Nica, pt. 2

*Fri 10/29: I finished my last post talking about Che Guevara. Inspired by reading him, as I took a boat from Isla de Ometepe to the hot but pleasant transit town of Rivas, I decided to dress as Che for Halloween. In the Rivas market, I found a motorcycle toy as a prop--and used a red bandana to tie back my currently-long & unkempt hair, drew a scraggly eyeliner-beard. The party? In Managua, where I arrived by early evening to stay with my friend Thomas, who has lived there for a year already through the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. Was soon attacked in a tight squeeze from my other friend Alicia, who promptly whisked me off to her barrio to zealously introduce me to a long string of her Nicaraguan friends. (if you know her, you can picture this)

Here are my friends´ blogs, sharing as nod to their good work, and deep insights about a place which to them is, home.
Thomas:http://thomasweiler.blogspot.com/
Alicia:http://spiderwebsyresistencia.blogspot.com/

Back to Halloween. Thomas & his JV compañeros threw a fantastic fiesta in the evening, with 20 or so Nica and expat friends who I loved meeting. Many recognized me, but more likely due to their radical political leanings than to my costume´s quality. Carousing continued into 2AM guitar sing-along of "Casas de Carton," and The Beatles.

*Sat 10/30: Tranquilo day, but did accompany Thomas to the market to help carry groceries...and witness his frijol & verdura-buying skills. We had time for many good conversations--the brief moment when our different paths become tangent. I´m learning more and more how important these meetings are, even when bending the curve takes a little extra effort.

Alicia joined us in the evening, to enjoy Thomas´ dinner of ayote and "gallo pinto" (Nica-speak for the always-yummy rice&beans). Then we headed with the full group of JVs to Cuidad Sandino, about an hour outside the capital. A few of their Nicaraguan friends recently opened a bar & club that´s women/family-friendly (i.e. not like the sad places of machistic drunkenness and desolation so prevalent elswhere). This night was a benefit concert / open-mic in support of an injured coworker at the local NGO where many attendees worked. Another great night of dancing and joy. Thomas kept telling me that most weekends are much more boring. But I was happy to ride the party wave!

*Sun 10/31-11/2: I´ve been in León for a few days. Called the "capital de la revolución," it was both the sight where Rigoberto López-Pérez assasinated dictator General Somoza in 1956 (then replaced by two dicator sons while Rigoberto was machine-gunned by the national guard) as well as a location of heavy fighting later up the final offensive and victory of the FSLN on July 19, 1979. The national University is also located here, contributing to the city´s importance in the resistance movement...and meaning there are lots of great murals here.

At the revolution museum, my personal tour-guide was a former guerillero. He rattled off 70years of historical detail, with colorful stories, for more than an hour. Only at the end did he tell me that he no longer formerly worked at the museo, but had come in to visit friends there, and still offered to teach me. Fighting in jungle when he was 20, he now farms export shrimp for a Spanish company.

I´ve enjoyed time to take in the city in a more relaxed way. Ironically, my months-long "don´t worry, be happy" M.O. ended in my hostel hammock, as I began reading a BRS Anatomy Review book I brought back from the U.S. several weeks ago. As I swing in a net of dismay from my completely-lost knowledge, my new classmates are learning, a lot...right now. My tranquilo time needs to end soon.

Yet, today´s excursion, likely my last hurrah of stereotypical tourism for awhile, was...VOLCANO-BOARDING. Yes, it´s what you´re imagining. It. Was. Great. A dozen happy backpackers (one quite hungover, glad I wasn´t in her shoes) jumped in the back of an orange truck for service directo across bumpy roads to the base of Cerro Negro. At 160yrs, it is the youngest volcano in Central America and also one of most active. The frequent eruptions, coupled with a characteristic east-to-west wind pattern, has created a rocky side, and a steep smooth ash side. We each carried jumpsuits, googles, and wooden boards in a hike up the rocky side. Ground at the summit was hot to the touch. We received instructions on using the boards (sled style, b/c standing would be wayyy too hard); the most important rule was "don´t smile or scream....or you´ll swallow ash."

Two-by-two, we pushed off. 700-meters at a 41-degree incline. Even though I fell off my board twice, the descent took less than a minute. Record speed in this activity is 80km/h, but my near-40 still felt pretty darn fast. Ash-covered faces and bodies, we rode back to the Bigfoot hostel and were offered free mojitos to celebrate.

I´ve loved Nicaragua, but my time in Central America is on a less-than-a-week countdown, so I need to return to El Salv to say goodbye there. Rather than take the directo TicaBus from Managua, I´m going to split up the 10-plus hour travel time by taking local buses through the three countries, and walking the borders. Estimated 7-10 buses passing from León to Chinandega to Guasuale to Choluteca to El Amatillo to Santa Rosa de Lima and finally, San Salvador. Will probably send a final note from there.