Nicaragua Day 8: shopping & fond farewells

Dear Loopy,
I'm sorry yesterday's entry was so dry. I was a little intimidated by the idea that WCCN staff were reading. But today I have decided not to worry about them (although I am waving to them, hello Alisha! Thank you for saying my blog is a hoot!) But you didn't comment which made me sad, so I will try to make this a more commentable entry.

You would definitely have enjoyed today... we went to a bookstore and the local equivalent of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul (remember that??). The bazaar was in Masaya, a smaller town halfway between Managua and Granada (where I went on Day 1, remember?)

The exterior of the bazaar was a big gray stone wall with crenallations; I couldn't decide (and didn't think to ask) if it was an old fortification to protect the market from bandits, or a modern replica of the same, and either way, whether it still had a function or was just picturesque.

Inside were two squares, each with a courtyard, fountain and flowers in the middle (dang, shoulda taken a photo of that--as if I don't have enough photos of courtyards, fountains and flowers!); there were shops all around the inside and outside of each square. It was slightly confusing but pretty easy to navigate once you got some landmarks.

Of course, I looked around for a bit and then decided what, precisely, I had to have for you. I then drove every shopkeeper nuts looking for that precise thing--this of course made me think of how much you HATE it when I do that! So maybe you wouldn't have enjoyed today...

As it turned out, the precise thing didn't exist. So I got two approximations and you can pick one or both or neither. I'm not worried about it being imperfect, because I also got you something that I know you will enjoy. Hee hee!

I am dying to tell you what these presents are but I think it will be more fun if they are a surprise. I thought about getting stuff for the little cousins, etc., but everything was either heavy, fragile, or cheap and cheesy, and after a while I had a headache anyway. (Your gifts are neither heavy, fragile, nor cheap nor cheesy, but the little cousins wouldn't want them (and their parents wouldn't want them to have it!)) Enjoy the suspense... :-)

I got Mom a religious medal... I had thought of lighting a candle for her surgery in the grim cathedral in Managua back on Day 2, but when I thought about the money (even the miniscule amount) going anywhere near a guy who funded the Contras, I couldn't do it, even for mom's surgery. So... she gets a medal instead. I hope she likes it.

Lunch was a Mexican restaurant near the bazaar. I had a vegetarian burrito which was wonderful, with big chunks of that lovely crumbly white cheese, rice, black beans and avocado. Mmmm scrumptious.

Anyway, after all that we went to San Juan de Oriente, a small town that was having its yearly ceramics fair. The pottery was very beautiful, featuring finely incised designs of all kinds, including geometric, plants and animals, emulations of pre-Columbian work, etc. Apparently it's world famous (click here for a few examples).

I resisted buying any of it, even though it's gorgeous, and instead took photos of the pieces I would have liked to buy for you, if we didn't already have too much stuff. (I can't wait to get all my photos posted!)

That was a fun little interlude, even though the place was overrun with hideous Baptist missionaries from Kentucky who were so glad to have an English-speaking heathen to evangelize that I felt like I did when all those mosquitos attacked me at the Fairy Bridge in Scotland. They were loud, sweaty, weird, and embarrassing. We haven't been around people from the U.S. all week, except each other; it's always weird to come back in contact with our fellow countrypersons after a period of absence. We really are a strange bunch.

Then we went on to a high point overlooking Lake Masaya, which was interesting because you can see Granada on the other side of the lake, and beyond Granada, Lake Nicaragua where I was on Day 1 in the boat. You really do get the sense that half of this place is already under water.

Speaking of which, oh my god, did you see the news story about the polar bears? It's too horrible... you remember how the ice never formed last winter enough for them to get out and hunt on the ice like they're supposed to? Well, now, apparently some polar bears are dying of hunger and being eaten by other hungry polar bears, which is behavior that has never been observed before. It's like the apocalypse or something... the world going crazy... it's so sad. Periodically a global warming story really gets me and this is one of them... the last one... well, no, I won't go there, since this is already sad enough.

OK, something more cheerful... a good animal story. On our way out to the remote rural community that we visited on Day 5 (with the lesbian), we were bouncing along in the pickup truck when all of a sudden three dogs came running down the road toward us. I wondered where they were going so fast and so purposefully--they were all looking very determined as though they had something very important to do.

As it turned out, they did have something very important to do: bark at the trucks. They jumped up and down barking ferociously and very much as though they were attending to important business (also clearly enjoying themselves). It was just so hilarious, I started laughing out loud... I don't know if I described it well but I thought of you, you would have loved it.

So, anyway, back to the lakeside... it was so mellow and pleasant. We were up high so there was a nice breeze, and there were a lot of families and couples relaxing and enjoying the view, eating ice cream, etc. There were some musicians playing (for money I guess), a xylophone and two guitars, and singing; for some reason, two boys had climbed up into a tree over their heads and were bouncing the tree in time to the music (can't wait to post *that* photo!). It was a really nice little scene.

Finally, we returned to Managua, which is becoming very familiar now, or at least this side of town is. We had a rest at the hotel and then ate dinner and then did an evaluation and then said our goodbyes. I have some plans and ideas about the next two days, when I'll be here alone, but it's late and my roommate has to leave for the airport at 5 a.m. so I should go to bed.

But I'll just add--you know this because we were just IM'ing, but then we got cut off--that the departure of all my traveling companions is making me sad and lonely, and I miss you and can't wait to come home. It's been a wonderful trip, but I'm ready to be done. But, I'll make the best of the next two days, and of course, I will keep you posted!