo at the Marroquin University while the others waited for our return.

We checked out the exhibits at the museum as well as the gift shop. I purchased two small purses that the young girls use in the area of Todos Santos in the highlands of Guatemala and a calendar depicting scenes from Guatemala. We called the same driver who had taken us over and were soon back at our departure spot. We collected Don and John and wandered the two blocks over to the Holiday Inn where we awaited our bus arrival. Now the lobby was filling up rather quickly which was a change from our earlier experience. Our departure time again was at 3 p.m. but we had been told to report to the check-in counter at 2:15 so shortly after that time we were beckoned to the front of the line. Our tickets were checked and passports and within short order we were back in our seats awaiting the arrival of the coach which would provide transport for us.

Soon it appeared and the porter began to move the luggage out to the side bays. We walked over with our additional pieces which we did not want inside the cabin and deposited them into the waiting hands of those packing the belly of this double-decked bus. We were in tourist class which meant that we had no assigned seats and that we could not enter the lower sanctum where those privileged few were soon to be reclining.

But our seats were wonderfully accommodating and left no discomfort for our passage. There were pull-down foot rests where the legs reclined and very comfortable leather seats. This bus was scheduled to go straight through to El Salvador and that we did. They stopped long enough at a fast-food establishment to get each of us a sandwich which they served to us aboard along with the drink of our choice. Liquid refreshments were again offered us before our five-hour trek was complete. The roads in Guatemala were in horrible condition and the length of time it took to go the approximately 100 kilometers was in excess of two hours. The condition of the highways together with slow passage of fellow travelers contributed to the excessive time.

The crossing in to El Salvador was done swiftly and without much ado. Our passports were collected by the steward on the bus and the manifest was checked against the passport numbers. We were checked out of Guatemala but not into El Salvador. There is an agreement among five Central American countries that permits free passage between and among all of them without having additional passport stamps. This is much like it is now in the EU where one entry stamp is all that is needed among them and one exit when one departs the EU.

This leg of our longer journey would prove to be the shortest (five hours) and, by far the most comfortable passage. There were restrooms on the bus which were visited by most passengers with repeat visits by several over the five hour time frame.

But, within the five hour time frame we were nearing the capital city of El Salvador and almost on the hour we pulled up to the Sheraton Hotel there and began to emerge from the coach. We collected our bags and quickly found a taxi driver who was more than happy to accept our fare to the Comfort Inn about three or four miles distant. Before we knew it, we were in the familiar parking lot of our hotel and soon in the lobby for check-in.

This was our first night away from Antigua and it proved to be a restful one for us all. We were in rooms adjacent to one another so it was just a short trek to find a place to play a round of Five Crowns before we all found our beds and slumber.

The next morning there was a full hot breakfast available at the motel which we all found nourishing. After breakfast John and I took a taxi to the Hertz car rental facility where we rented a Kia Picanto for our touring  to a place we had visited previously, Suchitoto. The car companies with whom we have done business here seem to have different rules as we have been required to have a fairly substantial amount "held" prior to the rental of their vehicles. In the country of Guatemala, it was USD2,100. In El Salvador they asked that USD1,700 be held. Since I had experienced this first in Antigua, I was ready to accept it in El Salvador but when they went to run my card, it was denied. There was a message to call the bank. So, I pulled out my trusty American Express and it went right through. Of course I was on SKYPE immediately when we returned to the motel with the vehicle to find the reason for the denial. When I called Chase card member services, they indicated to me that there was never a denial from Chase and that my account was fine. They suggested that the denial came from the local processing done by the merchant in El Salvador. That made me feel better and, when we paid the final bill which amounted to around USD62 for two days, I did it with the original card which was denied. So, I was back in business building up points for yet another trip to some far-off place!!

We did pick up the car and went back to the hotel for our check-out. Since the car was just a tad larger than a Mini, we decided to leave our excess things at the Comfort Inn because it would be where we would return for our last night in El Salvador. We checked those items at the hotel for our return and packed our needed items for the next day and one-half into the hold of the wee KIA.

Our travel time to Suchitoto was just a bit under one hour. We located our place for the night, Los Almendros, parked the vehicle and were ready for our check-in at this delightful small hotel run by a French couple. After check-in, we did a short walk about the central area of this pueblo. Very little was happening and except for a dozen or so folks sitting lazily on the benches in the central park before the large white Catholic house of worship, there were few souls stirring.

We returned to the hotel and were nourished at their restaurant. My menu indicated that the vegetarian lasagna was touted as the best in Central America. That banner was sufficient for me and I must say that it was more than delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit that was served to me in that sizzling-hot casserole. The comments coming from the others were also positive.

After this meal we wandered out in the cool of the evening and finally found a hotel which sat on the outer perimeter of the park and opposite the church where we sat on the front porch. We ordered different liquid refreshments and watched as the night began to fall. There were children scampering about the park playing hide and seek. Interestingly, for two or three wee ones, the trees were their hiding places. They easily scaled the branches and shared spaces ordinarily reserved for the birds. Older folks were reclined on the benches, chatting. A boom-box was turned up such that we could all hear music coming from a small tienda on the side of the plaza. Seated next to us was a couple who were seemingly celebrating a special occasion. They had a bottle of champagne and were alternating with the beverage and a pizza. A small lad came and visited for some minutes with John. He had a pen in hand and was memorializing some graffiti on the white-washed post adjacent to where John was seated. It was a magical moment, fixed in time and hopefully for a spell in our minds.

The next day we had breakfast at our hotel and did a little driving about the town and down to the lake shore. We also drove to and visited a restaurant with a nice outdoor seating area which offered a great view of the lake below the town. But then it was time to drive back to the capital which we did. We found our Comfort Inn, checked in once again and were reunited with our stored items. Our car was to be turned in but before we did so we drove to the hotel where our bus arrived a day or so before and had pupusas, the national dish of El Salvador. They reminded us of the arepas that we had had in Venezuela. The pupusas had shredded pork, cheese and beans and were quite delicious. We might even order them if given the chance again.

Tomorrow it would be catching the bus on our second leg. This time we would need to be at the bus station at 4:15 a.m. for a scheduled 5 a.m. departure from San Salvador to Managua, Nicaragua. So, our alarms were set and I ordered phone calls from the front desk. Tomorrow we would be moving on.