10 16 10 Cloudy, humid - 88F/32C
When we woke up this morning, the ship was at anchor in the bay of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. The tender brought our group to shore and we boarded a bus for a 90 minutes drive to the old city of Granada, founded in 1524 by the Spanish. It is the oldest European settlement in all of Americas. Quebec City, Canada, was settled in 1610.
In 1821 Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica formed a federal state breaking away from Spanish colonial rule. In 1838 Nicaragua declared itself independent.In 1979 Samosa wa ousted. Daniel Ortega is now president but he is just trying to get money for himself per our guide - not good for the country. In the last 20 years it has had a democratic government. The population is now 5.5 million -90% being mestizo (a Spanish, black, and native American mix). The unemployment is 35%. They export sugar, tobacco, cotton, and coffee but most money comes from Nicaraguans living abroad, who send money home. Education is free but you have to pay for uniforms and books and some cannot afford this.The literacy rate is 65% versus 90% in Costa Rica.
We followed the Pan American Highway - a two lane road - that was supposed to connect South America with North America. Our guide stated that it connected to California's Highway 1 but that is not the whole story. There is no designated PAH in the US or Canada but a network of roads. There is a gap between Panama and Columbia called the Darien Gap (160 km/100 miles). Our guide stated that the local Indians would not allow the road to be built. There seems to be many reasons. This is swampland and it would be very expensive and environmentally not a good idea. Also, this gap would contain the spread of tropical diseases, protect the livelihood of indigenous peoples, and prevent foot and mouth disease from entering North America (per the New World Encyclopedia).
The guide showed us the Nicaraguan flag - a white field with a blue one above (the Pacific Ocean) and another blue field below (the Atlantic Ocean)
.
When we woke up this morning, the ship was at anchor in the bay of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. The tender brought our group to shore and we boarded a bus for a 90 minutes drive to the old city of Granada, founded in 1524 by the Spanish. It is the oldest European settlement in all of Americas. Quebec City, Canada, was settled in 1610.
In 1821 Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica formed a federal state breaking away from Spanish colonial rule. In 1838 Nicaragua declared itself independent.In 1979 Samosa wa ousted. Daniel Ortega is now president but he is just trying to get money for himself per our guide - not good for the country. In the last 20 years it has had a democratic government. The population is now 5.5 million -90% being mestizo (a Spanish, black, and native American mix). The unemployment is 35%. They export sugar, tobacco, cotton, and coffee but most money comes from Nicaraguans living abroad, who send money home. Education is free but you have to pay for uniforms and books and some cannot afford this.The literacy rate is 65% versus 90% in Costa Rica.
We followed the Pan American Highway - a two lane road - that was supposed to connect South America with North America. Our guide stated that it connected to California's Highway 1 but that is not the whole story. There is no designated PAH in the US or Canada but a network of roads. There is a gap between Panama and Columbia called the Darien Gap (160 km/100 miles). Our guide stated that the local Indians would not allow the road to be built. There seems to be many reasons. This is swampland and it would be very expensive and environmentally not a good idea. Also, this gap would contain the spread of tropical diseases, protect the livelihood of indigenous peoples, and prevent foot and mouth disease from entering North America (per the New World Encyclopedia).
The guide showed us the Nicaraguan flag - a white field with a blue one above (the Pacific Ocean) and another blue field below (the Atlantic Ocean)
.The guide told us that the land between the road and the fences was no man's land and poor people let their cows and horses graze there. We did see a few.
The landscape was lush with green but not many flowers. Did see a yellow vine sporadically. There were sugar cane fields and banana trees. People were living in small shacks (per Jalil) along the highway. A lot of laundry was hanging out to dry. I took pictures from the bus as much as I could. Often the camera missed what I intended to take as the bus whizzed by. Chickens were walking around,
and we saw some cows. Near the cows in the open fields we saw 2-3 egrets per cow. We learned that they eat the fleas (flies?) off the cows!
There were no cemeteries before 1836 as families buried their loved ones in the back yard.
In Granada we were dropped off at the central park. Immediately, a throng of people -many kids - were offering us pottery, bird whistles, cashew nuts, etc. One boy offered a grasshopper made of grass for $1. We said no, no and pushed through to a hotel by the park where we had been told we could use the bathrooms. By then Jalil felt bad about the boy and went back out to find him. He gave him the dollar but did not want the grasshopper! When leaving the hotel, we were met by the same group. I did buy 2 bird whistle for my grand kids with a $5 bill but asked for $1 back which took some time but I did get it. While walking to the park, a small voice on my left asked for $1 for the baby she was nursing. The mother's face was scarred. I tried to ignore her but she kept following me. So I gave her my dollar I had in my hand. Later I ran into her and she smiled broadly and patted me. We then saw a group of musicians and folk dancers who performed for us hoping for a donation. We now had 30 minutes to wander around on our own. We ended up on a very busy and narrow street - not many tourists - very loud music in many places. Jalil was worried about entering the side streets so we soon headed back to the park after buying two pieces of chocolate - nothing special.
We found our group in the park and the guide took us on a walking tour to the San Francisco Convent and Culture House with historical murals
and pre-Columbian stone statues. I found a sign explaining that the Swedish government (SIDA) had help restore these buildings. The same throng of people met us as soon as we left the building. It is nerve wrecking when you are not used to it. Jalil did not appreciate this tour because of this. I still found it interesting.
The bus now continued back to San Juan del Sur where our ship was waiting. We stopped on a hill so that we could see a volcano in the distance but we were not allowed to get off.
We passed an old hospital which now was closed. Japan has built them a new hospital. Cancer patients were sent to Cuba, where they get good care per our guide.
The US has disposed of their presidents in 1898, 1912, and 1926. The Marin Corps has been stationed there but how long I did not understand. But because of this, baseball is the big sport - not soccer - in Nicaragua.
The guide mentioned that Ortega is back in power but he is not good for the country. He is all for getting money for himself. He did change the rules so that he can run for six more years.
During the California gold rush 100,000 people traveled from the US East Coast to the eastern side of Nicaragua. From there they crossed over to the Pacific Ocean to continue up to San Francisco. There is only 12 miles of land between the oceans. The rest is river and lakes. In 1849 the United States signed a treaty with Nicaragua to build a canal there. That was the beginning of the controversial US involvement in Nicaragua. A Mr. Morgan owned land in Panama near the canal that the French had started but given up as they were dying from malaria. He sent a letter to the US government with a stamp of a volcano. There are many volcanoes in Nicaragua. This scared the US and in 1909 US decided to build the canal in Panama. But the US still has the legal right to build a canal through Nicaragua for 100 years. I do not know when that expires.
Interesting stairs
The landscape was lush with green but not many flowers. Did see a yellow vine sporadically. There were sugar cane fields and banana trees. People were living in small shacks (per Jalil) along the highway. A lot of laundry was hanging out to dry. I took pictures from the bus as much as I could. Often the camera missed what I intended to take as the bus whizzed by. Chickens were walking around,
and we saw some cows. Near the cows in the open fields we saw 2-3 egrets per cow. We learned that they eat the fleas (flies?) off the cows!There were no cemeteries before 1836 as families buried their loved ones in the back yard.
In Granada we were dropped off at the central park. Immediately, a throng of people -many kids - were offering us pottery, bird whistles, cashew nuts, etc. One boy offered a grasshopper made of grass for $1. We said no, no and pushed through to a hotel by the park where we had been told we could use the bathrooms. By then Jalil felt bad about the boy and went back out to find him. He gave him the dollar but did not want the grasshopper! When leaving the hotel, we were met by the same group. I did buy 2 bird whistle for my grand kids with a $5 bill but asked for $1 back which took some time but I did get it. While walking to the park, a small voice on my left asked for $1 for the baby she was nursing. The mother's face was scarred. I tried to ignore her but she kept following me. So I gave her my dollar I had in my hand. Later I ran into her and she smiled broadly and patted me. We then saw a group of musicians and folk dancers who performed for us hoping for a donation. We now had 30 minutes to wander around on our own. We ended up on a very busy and narrow street - not many tourists - very loud music in many places. Jalil was worried about entering the side streets so we soon headed back to the park after buying two pieces of chocolate - nothing special.
We found our group in the park and the guide took us on a walking tour to the San Francisco Convent and Culture House with historical murals
and pre-Columbian stone statues. I found a sign explaining that the Swedish government (SIDA) had help restore these buildings. The same throng of people met us as soon as we left the building. It is nerve wrecking when you are not used to it. Jalil did not appreciate this tour because of this. I still found it interesting.
The bus now continued back to San Juan del Sur where our ship was waiting. We stopped on a hill so that we could see a volcano in the distance but we were not allowed to get off.
We passed an old hospital which now was closed. Japan has built them a new hospital. Cancer patients were sent to Cuba, where they get good care per our guide.
The US has disposed of their presidents in 1898, 1912, and 1926. The Marin Corps has been stationed there but how long I did not understand. But because of this, baseball is the big sport - not soccer - in Nicaragua.
The guide mentioned that Ortega is back in power but he is not good for the country. He is all for getting money for himself. He did change the rules so that he can run for six more years.
During the California gold rush 100,000 people traveled from the US East Coast to the eastern side of Nicaragua. From there they crossed over to the Pacific Ocean to continue up to San Francisco. There is only 12 miles of land between the oceans. The rest is river and lakes. In 1849 the United States signed a treaty with Nicaragua to build a canal there. That was the beginning of the controversial US involvement in Nicaragua. A Mr. Morgan owned land in Panama near the canal that the French had started but given up as they were dying from malaria. He sent a letter to the US government with a stamp of a volcano. There are many volcanoes in Nicaragua. This scared the US and in 1909 US decided to build the canal in Panama. But the US still has the legal right to build a canal through Nicaragua for 100 years. I do not know when that expires.
Interesting stairs
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