Nicaragua and Niger

While in Nicaragua I kept finding myself saying "In Niger..." because I found so many things similar between these two worlds-apart nations. Leslie (who lives in Nica) pointed out that this might be due to the developing world landscape which includes Blue Bird school buses converted into city buses among other similarities shared by the "third world".

Some of the things we noticed in this category:

1. The lack of washing machines and the necessity to handwash one's clothes (or pay someone else to do it)
2. The need for talc powder to walk comfortably or ride on a plastic bus seat for several hours
3. Shared taxis
4. Donkey carts among taxis, cars, buses, and trucks
5. The ability to ride in the back of a truck standing up, packed in like a sardine
6. The necessity to sweep one's house at least once a day to avoid the dreaded black foot
7. The broken bottles set in adobe walls as barbed wire substitute
8. The willingness and necessity of people to protest
9. That nearly all tourists and homeowners in the nicest tourist spots are extranjeros (foreigners)
10. Terrible beer (at least at first... until you realize it's cold and has alcohol in it... then it's delicious)
11. Frequent marriage proposals

On the Road

My first full day in Nicaragua was another day of travel. After picking up the necessary sunscreen and bug spray, we hit the bank, and then hit the road. The road consisted of a taxi (20 cordobas), a bus (60 cordobas), another taxi (12 cordobas), a very small motorcycle-toting ferry on a ridiculously rough riding lake (50 cordobas plus the cost of Laura's lunch, which we lost), another bus (18 cordobas), and feet (3 kilometers). 160 Cordobas is just under $10.

We stayed at Finca Magdalena, a cooperative organic farm on Volcan Maderas for $2.50 a night with a view of Volcan Conception in front and of the coffee drying flats in back. (I thought I'd posted the pictures, but apparently not). After a restful night on a cot and a belly full of gallo pinto, we set out on a hike. I should have been wary when our guide asked us "don't you have any shoes?" that the hike would not be so easy in Chacos, but alas, on we went.


The hike was beautiful if treacherous.


And after our guide, Freddy, finally realized that we would make it in our stupid gringa shoes, he was really sweet.

Only the Second Most...

Apparently San Salvador, El Salvador is the second most dangerous city in Latin America. That little unknown fact did not stop me from using my 7-hour layover there to do something other than window shop at Duty Free. I got there and decided to go to the beach. So I grabbed my bags, went though immigration and customs ($10) and set off to the beach. I was greeted by what seemed like a sea of small El Salvadoran people lined up at semi-permanent fences in bleacher-like formation. Then I was greeted by some pretty aggressive "taxi" drivers. After getting someone down from $25 to $16 for a 35k trip to the beach (La Libertad), I headed out to the parking lot with Manuel. Then he unlocked his white, unmarked, Toyota pickup truck and told me to get in. So I did. Gotta live, right? So as I tried my best to memorize our route (it was only 2 turns), we drove toward what I was desperately hoping was the beach. Otherwise, I would have a few people angry with me. Luckily, he was not a killer, rapist or abduction artist, and I made it to the beach in one piece with a little Spanish practice in for the day. I gave him a $2 tip for not killing me or taking me to an undisclosed location. Then I hit the beach... but I had my bags, which I didn't want stolen, so I was a little weighed down... which made beaching a little difficult, so I lunched. I ordered pescado (fish) without seeing the menu, and then realized about 20 minutes later what took so long: my food came to me wearing a toothy grin and a glimmer in its eye. I hadn't eaten a whole fish since I was in Benin, so it was a little shocking, but tasty.

Then I met William, the Salvadoran Surfer, and after a nice conversation he helped me find a bus back to the airport. About 45 minutes and 95 cents later, I was at the airport 1.5 hours before my flight. So I made it. I flew into Managua and the next day, we started our journey to Ometepe, the volcanic island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, which is the 3rd largest lake in Latin America, and the 21st largest in the world.

This One's for Media Concepts

NicaraguaRebel 009
Originally uploaded by MotleyPrincess.

My friend Matt enjoys bumper stickers--especially political ones--and even more especially than that, he likes anti-Bush stickers. So I thought he'd really enjoy these I found in Nicaragua near the beach in San Juan del Sur. It could easily be a gringos car, but I don't know. Take special notice of the sticker running up the right side...

Things My Mom is Glad She Doesn't Know I'm Doing...

February2007 (and a bit before) 123
Originally uploaded by MotleyPrincess.

...include ice climbing. I sent her a text message after letting her know I was OK. My dad's friend, on the other hand, said "it's no question who's kid she is"... so I guess the crampon-wearing side of me is pretty clear.

Anyway, this is actually my second ascent of my first ice climb ever. I was not great... but I did manage to do a little "dry tooling" with rock and ice combined. More pics at the flickr page.

Temperature

Houston Street Special (yes it's cold here)
Originally uploaded by MotleyPrincess.

Yes, friends, it is officially cold. We may have had some record January highs in the 70's, but it's officially cold. I don't know whether Punxsatawney Phil or Staten Island Chuck were on the money when they said "early spring", but it certainly was a late winter.

This was found on my way to work one morning last week.

Why Choose Fear?

"I'm a New Yorker. Fear's my life" -- or so it was said in Rent

I've been reading and listening to things that relate to fear lately.

• Steve Jobs' commencement speech at Stanford
• Robert Greene's The 33 Strategies of War (he also happens to be working on a book with 50 Cent)
• Who Moved My Cheese (apparently now comes in a kids version as well)

Basically, it goes like this: fear (especially fear of change) stops you from being happy. But if you create the fear that remaining idle is much worse than changing, you won't be idle and you won't be afraid, and you'll be much happier than your boring old frightened self.

Fear certainly has its function. It is natural after all and it can keep us out of some pretty sticky situations. But if you never get sticky, you'll probably never taste honey. And who would want that?

half-glass-full mentality

How did the president find the sheep in tall grass?

see labels for the answer

Ode to the Maladjusted Printer

Just when I think I can leave work on time
You come to me with a nasty line
“Please Wait, Adjusting” you always say
And then with a flash, you ruin my day

Always waiting, you maladjusted machine
Need paper, it’s jammed—oh, I could scream!
The color is wrong, the word’s off the page
“Please Wait, Adjusting”, Oh the Rage!

Three minutes are left or so you say
That’s why I’ll be leaving late today
The tech is here, he’s been here all week
“Please Wait, Adjusting”—and now you’re asleep?

On behalf of your Memphis-based flight crew...

This morning's flight was crewed by a distinctly Tennesseean crew. I was sitting near the front and was privy to this conversation:

Flight Attendant (strong Memphis accent): "On behalf of your (as if you hadn't guessed) Memphis-based flight crew, we'd like to welcome you aboard"

Front Row Guy: "I knew you must be from Tennessee. I love the accent."

FA: "You know, most of the time people just think I'm dumb. The looks up north in reaction to my accent are priceless. [turns to tend to something in the kitchen] I've got brains; I just don't sound like it. I have a master's and I'm working on my PhD."

FRG: "In what?"

FA: "Special Ed. Special Education. It helps a LOT with this job."

Front Section of Aircraft: [Eruption of Laughter]

FRG: "Maybe you should go into comedy."

FA: "Believe me. I could."