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| Fruit for sale atop this woman’s head. |
The Avianca (LACSA) flight, with a late take-off, on a 68 passenger prop plane from San Jose Costa Rica to Managua, Nicaragua, was relatively pleasant and uneventful. During the short flight. They even served sandwiches Tom ate mine as well as his own.
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| There was one short flight of steps to enter the 68 passenger propr plane. |
Having left the villa at 8:00 am for a one-hour flight, we didn’t arrive at the hotel in Managua until almost 3:00 pm. The long taxi rides on either end, the waiting time at the airport, the bus ride from the terminal to the plane all added to the delays and the wait to board the aircraft up the narrow, steep steps, contributing to the added time.
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| The plane appeared to be reasonably new, with a different propeller style than we’d previously seen. |
Once arriving at the hotel, Real Inter-Continental Managua at Metrocentre Mall, with a slow check-in process, we entered our room at 3:45. I unpacked our duffel bag while Tom dozed for a few minutes. At 4:30, we wandered about the hotel checking out the various restaurants, two of which are highly rated on TripAdvisor.
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| Upon entering the Managua Airport, we noticed a nurse taking entering passenger’s temperature with this device. Many were asked to stop for the test, but we weren’t. |
It was already getting dark and too late to embark on a sightseeing trip. We showered and dressed for dinner. By 7:00 pm, we wandered down to the main restaurant for dinner, The Factory Steak and Lobster.
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| Roasted chickens for sale. |
Tom had decided not to order a cocktail, and of course, I’m alcohol-free, most likely permanently due to this outrageous gastrointestinal thing. It was after the 33-night cruise when I’d consumed two glasses of wine at “free happy hour” that the symptoms exacerbated, making me terrified of drinking any alcohol anytime shortly.
I miss the red wine and always will. Giving that up is more complicated than giving up bread or pastries. I liked that slight warming buzz from the wine, but I was never one to get up and dance on the tables, although at times, I may have contemplated it when a great disco song was playing in the background. Oh, well.
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| More roasted chickens for sale along the road. |
Life is filled with sacrifices and challenges. Unfortunately, mine seem to center around food and drink, both of which I’ve always found rather pleasurable. Over these past years of avoiding food and drink, it seems my other senses have become more highly tuned and appreciative of my surroundings.
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| La Perfecta milk processing plant. |
This was particularly evident on the long taxi drive from the Augusto C. Sandino International Airport in Managua to the hotel. My eyes darted back and forth across the busy streets filled with traffic noise, people, vendors, shops, and barnyard animals.
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| Many vendors approach vehicles offering their wares for sale. This guy was selling portable seats. |
It reminded me of the day we arrived in Mombasa, Kenya, on September 3, 2013 (here’s the link to that day and our photos), when we both were in awe of the sights, smells, and sounds as we drove through the village. I felt the rush of endorphins pumping through my body with sheer excitement over the cultural scenes that lie before our eyes.
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| Buses are packed with locals and ex-pats. |
Yesterday, we felt similar sensations when we found the streets of Managua aren’t entirely different from those we witnessed in Kenya so long ago. (Oh, the joy of being able to quickly search our archives to find a past post reminding us of profound past experiences. Wow!) this has added so much fun to our lives, especially knowing we’ve been able to share it with all of you.
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| A huge bull on his way to… |
Now, as we sit in the hotel lobby preparing today’s post, the decent complimentary breakfast behind us, we’re sharing some of the photos we took on our short journey. In 24 hours, we’ll be back in Costa Rica when our flight arrives around 10:00 am, the only flight available that worked for us.
We aren’t left with much time for touring but plan to take off soon to check out the area and take more photos which we’ll continue to share over the next several days.
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| Trash on the sidewalk. |
These two days will have gone by in the blink of an eye. But, as always, we’re reveling in each other’s companionship and our new surroundings. Funnily, I’m looking forward to returning to the villa. Upon entering, most likely, we’ll look at each other and say, “Gee, honey, it’s good to be “home.”
We hope you have a good day at home, wherever that may be.
Photo from one year ago today, October 29, 2016:
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| One year ago, we were sentimental about leaving Bali. We’re grateful for the beautiful experience. For the story of our final day in Bali, please click here. |