Driving in Nicaragua is definitely different than driving in East Baltimore, though which streets have more potholes might be a tight race.
Here is a quick reference guide on how to successfully drive in Nicaragua:
1. First figure out where the heck you are going. This sounds simple. It is not. Complicating factors include: there are no street signs; directions are either in reference to kilometers (helpful) or the distance towards or away from the lake (not so helpful); and frequently include reference points of things that no longer exist. Also people seem to have a different definition on what is a right or left turn.
True story: we asked this lady which road was the way to Masatepe. While pointing left she told us to take the first right turn to go to the corner and turn right (her arm continued to flail left), to continue that way and then take another right (this time her arm did move to the right, dispelling my first thought that maybe she had some sort of physical disability not allowing her arm to go right). R asked "so basically we should turn around?" To which she replied "No No No! Masatepe is that way! (now pointing straight ahead on the straight road on which we were driving). This is not the only time this has happened to us.
2. Once you think you know where you are going ask four more people. If you have reached a rough consensus then proceed ahead. Otherwise continue until they can no longer see you and just ask someone else (especially if they first look around or get shifty eyes before starting to give you directions).
3. Now that you are driving: LOOK OUT! Police will try to stop you! You will have no idea why. They will tell you you have committed some driving error. This is questionable. It may be that your driving error was not being Nicaraguan and looking like a big chump who might pay a big bribe. Try your best to get out of the "ticket" which actually is confiscation of your license that requires you to go to two government agencies, get scolded pay some other fine and if the winds are right perhaps get your license back. Avoid this at all costs! If you pay any three digit amount of Cordobas you loose.
(Preventative tactic -- do not make eye contact with police and pretend that you do not see them frantically waving you down. They usually have no mode of transportation at their "posts". And really do they expect you to cross over three lanes of traffic in the round about to be told that you committed a driving sin?).
4. And that brings us to round abouts. If you are already on the round about: hurtle as fast as you can around with no regard to any other cars. Honk liberally as you see fit and at random swerve off into your desired street to the sounds of other drivers honking you farewell. If you are entering the roundabout take a deep breath, look out for the man on the bicycle who has a death wish on your right and the three motor bikes who have now surrounded you cutting off all vision. Honk if you're happy and step on the gas!
Look out for tricky policemen that hang out just outside of round abouts.
5. Beware of red lights -- as in Baltimore that does not mean that you must stop! In fact if you are at the back of the line of cars, feel free to swerve around everyone on the emergency lane and run the light if you are in a rush. If you are not first in line -- Get Your Hand On Your Horn! And get ready to let that poor driver know when the light turns green! The sooner the better! They are so close they might not see it! But you, from your vantage point of five cars back can! Let him know with your lightening fast reflexes!
Beware of red lights for another reason -- serial window washers! Is your window clean? Doesn't matter. Are you shaking your fingers, hand, head no? Dont worry they will still clean the window, even if the other guy just did at the last stop light. This is especially bad in rush hour. Make sure you have coins on hand for however many stop lights there are between your and your destination.
If you're lucky though the light will change before .... And you're off!
That little clown car taxi with his disco light wheel cover isn't looking so bad now is he ....
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
More Adventures in Nicarguan cuisine: Nacatamales
So we first heard about Nacatamales from the driver of the smallest taxi. Excited to begin our cullinary adventures here in Nicaragua (both R& I love to cook), we asked what a Nacatamal was. The driver of the smallest taxi told us it was corn meal stuffed with meat or chicken or pork with rice, wrapped in banana leaf to cook. You may be thinking to yourself: how is that different from a tamale (well we were anyway)?
R said, "Oh like a tamale!"
The driver of the smallest taxi said "NO SENOR! It's a NACAtamal!".
We would still love to know the difference (though per Wikipedia they are the same... ) , but we did learn they are usually only made on Saturday nights to have on Saturday and Sunday morning. They are super good! We have been told by various people that they know the best place for Nacatamals but so far out strategy is to buy them where there is a big crowd and that seems to be working out so far.
Nacatamal preparation and then steaming: yummmmmmm
R said, "Oh like a tamale!"
The driver of the smallest taxi said "NO SENOR! It's a NACAtamal!".
We would still love to know the difference (though per Wikipedia they are the same... ) , but we did learn they are usually only made on Saturday nights to have on Saturday and Sunday morning. They are super good! We have been told by various people that they know the best place for Nacatamals but so far out strategy is to buy them where there is a big crowd and that seems to be working out so far.
Nacatamal preparation and then steaming: yummmmmmm
The smallest taxi
R came to pick up at the airport when we arrived. I thought I was pretty clear about how much luggage we were bringing (anticipating that the movers might take awhile): four large checked bags, two rolling suitcase carry on size, the travel crib, G's car seat, a stroller, a diaper bag, an over the shoulder tote, and a purse.
I know. I know. It is ridiculous. It pains me to own up to that much luggage! I backpacked for four months in South America with one frame pack! And now ... sigh... but that's the truth, that's how much luggage we brought (to my credit I brought sheets, towels, a pot, a pan, silverware, four plates, two bowels, G's plate and silverware, a medicine kit, some of R's favorite foods, G's toys, everyone's clothes, and really God only knows what else). So R, knowing this is the amount of luggage we brought, showed up at the airport in this:
A clown car.
Maybe I should also mention that the drivers side door doesn't open from the outside, the windows don't roll up or down (they are partially open). I asked how R settled on this particular taxi and he told me he was the cheapest one -- I'm somehow not surprised.
To add to our adventure, the cabbie is very very proud to be Nicaraguan and wanted to show us all around the city with three bag strapped to the roof, and my mom, G and I sitting in half of the back seat. He was excitedly tour guiding facing half way forwards and half way backwards while hurtling around the seemingly endless roundabouts in Managua's unmarked streets (true: no street signs labeling any streets in Managua). Finally he settled for getting us some fritanga and taking us home.
Fritanga is basically "fried stuff" including meat, chicken, tongue (!), plantains both sweet and savory, enciladas (which actually look more like empanadas), potatoes, and whatever else with rice and beans on the side.
We did make it home in one piece with our fritanga (which we ate on the floor -- no furniture), and happily collapsed onto our inflatable mattresses -- tired, but all together :-)
I know. I know. It is ridiculous. It pains me to own up to that much luggage! I backpacked for four months in South America with one frame pack! And now ... sigh... but that's the truth, that's how much luggage we brought (to my credit I brought sheets, towels, a pot, a pan, silverware, four plates, two bowels, G's plate and silverware, a medicine kit, some of R's favorite foods, G's toys, everyone's clothes, and really God only knows what else). So R, knowing this is the amount of luggage we brought, showed up at the airport in this:
A clown car.
Maybe I should also mention that the drivers side door doesn't open from the outside, the windows don't roll up or down (they are partially open). I asked how R settled on this particular taxi and he told me he was the cheapest one -- I'm somehow not surprised.
To add to our adventure, the cabbie is very very proud to be Nicaraguan and wanted to show us all around the city with three bag strapped to the roof, and my mom, G and I sitting in half of the back seat. He was excitedly tour guiding facing half way forwards and half way backwards while hurtling around the seemingly endless roundabouts in Managua's unmarked streets (true: no street signs labeling any streets in Managua). Finally he settled for getting us some fritanga and taking us home.
Fritanga is basically "fried stuff" including meat, chicken, tongue (!), plantains both sweet and savory, enciladas (which actually look more like empanadas), potatoes, and whatever else with rice and beans on the side.
We did make it home in one piece with our fritanga (which we ate on the floor -- no furniture), and happily collapsed onto our inflatable mattresses -- tired, but all together :-)
Getting Started
This is our first foray into blogging, so please be patient with the hiccups as we try to figure out how this works...
My husband and I wanted to write a blog to share about our experiences in Nicaragua, but also to share our story, which is a love story.
To start, we found out we would be moving to Nicaragua December 6th, 2010. And we moved here less than a month later in January, 2011. My husband came first on the 2nd. We, our son, myself and my mom who was coming to help us get settled, were supposed to come on the 3rd. Unfortunately the movers packed my passport ... I think... or it may have been in the old printer I donated to Salvation Army. Either way I had no passport on January 2nd and spent the 3rd in Washington DC getting perhaps the fastest passport in US history -- in at 8:30; new passport by 11:45! Crazy but true!
We moved to Nicaragua because I am working with a US based NGO (non governmental organization) here in Managua. Though I love the job and am thrilled to be together as a family it was hard to move here, but that is part of the story ...
My husband, R, is El Salvadorian. The short version of the story is that we have been pursing visa for him for almost three years now, unsuccessfully, and decided that with our son a little over a year old that it was time to be together where ever that would be possible (not in the United States). The longer version is a whole 'nother post.
We were all here in Nicaragua for the first time in December for my final interview (which clearly I nailed, wink ;). R did an advance scouting trip by coming back a week later to find us a house and he did a great job! My job was to find international movers and ship our stuff -- which is still not here yet, so I guess he did the better job there. One month of sleeping on an air mattress is not very fun. In fact until this weekend we didnt have any furniture other than the air mattress and the baby's travel crib.
Now at least we have patio furniture, but the funny thing is that the furniture looks HUGE! I think we've gotten so used to all of the open space it just seems weird to have anything taking up any of the space. But the baby, G, is loving it! He is so close to walking and he is thrilled to have things to hold onto to move around (although he had been walking circles around me holding onto me while I was sitting, and using the swinging gates on the doors to move around).
Other than the furniture issue we are all adjusting well -- R is full-time caregiver to G now which has been an adjustment for both of them, but they are so sweet together and after months of Skype and watching my baby light up hearing his daddy's voice over the phone, it is bliss to see them together.
Oh the Skype stories I could tell -- from "dates", to G's birth, to daily chats, family holidays and G's birthday party, Skype and the computer have been constant companions (they aren't even paying me to say that!). Seriously -- when I think about how communication with my family when I was in Peace Corps or studying abroad I am so so thankful for Skype.
So we are all adjusting -- R& I to being together, actually living together as a married couple, being parents together; G to spending so much good time with his daddy; and all of us to Nicaragua.
This is our story, and we hope you'll share it with us!
My husband and I wanted to write a blog to share about our experiences in Nicaragua, but also to share our story, which is a love story.
To start, we found out we would be moving to Nicaragua December 6th, 2010. And we moved here less than a month later in January, 2011. My husband came first on the 2nd. We, our son, myself and my mom who was coming to help us get settled, were supposed to come on the 3rd. Unfortunately the movers packed my passport ... I think... or it may have been in the old printer I donated to Salvation Army. Either way I had no passport on January 2nd and spent the 3rd in Washington DC getting perhaps the fastest passport in US history -- in at 8:30; new passport by 11:45! Crazy but true!
We moved to Nicaragua because I am working with a US based NGO (non governmental organization) here in Managua. Though I love the job and am thrilled to be together as a family it was hard to move here, but that is part of the story ...
My husband, R, is El Salvadorian. The short version of the story is that we have been pursing visa for him for almost three years now, unsuccessfully, and decided that with our son a little over a year old that it was time to be together where ever that would be possible (not in the United States). The longer version is a whole 'nother post.
We were all here in Nicaragua for the first time in December for my final interview (which clearly I nailed, wink ;). R did an advance scouting trip by coming back a week later to find us a house and he did a great job! My job was to find international movers and ship our stuff -- which is still not here yet, so I guess he did the better job there. One month of sleeping on an air mattress is not very fun. In fact until this weekend we didnt have any furniture other than the air mattress and the baby's travel crib.
Now at least we have patio furniture, but the funny thing is that the furniture looks HUGE! I think we've gotten so used to all of the open space it just seems weird to have anything taking up any of the space. But the baby, G, is loving it! He is so close to walking and he is thrilled to have things to hold onto to move around (although he had been walking circles around me holding onto me while I was sitting, and using the swinging gates on the doors to move around).
Other than the furniture issue we are all adjusting well -- R is full-time caregiver to G now which has been an adjustment for both of them, but they are so sweet together and after months of Skype and watching my baby light up hearing his daddy's voice over the phone, it is bliss to see them together.
Oh the Skype stories I could tell -- from "dates", to G's birth, to daily chats, family holidays and G's birthday party, Skype and the computer have been constant companions (they aren't even paying me to say that!). Seriously -- when I think about how communication with my family when I was in Peace Corps or studying abroad I am so so thankful for Skype.
So we are all adjusting -- R& I to being together, actually living together as a married couple, being parents together; G to spending so much good time with his daddy; and all of us to Nicaragua.
This is our story, and we hope you'll share it with us!
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