Getting to know the great people of Nicaragua

The second day in Nicaragua the Ministry of Tourism of Nicaragua(INTUR) picked us up to go see the historical center of Granada. Once we arrived to the main plaza we only had about an hour there; 30 minutes to hear historical facts about the sites and another 30 minutes to walk around on our own and shop.

After the hour we were ready to leave but we couldn't because there was people from the group missing. We ended up having to wait about an hour and a half because people would leave to make phone calls or get drinks as we waited for the ones missing to show and then we would have to wait for them to get back. La Ruta had set rules at the start of the trip in case something like this would happened, the rule was that we would wait for ten to fifteen minutes, then would leave and the person left behind would have to find their own way to meet up with La Ruta. This rule was in place because we have a very tight schedule and if we start running late we would miss things we had to see and that is just what happened in this situation, we wasn't able to see two stops. To add to the delays when we were all now really ready to leave there was something wrong with the bus and had to wait another few minutes till it got fixed.

We didn't get to stop at the Lake of Nicaragua because of the delays but at lest we were able to look at as we drove by. The Lake of Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America and is home to the Bull Shark which is the only shark that is able to live in fresh water.

The next stop was a little town that had a large part to do with Nicaragua's revoultion over their old government. Here we was once more greeted with great typical food, drinks, music, and dances. There was a point were even some of our members joined in the dancing.

Just before all the great activities were done I went out side and walk around a little. I noticed that the people in this town had a great intrust in us, there was tons of people sitting out side or on their door steps as well as sticking their heads out the window to take a look at us. I think that as I attempted to capture them trying to get an glimpse of us is when I really realized that people from other places are just as interested in you as you are about them, I would love to studying that in depth in the future.

After a great time at our last stop and getting to know the great people of Nicaragua, we went to an arts and crafts market were we met a group of young Nicaraguans that explained to us about their history and then was as able to go shopping.

After we had learning so much about the Nicaraguan culture, INTUR took us to eat at a restaurant were we ate the same typical dish we had eaten the at our first diner in Nicaragua. This typical dish consist of yuca(a vegetable that's a root like the potato), meat, and on top there is a salad thats like coleslaw but without mayonnaise.
Once we had eaten we left to Managua which is the capital of Nicaragua. In Managua the first place we went to was the bulding were the revolution had started, there they explained to us how the rebels went about entering and taking over the government at the time. This building now has been turned into a museum and were able to walk around and learn a lot more about their culture.

One of the things that I learned this day was that Nicaragua is left winged and a lot of the people really look up to El Che. As soon as I found this out it all made sense to me why I thought I knew about Granada, I had heard about it on some Che documentaries I had watch before. Back in high school some of my friends were Che fans but I really did not know who he was and didn't understand why he was so important. So I did some research on him to find out I like him in his youth but really didn't like the way he went about getting things done late in his life. Because of the fact tones of people in the US like him but he fought agents the US really interested me on why people love him so much in the states. Now in days in the US El Che is just a hip icon and most people that wear something with his face on it do not even know who he is so when I realized I was in a country were he was a extremely important and is a hero to them I just had to take the time and talk to the people and get their point of view.

Begin of Nicaragua

8/5/10

To cross the border of Costa Rica and Nicaragua we had to walk on a cemented walk way that had fences on both sides and the top, for about 15 minutes. When we got to the end of this walk way we had to cross threw a hole in a fence. As we waited in the extreme heat for our papers to go threw immigration, the Ministry of Tourism of Nicaragua (INTUR) came our salvation to pick to us up. They had us get on school bus were they had food and cold drinks that we highly need.

From the border INTUR drove us to Granada were they took us to a museum and explained about the indigenous people that lived in the area. At the museum they also showed us these huge statues of human figures with the head of different animals on top of their heads. These statutes were found on the Island Zapatera that is located in the Lake of Nicaragua.

After they had explained about all the statues and the culture of the people that had crated them they gave us typical food and took us to a school were we was going to sleep.

Last days of Costa Rica

8/4/10

The next day we went on our way from San Jose to go see an active volcano, Arenal. In the middle of the trip we was all woke up when we had to stop because the one of the two buses had gotten a flat. We had to get off and wait about a an hour for the bus drivers to change the tires, I had never seen an tire of a couch bus being changed. It was pretty cool to see the bus drivers change such a big tire in so much heat.

Once we got to the Arenal we could hardly see it because of the clouds but the group still set up for a group shot. Little by little the clouds started to go away and we could see the Arenal and then out of no were the ground started to shake and then came a huge roar and a the volcano shot tones of smoke into the air. After the whole hip about seeing this great event we started on a hike trowed Arenal's base.

Once we had seen the volcano from this rocky base we started a hike threw a different path that led us into a jungle. As we walked the path we seen huge bugs, heard and felt the volcano and seen this huge tree named Ceiba. Later we would find out that the Ceiba was very important to the Mayans. They believe that it represented the three levels of the universe; the top that went up into the sky was the heavens, the bottom; the roots went into the ground was the underworld, and the mid-section; the trunk was were humans were. Every where we went we was told over and over about this tree, that's how important it is to understanding the Mayan culture.

As we hiked I started to get tired and hungry, so a friend offered me coca leafs telling me that it would take it away and give me energy. He told me all I had to do was chew the leafs and make sure I didn't swallow, so I did just that. After a few minuets I wasn't tired or hungry, had more energy, and my mouth was a little numb.

Threw out the whole trip I learned a lot about my fellow group members. The image below is a friend from Uruguay making mate(ma-te). Mate is a tea from Uruguay and Argentina that is made by pouring hot water on herbs that you drink in threw a special straw. There was also a friend from Paraguay that also made the same tea but instead of hot water she used cold water and it's named terere.

After checking out the Arenal and the great hike we went to were we was going to sleep, this was a sport complex with the volcano in the background. Here we had to shower out side and sleep inside in tents on a basketball court.

Later that nigh the bus drivers took us to see the lava glowing in the dark as it flowed down the volcano, but when we got there we really couldn't see anything. So I took the chance to play with my flash off the camera and got some cool shots. The next stop that night was to go to a stream were the water was hot because it is heated by the volcano, this was really relaxing.

The first thing we did as soon as we got on the buses in any country was fall asleep. We just couldn't help it, it could be noon and sunny out but we would still all fall asleep. So in Costa Rica I was on the bus and just happened to wake up and look over my shoulder and see my friend from Spain, Javi sleeping with very beautiful light on his face so I just had to take the shot of him sleeping.

First days in Costa Rica

8/1/10 to 8/3/10

Once we got into Costa Rica we went to Quepos were the natural reserve Manuel Antonio is located. A part of the group went into the reserve to see the animals, river, and waterfalls, but I stayed out side enjoying the beach. As it started to get dark it began to rain, our plan was to ether to camp on the beach outside of the reservation or another beach close by. But we lucked out because one of the bus drivers got us a school were we cold sleep in. The next day we went a volcano were some of the group went hiking and the others went to the a town near by. Once it got dark we all met up to head to San Jose were we did not know were we was going to sleep until we got word that a church from a very poor neighborhood would let us stay there.

The next day a small group of people and I went to check out the city. To be honest with you San Jose was not that nice, there was only a small section of a ten by ten block area that was very nice looking. That's were we spent most of the day. In one of the little parks there was people feeding pigeons. As we sat there and looked at the people and pigeons I notice that women was garbing the pigeons so her child could pet them.

I have grown up always wanting to going to Costa Rica because I leaner that was were tons of sea turtle migrate to lay their eggs. Later on in life I found out that people ate the eggs, so when I found this stand selling turtle eggs next to candies I had to get a shot. I guess you buy the eggs and then they cook them for you on the spot at your liking.

From the hot beaches to chilly mountains of Panama

7/29/10 to 7/31/10

The day after the great meeting with the Embera we were taken to go see the famous Panama canal. The Panama canal has 3 locks and we visited the last lock that is Miraflores. A lock is a set of gates that are used with filling or lowering water to help ships move along the canal. As we was there a large group of navy personal had arrival. It was quit a sight, a sea of white uniforms.

After the canal we went to the ruins old Panama. Old Panama was burnt down by the Spanish governor at the time so pirate Henry Morgan would not capture the city and there wouldn't be a good chance that British would get the city. When Morgan showed up to the city it was burnt down and he took all the gold and jewels from the city. When Morgan showed up to Britain Spain asked to them to put him in jail, so they did. But he was in a jail with what ever he want, in British he was looked at as a hero for bringing down a Spanish city. I had a great time learning about Morgan because when I was little boy my grandmother would tell me about him as bed time stories.

The next day we left Panama City and started to work our way north to the border with Costa Rica. We had to go up to the mountains and we he stopped from town to town sit seeing, hiking, and eating typical food of the area.

Here is my attempt to shoot a still-life that I found instead of setting one up, influenced by Hallmark Institute of Photography panelist Grant Peterson.