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Hi everyone,
I have been on the go for the last three days. Every night a different city.
After I left Granada I went to Masaya because I knew I could get a direct bus from there to Matagalpa. It turned out to be a very interesting city and visit. In Masaya they are famous for a wonderful market for all sorts of Nicaraguan made things. There were boots, bags, clothes, wood art, guitars, scarves and every other bauble I have seen in all the other places. This market is very high end and for the tourists who are bussed in. I was sitting in an area watching kids practicing for a dance performance and who should show up but my Japonese friend, Cuto (actually she is Koro, but the spanish translation sounds to me like cuto). When I left her in the city of Rivas she was on her way to Costa Rica. But her passport was not available -- she has applied for a visa to Japan soon and must go through some process. So she headed back to Ometepe and then to Masaya the next day to get things to take to Japan. So, we had dinner and ended up at the same hotel. We ate at a Chinese restaurant and she says people think she is chinese. Several of the workers asked her if she was.
Besides the Artisan´s Market is the New Market for the locals. I have never seen such a place. Of course it was raining and everything looks more muddy and awful, but this market went on forever and had all of the artisan´s stuff of possibly lower quality as well as food, and a butcher (possibly was a slaughterhouse - that was the smell). The bus station was nearby and I did need to know where that was so I could get there for my 5 am bus trip the next morning. The bus station was just a muddy field of taxis and busses. It was enough to make any public health officle go nuts!
Also of note in Masaya is the Roberto Clemente Stadium. I did know that this Pittsburgh Pirate died in a plane crash but I didn´t know that it was during an aid run to Nicaragua after the 1974 (approx) earthquake. The stadium sits next to the area called the Malcon, which is a beautiful view of Vulcan Masaya and Laguna Masaya.
The next day I went to Matagalpa. I was getting a scratchy throat and it only got worse on the 3 hour bus trip. By the time I made it to my shabby hotel in Matagalpa, I had a headache and fever. I was able to get a quiet room on the third floor and slept all afternoon and all night, fitfully. The rain never stopped and the town was dirty and polluted. Also the rivers are swelled with the rain and all types of things were speeding down the river. I had planned to take some Spanish classes here and do some hiking but that was impossible with my cold and the muddy trails. So, I decided to press on to Leon which is a nice colonial and I found a beautiful colonial hotel, where I plan to stay for a few days to relax and recuperate with my cold. The owners are really nice and soon I will update the blog with some photos. It is the most lovely place I have stayed, but for the deluxe price of $20 per night.
I hope I can upload some photos tomorrow. The great thing is that I can use the internet right here in the hotel without having to go out in the continual rain but this computer doesn´t recognize my camera card. I will try to upload photos tomorrow.
All for now,
Dawn
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diane
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Such bravery..... traveling alone!! You continue to amaze me. I'm so sorry that you have been sick ... twice. UGH. Take care and enjoy your lovely hotel. Diane