Why I LOVE Central America!!

Strolling through the outdoor market (okay, to be honest it's partly outdoor, and partly shielded from the sweltering heat by corrugated tin), I couldn't help but enjoy the bustling atmosphere. The horse carriages noisily passing by and dropping manure onto the streets, the money changers screaming, the guys that want to sew new soles onto your shoes, and finally, the heart of the market, vegetable and meat stalls hawking the day's freshest items. It's a wonderful amalgamation of colorsm noises and smells; an experience similar to that in other countries where people don't buy produce at Whole Foods, but instead go to bargain, barter and buy fresh from the market. All this in the center of town, where the main street passes through and causes a traffic jam of mammoth proportions. It's truly a wonderful thing when a taxi stops to pick up a family loaded with groceries, painstakingly filling the trunk with goods while a line of cars steadily builds in the rear view mirror.

I guess it would be silly to list ALL of the reasons that I love any country, but as I walked the streets of Granada today, certain images just jumped out at me. I was able to take pictures of some things, but others will have to be described. Bear with me.

Number One: Occassional Lack of Electricity

In the Thai language, the term 'common sense' doesn't exist, a notion that is apparent often. While the term does exist in Spanish, the actions of the people would not always lead you to believe this to be the case. Example: It doesn't bother me that the electricity has to go off for a certain amount of time each day to conserve--this is a fact of life. It happened in California during the energy crisis, and it makes sense that it should happen here when there isn't enough electricity.

Twelve hours of daylight exist in this part of the world. Why then, would the electricity be cut at night, creating a debilitating environment? Of course, night time is peak energy consumption you say, and this is the best time to conserve energy. Right, but why not do it for five hours during the day instead of two hours at night? At least this way we can see what's going on around us, instead of crawling around like blind mice, slicing open our fingers while trying to cook dinner. It makes sense to me.

Number Two: Occassional Lack of Water

Again, if electricity somehow comes into play in the chain of events that brings water to the city, then I can understand why water isn't available for a few hours each day. This is a fact of life in Nicaragua. The Nicas are smart enough to have developed reservoirs of water in or near the kitchen so that when the water goes out, there is still an available source. Why then, when I go to that source to get a bit of water, is it always empty? Somehow, after years of living with these conditions, the people in charge (those who know when the water will be out) decided not to fill the reservoir. Now, I know what you might be thinking--these people might be busy. But I say to you, NO. If the workers have time to mop the floor three times a day, they must have time to fill the reservoir.

Number Three: Harley Davidsons and Bikers

I found these bikers on the street in Granada. I thought it was super cool that they were passionate about Harley Davidson, and that they were decked out in Harley clothes. One guy had patches all over his jean jacket; he could have come from any biker gang in the States, in fact, except for one small detail. Both of the bikes these guys were riding were SUZUKI Intruders. That's right. All that passion for the bikes and they weren't even riding Hogs. I couldn' t help but crack up, and they were nice enough (and proud enough) to pose for a few pictures, which made the event even more real.

Number Four: Wall Mounts and Historical Pictures

The museum in Granada was pretty cool. The only issue was that the wall mounts related to pictures or paintings were placed at such a level that one must bend over to read them. Now, if the people were all the size of a kindergarten student, this would make sense. Fortunately for the Nicas, they've injested enough beef hormones to be taller than that. Thus, it makes no sense that the wall mounts should be partially hidden underneath the photos. Rediculous and funny.

Number Five: Rocking Hard

In a world that goes too fast, the Central Americans have figured out a way to relax. Rocking is what we all want to do, let´s face it--it´s the reason chicks used to dig Axl Rose and why we all got in trouble for breaking chairs in English class. When the mid-day heat nearly forces us to pass out, rocking hard in a chair is a good way to calm down. I generally try to spend at least half, and up to three quarters of my day in a rocking chair. The remainder is doled out to the hammock. In fact, I cut a hole in the bottom of chair, which allows me to maximize time spent in the chair by minimizing bathroom interruptions. Working smarter, not harder is the idea here in Central America.

Number Six: Six Churches Per Square Mile

I guess that says it all. I can't add too much to this one.

Number Seven: Signs That Make Me Smile

Some of the signs in Central America are brilliantly funny. I took this photo of a normal store, just because it would never exist in the States. These types abound. A veteranarian might sell dog food as well as ice cream, if it's possible to make an extra buck. This is capitalism at its finest. Check out the photos.

Final Words

I've been hanging out here for the past few days, enjoying the colonial architecture and soaking in the culture. People hang out all day in the parks, and I've been taking Salsa dance lessons in the afternoons, which has been fun. I've also been making my own chocolate, experimenting with various combinations and eating a ton of dark cacao. It's been fun.

Finally, Joni asked me today why I love traveling. The answer to that question, as I told her, lies somewhere in the notion of the exploration of different ideas and methods. People do things in so many different ways. Mangos look different in different countries, people sharpen knives in tons of different and creative ways, and the usual in any given country is so unusual for me. There are so many creative people in this world, with so many interesting ways of doing things, it's amazing and awesome to explore every day. For those of you who have been to the third world, and seen people making hair gel out of plant matter and water (or anything else we just wouldn't do at home), this might make a lot of sense.

Of course the freedom and lack of responsibility isn't by any means a downer.

One Love.

Mat

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