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Published: August 23rd 2008
Managua
Entering the barrioManagua is well worth the stopover, especially if you stay at the Managua Backpackers Inn, Chaman 75 Varsul sur, colonial Los Robles. Near Metrocentro.
This incredibly chilled place is a joint effort run by some great people. Manager David and owner Dan and all the people working there are wonderfully friendly and helpful. The place is immaculately clean and there is a fantasticly equipped kitchen, great outdoor area and a pool! It is just like a home and all the people staying there ending up staying for longer.
The nightlife here is ridiculous and everynight there is a party to go to, where you will be escorted by the hosts. It seems that there is a ladies night at a different place every night. Guys pay about $5 and girls dont pay a penny! Free drinks all night, but keep hold of your plastic cup! When you need a top up just wander over to the makeshift bars where the friendly chaps will refresh your beverage with vodka or the local rum Flor de Caña...very nice! Music varies but reggaetone (?) and salsa abounds!
A major reason for visiting here was to see the area that my mum visited 21
Managua
Classroom in the playground years ago, barrio Jorgi Dimitrov. after being informed that it was a very dangerous place and being warned not to go at night, David arranged for a brilliant cab driver, Wil, to take me around. We were able to visit the local primary school and meet some of the children and teachers. The barrio is one of the poorest areas and this is abundantly clear. However, there is an underlying feeling of resentment amongst many Nicas, who feel that unemployment is unacceptable and people shoudnt rely on government handouts as it makes them lazy. There is work in the city and it is hard to see the poverty of the barrios and wealth of other areas of the city. Sounds like a familiar story!
The children, as always will be the ones to suffer. Domestic violence and child abuse are rife and the macho society makes it hard for women to fight against this to protect themselves or their children. I have been fortunate to have met some wonderful people working with women and children to try and challenge the patriarchal judges and societys views.
Twenty years ago children had to operate split shifts to get to school and were
Managua
Kids outside their classroom. in huge classes. It was quite nice to see clean, well fed children in normal sized classes...even if some of the the rooms were made of scaffolding and plastic sheeting! Education is really valued here, although literacy levels have dropped slightly it seems as though all children have the right to free schooling and seem to enjoy it!
Poverty seems to still be an issue here and the recently re-elected Daniel Ortega has posters everwhere stating his desire to iradicate poverty and unite Nicaragua...Unfortunately, the people appear to be increasingly disillusioned thus a greater divide between the poor rural areas and city slickers seems unaviodable.
Managua was a great eye opener to Nica life in the city.
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