We were robbed - well, almost!

So, it finally happened to us! We have been traveling throughout Nicaragua for more than a year and until now haven't been robbed or taken advantage of (much) until now. So what happened?

We spent a couple of weeks enjoying Granada and late in the day last Friday headed to León. Some friends drove us the first part of the way - to Managua - and dropped us off at the UCA terminal where we waited to catch an Inter-local to León. There was a long line of people waiting and we were a little worried at how long it would take to get a ride. After about a 45 minute wait we were seated in the bus and ready to go. When the driver came around to collect the money all I had was a 500 cord note - mistake #1! I should have had a smaller bill. He took the money, indicated that he was going to charge us for our suitcase too (I've heard that this can happen and wasn't too worried about it) and fumbled for the change. Then he abruptly motioned that he would give us the change when we got to the terminal - hummm - I saw that he had a big wad of bills and could easily have given us the change. Mistake #2 - we should have insisted on the change right then.

The drive to León was uneventful. When we neared the bus terminal the driver stopped on the road outside of the market to let out all of the passengers. He came around and helped us get our bag out of the van and Pat asked for our change. We waved his hand in a "wait a moment gesture" and walked to the far side of the vehicle. There were two ladies from Bluefields that were heading in the same direction as we were and so we arranged to take a taxi together. Pat and the women headed to the taxi while I followed the driver. He finally stopped and counted out some money, handed it to me and then quickly got in the van and drove away. I looked at what he gave me and it was $150 cords short! Although we had suspected he was up to something, we were now at a loss as to how to get the remainder of our money - sure, it was only about $6.25 but it bugged us that we had been taken advantage of.

The reaction of our new traveling companions was quite something - they were horrified that we had been "robbed". When they explained what happened to us to the taxi driver he offered to help us find the driver. It took us a couple of stops but we finally located the Inter-local office and went there to complain. The manager called the driver (Francisco) and told him to come to the office because there was a complaint. The driver made us wait over 1/2 hour before he finally arrived and we felt bad for interfering with our companions plans to get home. They were very friendly and were still hyped by the fact that we had been treated this way.

The driver finally arrived - probably thinking that he could hold his own against a couple of gringos. Little did he know that we had our own "secret weapons" - the two ladies from Bluefields. In Spanish too fast for me to understand, they shot down every argument the driver brought up for his actions and when the dust settled they were victorious - and so were we. Not only did the driver give us the correct change, but he also gave back the money that he charged for the suitcase. We got into the waiting taxi and headed to San Mateo where we were spending a few days with friends.

Of course, the helpful taxi driver charged for his time, but we felt it was money well spent. We are very grateful to the two ladies who helped us get our money back and sincerely hope that "Francisco" learned his lesson and won't try and cheat the next gringos that get into his van.

Festivities in front of the Cathedral in León, Nicaragua

Pearl Lagoon to Managua by Bus

The day will come, that for one reason or another, you will have to leave Pearl Lagoon to return to Managua. The cheapest way is to travel by bus from Pearl Lagoon to El Rama and from there on to Managua. Although cheap, it is not for the faint of heart - the road to El Rama is rough!

The bus from Pearl Lagoon to El Rama

There is only one bus a day that is direct from Pearl Lagoon to El Rama - it leaves early in the morning - 5:30 a.m. and sometimes even earlier during the rainy season. Your best bet is to be at the basketball court (La Concha) for 5:00 a.m. This will ensure that you get a seat and you won't miss it if they decide to leave early. Don't be surprised if you share your ride with men carrying machetes. Don't worry - they are likely heading out to their farms which are located around an area called Rocky Point.

The first part of your journey is through the jungle on either side with farms hidden behind the trees and foliage. Once you near the town of Kukra Hill the landscape changes to fields upon fields of Palm trees that are harvested to make oil. 

During the dry season the road from Pearl Lagoon to El Rama is usually easy to navigate. However, with the rainy season the road deteriorates. There are parts of the road that become mud pits and navigating through these areas pose a real problem for some vehicles. Also, when there are really heavy rains there are some lower areas that get flooded and the buses can't get through. At these times the bus may be canceled. We have even heard that at times it is necessary to ferry passengers across these flooded areas with a dory (small boat) but we haven't experienced this for ourselves.

Truck caught in the mud on the road between El Rama and Pearl Lagoon

Once you arrive in El Rama you will be dropped off at the local market/bus terminal - you should arrive between 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. You now have a choice to make. You can take the "Express" bus to Managua that is at the market or you can go to the Wendelyn Vargas terminal and take the 12:00 noon bus. Sometimes, due to the competition for riders, you will be told that the Wendelyn Vargas bus isn't running. If this is your choice you may want to check at the terminal to make sure. There isn't much difference in the price but the "Express" bus will deliver you to the Mayoreo terminal rather than the Ivan Montenegro terminal where the Wendelyn Vargas bus goes. Also, from my understanding, even though the "Express" bus leaves El Rama sooner both buses arrive in Managua about the same time - 5:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Bus information for Wendelyn Vargas Transport

Traveling from El Rama to Managua allows you to see some of the beautiful countryside of Nicaragua. After leaving the RAAS you will travel through the Department of Chontales (cowboy country) where you might get stuck in a cattle drive and also Boaco where you will see the beautiful, artificial Lago Las Canoas.

Boaco, Nicaragua

Boaco, Nicaragua

Artificial lake (or reservoir)  - Las Canoas in the department of Boaco

Lago Las Canoas, Nicaragua

Lago Las Canoas, Nicaragua

Lago Las Canoas, Nicaragua

Whichever way you go - sit back and enjoy the ride.

Cost for transport:  Pearl Lagoon to El Rama - C$150 ($6.13 CDN). El Rama to Managua via Wendelyn Vargas C$160 ($6.54 CDN)

How are the road improvements coming along in Pearl Lagoon?

bricking the road near the basketball court

Long gone are the days when the pathways of Pearl Lagoon were covered with a nice thick carpet of grass. With progress - for example the road from El Rama to Pearl Lagoon - there are always changes. The few roads in Pearl Lagoon that had been built for the cars and trucks to drive on certainly weren't adequate to cope with the changing seasons. They were dry and dusty when there was no rain and they were wet and muddy in the rainy season. Improvements definitely were needed.

A few weeks ago, as we were heading to El Rama, we were passed by a convoy of transport trucks loaded down with interlocking bricks. We speculated that the bricks were headed to Pearl Lagoon. After all, there are few towns along the way and there had been rumors that the roads in Pearl Lagoon were going to be bricked. Imagine how thrilled everyone is with that prospect! No more slogging through mud (well past your ankles in some parts) during the rainy season!

The bricking work is rapidly proceeding on a number of the roads. The main road has been prepped all the way to the cemetery, the road by the basketball court and the last east/west road north of the municipal wharf are just about finished being bricked.

Correction (Jul 9/13): The main road is only prepped as far as the Moravian Church - not all the way to the cemetery as written above.


It's hard going for these guys - working a lot of the time in the driving rain. Also, most of the work is being done by hand - moving bricks and dirt in wheelbarrows. Everyone appreciates their hard work and are looking forward to the completion of the project.

East of the basketball court linking up to Front Street

Preparing the sides for the cement

Edging has been completed near the Alcaldia

A rescue in the Lagoon!

Municipal Wharf - Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua

This morning started out like a typical end of the month with a trip into Bluefields to grab some cash, pay our rent and pick up some stuff from the Snider Mini Mart.  We were grateful to see that it was a clear day with no rain on the horizon - it should be smooth sailing!

Everything went according to plan - we had reserved a spot on the 6:30 a.m. panga and since everyone arrived on time we were off to Bluefields without delay. Our Captain cruised at a nice speed all the way to town so it was possible to enjoy the scenery.

We were finished with our errands about 11:30 a.m. There was a panga that was leaving right away and was heading past Pearl Lagoon so we didn't have to wait 3 hours for the next one. We anticipated that we should be home by 1:00 p.m. - just in time for lunch. Unfortunately, things didn't turn out that way. About 40 minutes into the ride the panga came to a slow stop. Surprisingly, nobody got upset or asked what was going on, the Captain didn't say anything to the passengers - we all just looked at him and each other trying to figure out why he had stopped in the middle of nowhere. Finally, we all realized that he had run out of gas...... Imagine - a dead boat filled with 20 passengers in crocodile infested waters.... Ok, I didn't actually see any crocodiles in the water but I hear they are in the waterways - I didn't dare dabble my fingers... With the sun beating down on our heads we were glad to have our trusty umbrellas. Our Captain made a quick call - presumably to his boss - to inform him that we were stranded somewhere before Kukra Hill - Could someone please bring us some gas??? Well, we don't know what he was told, but he took out the oar and started paddling so we figured there wasn't any help nearby.

After some time we heard the sound of a boat engine and sure enough there was a boat coming to our rescue. But, wait a minute - why did it pass us by? Didn't they wonder why a boat, filled to the brim with passengers, was just sitting there? With a huge, collective sigh of relief we watched as the boat turned around and asked the Captain what was the problem. Generously he poured out about a gallon of gas from his tank and gave it to our Captain. In no time at all we were back on our way. We were surprised to find out that we had only been about 3 minutes short of the gas station in Kukra Hill! It took about 15 minutes to have the gas tanks filled and to our delight we did finally make it home - a little later than expected, but safe and sound!

 Today reminded us that when you are traveling in Nicaragua you should always expect the unexpected!

Filling the tanks in Kukra Hill

When walking just won't do.... getting around town in Pearl Lagoon.

Pearl Lagoon is a small community. It really is possible to walk from one end of  town to the other in about 15 minutes. Walking is a nice way to get to know everyone and for them to meet you. However, there are times when walking is out of the question - it's too hot/raining, you have a load of groceries to carry, you are heading to Haulover, Raitipura or Awas, or you are simply in a hurry. For times like these you will be happy to know that there are alternatives. If you don't have a set of wheels yourself (i.e. a bike) you can flag down the moto taxi, truck taxi or the collectivo van. I haven't seen the truck or the van on the road to Raitipura and Awas, so I suspect that if you are heading in that direction you will need to flag down the moto taxi. The cost for a ride is 10 cordobas per person and they will drop you where you want to go.

Moto taxi - Pearl Lagoon

Truck taxi - Pearl Lagoon

We've got wheels!

Pat checking out a bike

Finally, after a year of walking almost everywhere we have wheels. Sure, they aren't as cushy as the car we sold back home and there are only two wheels, but they will make life much easier.

There isn't a bicycle shop here in Pearl Lagoon so on our last trip to Bluefields we scouted out a couple of places (one with used bikes and the other with new). Within a relatively short period of time we were the happy owners of two new bicycles. We chose these ones for a couple of reasons:

1. They have fenders that in our opinion are essential during rainy season.
2. They had bike racks and kickstands already installed.
3. They were new rather than used.

The bikes were $129.00 each. Once we had made the purchase we had to get the bikes back to Pearl Lagoon on the panga. We were charged less than 100 cordobas for this service.

Moving House - León to Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua

moving house

Before our visit to Pearl Lagoon in January we started to consider whether we wanted to try living in a different part of Nicaragua. After our trip to Pearl Lagoon our decision was made up - we were moving! Our lease for our house in León was up at the end of February and so the timing was perfect.

Finding a "mover" in Nicaragua isn't as easy as it is back in Halifax. In Halifax all we had to do was open the yellow pages to find a mover or reserve a truck with U-Hall and do it ourselves; but how do you find a mover in Nicaragua? We have found out that finding someone to help you with your move here is more about who you know and who they know rather than finding them on the internet or the "yellow pages". In our case, the father of a young friend of ours is in the business of buying and selling vehicles. He happened to have a truck that could be used for our move and he was willing to make the drive with us - problem solved. However, about a week before we were due to leave the engine on the truck blew - it looked like our planned move would be delayed by a week in order for the truck to be fixed. Fortunately for us, he was able to locate another truck and two drivers to move us to Pearl Lagoon.

loading the truck

As arranged, the truck arrived early on Thursday evening and we had it loaded in no time. Not being professional movers they didn't have any blankets to protect our furniture, and we of course didn't have any either. Everything fit onto the truck and the mattress was put down at the back of the truck for us to lay on as we traveled through the night under the stars. That sounds romantic doesn't it?..... well, it was for a while. We enjoyed the beautiful display of stars and we even saw a shooting star. However, as we traveled through the mountains a definite chill filled the air -in time it became down right cold! We were glad that there wasn't a cloud in the sky and there was no rain!

We made it to El Rama by 4:30 am and were soon on the final stretch - the road to Pearl Lagoon. Originally, we had figured that since the bus takes 5 hours from El Rama to Pearl Lagoon that we would be able to make it in less time - maybe 4 hours. Boy were we wrong! Due to the condition of the road our driver took 6 1/2 LONG hours on one of the bumpiest roads we've ever traveled. There didn't seem to be any signs along the road to tell us where to turn for Pearl Lagoon and we did lose our way once so we were so happy when we saw could smell the ocean - we knew we were getting close.

It was a relief to finally arrive at our destination and to unload the truck. Our poor furniture had taken a beating - many scratches but nothing was broken. If we were to make the trip again we would know to find some cheap, protective blankets for our furniture.

Pancho made the trip with us in the back of the truck

our view as we lay on the matress

the last leg of our journey - the road to Pearl Lagoon

How much did it cost for us to move from León to Pearl Lagoon with two drivers, truck and gas? Only $485.00 CDN!

our house in Pearl Lagoon

How to get to Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua

view of the wharf as we were leaving Bluefields

Bluefields is the jumping off point to a number of locations - one of them being Pearl Lagoon. So, after our 6 hour bus ride from Managua and a two hour panga (boat) trip up the Rio Escondido to the small port city of Bluefields we were ready for the next leg of our journey.

After we got off the panga from El Rama we had to cross over to the part of the wharf where the pangas leave for Pearl Lagoon (you may need to ask for directions because there aren't any signs that I saw). You have to pay a 5 cordoba (per person) port fee when you enter this section. On the small wharf there is a fellow walking around with a clip board - he is taking names of passengers for the next panga. We were very fortunate because the next panga was leaving in only a few minutes and he still had a number of spaces. So, before we knew it, we were departing on the 8:30 am panga!

boats in the marina

The one hour trip along the small rivers that lead to Pearl Lagoon was very scenic. There appeared to be mangrove trees in some areas. You could also see some modest homes where people are going about their everyday life.

Mangrove trees

there was a short stop at Kukra Hill

Our final destination - Pearl Lagoon

Pearl Lagoon, RAAS Nicaragua

The cost for this leg of the journey was only 165 cordobas. However, if you don't like to travel by water it is possible to get to Pearl Lagoon by land. Rather than take the panga from El Rama to Bluefields you would wait for the bus to Pear Lagoon. The trip from El Rama to Pearl Lagoon by bus takes 5 hours (with a short break at the halfway point) and only costs 150 cordobas. The trip by bus is two hours longer and the roads are not in the best condition.

Road from Pearl Lagoon to El Rama

Road from Pearl Lagoon to El Rama

Taking a trip to the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua by bus

We have always wanted to visit the Atlantic Side of Nicaragua and early in January we were finally able to make the trip.

We left León at noon by the inter-local which took us to the La UCA terminal in Managua. We left León early because we had reserved our tickets for the bus and we were told we had to be at the Costa Atlantica (Ivan Montenegro) Terminal by 4 pm to pay for them or risk loosing our seats. It is possible to take a chicken bus from the Mayoreo bus Terminal but be aware that they can take up to 8 hours since they stop all along the route. The Wendelyn Vargas bus is an express bus and it will get you to your destination in only 6 hours (there is a short "lunch" break half way through the drive).

After lunch at Metrocentro Mall we took a taxi across town to the bus station. We paid a little more for the taxi because we took a "secure" taxi from the Mall - $250 cordobas for the two of us.

Upon arriving at the bus terminal we paid our fare and received two tickets for the trip - one for the bus with a seat number written on it and one ticket for the panga once we get to El Rama. The night we left there were 3 buses traveling together. Your ticket will indicate which bus you are on.

Poster with Bus and Panga times and current rates

 The buses are old "school" buses with "deluxe" seating - more comfortable chairs than your regular bench seating. Your luggage will be stowed on top of the bus and covered with a tarp to keep it dry. They start loading the luggage about an hour before departure. The buses will be marked I, II or III and if you have any doubt which one you are assigned to the attendants will help you out.

Old school buses used for your trip to the Atlantic side of Nicaragua

Tickets for the bus and panga

After an uneventful ride across country we arrived in El Rama at 3:15 am. There were a few food vendors open for business but there were no bathroom facilities available at this time. After collecting our luggage we noticed that there was a line up at the office. We had already bought our tickets for the panga and didn't think we had to join the line - but you do! This is when you get your panga assignment. We were at the end of the line and were given #8 which caused a lot of confusion when it came time to load onto the pangas - there was no panga #8...... No worries - we were squished onto #7. This office is also where you will purchase your return bus ticket to Managua.

Office in El Rama where you get your panga assignment

About 4:30 - 5:00 am you will notice that the Port Office across the street is open. You will have to pay 5 cordobas per person to enter. There is a large waiting room, but more importantly there are bathroom facilities available.

Entry to the Port of El Rama

 About 6 am they will start loading the first panga by calling out the numbers in order.  They will put your luggage in the front and cover it with a tarp. They should have life jackets available for everyone on the panga. They panga ride from El Rama to Bluefields will take about 2 hours (or less if you have a crazy driver like we did). If it starts raining along the route the driver will hand out a plastic sheet to cover the passengers with to try and protect them from the worst of the rain.

Loaded into the panga and ready to go

We enjoyed our trip out to the Atlantic side of Nicaragua - a true adventure in itself. We found that traveling by bus and panga was a fairly quick and inexpensive way to get around. The cost to get from León, Nicaragua to Bluefields, Nicaragua was only 586 cordobas per person (including our expensive taxi across Managua) or just under $24.00 CDN.  In comparison, if we had taken a flight from Managua to Bluefields the flight alone would have cost us $82.46 US - so the bus is truly a budget option!

We arrived in Bluefields at 8:30 am - tired and ready for breakfast!

Check out the Rightside Guide website for all kinds of information about exploring the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua.

Getting to Maxi Palí by Bus

When we first moved to León, Nicaragua we were thrilled to find the local Maxi Palí which we blogged about here. We asked around to find out if it was possible to take the bus rather than a taxi but everyone told us that there wasn't a bus that went to the Maxi Palí.

Well, we have since found out that everyone was right - but also wrong. We haven't found a bus or a camionetta that passes right in front of the store but there is one that will drop you off within walking distance. 

If you are in Barrio Guadalupe you need to take the large bus that is heading into town. If you are already in the city center you can pick this bus up at the Recollection Church. This bus weaves back and forth through the north part of town but will eventually come to a T in the road - there will be a Uno gas station on the left hand side. The bus turns left here. About a minute or two up the road the bus will come to the National Police building - pictured below. These is a regular bus stop so just be on the alert and the bus will be dropping people off here.

Police grounds near Maxi Palí

When you exit the bus you want to walk up the road in the direction that the bus was going. When you get to the intersection you are going to follow the road to the right. There will be an Esso "On the Run" on the left side of the road. Walk up the road a very short distance and you will see the Maxi Palí on the left (set back from the road).

Maxi Palí - León, Nicaragua

Returning from the Maxi Palí into town is just as easy. Reverse your steps to where the bus let you off. On the opposite side of the road from where you got off the bus you will see a large tree. This is where the bus will pick you up again. Don't worry if you have a lot of packages - there are bicycle taxis just outside of the Maxi Palí and they will drive you to the bus stop.  Enjoy your afternoon shopping!

Large tree where you will pick up the bus to return to the city center

Renewing our Nicaraguan Tourist Visa in MetroCentro Mall

Renewing your Nicaraguan Tourist Visa at MetroCentro Mall is as simple as everyone has indicated. We took the Interlocal from León to the UCA bus station in Managua. The cost for the Interlocal is only 46 cordobas. The driver will drop you off near the mall if you ask - almost door to door service!

We arrived at the mall about 9:45 and there was already a line up. Shortly after we arrived the guard for the Migracion office handed out the forms (5 cordobas each). The Migracion office opened up on time and it took about 1 1/2 hours for us to reach the front of the line. When we got to the counter the desk agent pointed out that we had forgotten to bring photocopies of our identity page and also the page that had our last entry into Nicaragua.  No problem! On exiting the Migracion office you will notice a "Photo Shop" right across from you (beside the Pet Store). They know exactly what you need because I'm sure this happens all the time. The photocopies will cost you 2 cordobas per page. When you return to the Migracion office go to the front of the line and the desk clerk will take you next.  The clerk will confirm how many days you want to renew your Tourist Visa for (500 cordobas per 30 days) and will process your payment. Your paperwork will be handed to another clerk to verify and to enter the information into a book. Your name will be called and you will have to sign against the entry in the book and you will be handed back your passport with the updated visa stamped in it. The date that your visa is valid until will be written in your passport so that you know when it expires. You will need to exit the country in order to renew your visa the next time.

Cost of Gas in León, Nicaragua - June 21, 2012

Here is the current price listed at the neighbouring Esso.  The exchange rate is at : 22.8882

                       Diesel: 25.87 cordobas a litre = $1.13 CDN
                       Regular: 29.58 cordobas a litre = $1.29 CDN
                       Premium: 31.52 cordobas a litre = $1.38 CDN

Proof of Onward Travel - Using our Tickets

TicaBus

Before arriving in Nicaragua we had purchased TicaBus tickets through A Safe Passage to prove our "onward travel" if we were questioned about our one-way airline tickets. We had to supply a "trip date" for the tickets and so we chose a date close to our three month anniversary in Nicaragua when we would be required to renew our visitors visa.

The day finally arrived for our trip to Costa Rica. We arrived at the Managua bus station 45 minutes before departure and showed the ticket clerk our "emailed" tickets. The clerk called up our reservations and printed off new tickets and we were ready to go.

TicaBus interior

We were very satisfied with the service we received from A Safe Passage and were thrilled at how easy everything turned out to be. If you have a friend in Nicaragua and want to save yourself the service fee that A Safe Passage charges; you could easily have them purchase the tickets for you. All your friend would need is a copy of your passport and the date you want to travel and they can make the reservation for you. You can check the TicaBus website for their routes/schedules and fees.

Cost of Gas in León, Nicaragua

Although Pat and I don't have a car here in Nicaragua there are many who are factoring the cost of car ownership into their budget. Here is the current price listed at the neighbouring Esso.  The exchange rate is at : 23.7143

Diesel: 29.41 cordobas a litre = $1.24 CDN

Regular: 33.06 cordobas a litre = $1.39 CDN

Premium: 35.21 cordobas a litre = $1.48 CDN

Bus - Fare Increase

Last week when we took the bus to Las Peñitas we were faced with an increase in bus fare. I had read that an increase of 15% was due to take effect but didn't know how much that would translate to. We were charged 4 cordobas for the local bus and then 12 cordobas for the trip from Sutiava to Las Peñitas. Fair enough we thought - the price of gas continues to go up so it made sense that there was a hike in bus fare.

New developments this week - We were told that on Tuesday the students held a protest about the new price and the buses came to a standstill for at least part of the day. This caused a lot of problems for people trying to get from one end of the city to another. Some people waited an hour before a taxi could stop to pick them up because the taxis were to full to take another person.

As of today the new fare for the local bus and the camionetta is 3.50 cordoba. Let's see what tomorrow brings!