This transmission is coming to you
You got it. Leon, Nicaragua signing on!
Just wanted to let you know that I accomplished a ho-hum day of travel and made it into Leon without incidence. I absolutely abhor the journey here, if ever anyone doubted the third worldiness of Nicaragua they need only take the bus from San Isidro to Leon, watching it serpentine its way down the practically bombed out road. I did feel calm, knowing that we were always undertaking defensive maneuvers. Funny.
Today has left an uneasy feeling in my stomach for several reasons. I went online to check out information about my favorite beach in this whole country, bahia Majagual, only to find out much to my horror that the Australian owner sold the place sometime in 2007. The website, which had still been available as of a month ago, is gone and the registry removed from Google. The email address is dead too. This is a horrible, horrible turn of events for me… imagine paying about 1/5th of a days budget getting dropped off at a beach that isn`t open anymore for guests. I have almost no way of finding out, just roll the dice and hope I don`t get screwed.
This is a disturbing trend. All around, businesses that had been set up by foreigners are being thrown onto the auction block. Prices will skyrocket, and invariably the new owners will be less conscientious than the previous. So passes away the glory of the world. Poor Nicaragua, for the fortieth time. This nation will lose its decency so fast, it will be filleted and splayed open for the meathead groups of all inclusive tourists I see populating the restaurants around the central park here in Leon. I am indeed here at the beginning of the end for the simplicity and smallness that made this country so endearing to me. How quickly I sound like an old man, talking about ¨what was¨ with longing. The hospedaje I stayed at in 2004 has doubled in price.
La Costeña, the airline that flies to the Corn Islands, had a scare today when from what I can tell, they could not get the landing gear down on one of their planes. They had to loop back to Managua for an emergency landing. I believe everything turned out allright somehow, but sheesh… is that enough for one day? To leave the relative quiet and comfort of Ocotal for this tumultuous city of 150,000 plus, aware at the same moment that one of the jewels of my trek may no longer shine and the airline I`m relying upon has a mechanical question mark?
Well, I am very tired spiritually and physically, I need to head out onto the chaotic streets and find some reasonable dinner. Today gets a C- in my book and I could use a hug. All things considered, I am alive, at my destination, with a room of my own. More to come soon and certainly some photos. I should be on a Volcano within 48 hours. Too much city madness, I`d rather cool out, up on the hilltop.
4 years ago