We placed our extra luggage in the hotels area where they hold luggage and at 7:15 there was no taxi driver anywhere so we decided to walk over to the hotel where we would catch our bus. It wasn't too long of a walk but carrying our backpacks in the hot sun makes it seem like they get heavier and heavier with each step.
We got to the hotel in good time (we were supposed to be there at 7:30) and were wishing that we had at least stopped by a McDonald's or something to pick up a quick breakfast. We got a table outside the hotel and waited. And kept waiting. 8am came and went. Around 8:30, one of the ladies there said she received a message that the bus is held up in traffic and will be an hour or more late. We seized that opportunity to run over to McDonalds to get some breakfast.
The bus finally showed up around 9:45 and once it was there, it was rush rush rush - get on, get your seat and get going!!! Which was good, really, since we had lost so much time. Since the park where Fernando works is on the way to Nicaragua, when we passed by Santa Rosa National Park, we looked in that direction knowing that he was over there somewhere.
When we got close to the Costa Rica/Nicaragua border there was a LONG (and I do mean long) line of trucks waiting to cross the border. They were in the right lane and I guess no one else has to wait in that line because our bus (and others) got in the left lane and started passing up those trucks. Very dangerous move that is. And there was one point where there was a curve and all of a sudden there was a truck barreling towards the bus!!! It was scary, and where that truck went to maneuver around our bus I have no idea. How we got out of that one is amazing to me. We couldn't understand what all the trucks were doing just sitting in that right lane. Some of the drivers were standing outside their trucks on the side of the road, some drivers were sleeping underneath their trucks right on the street, and many of the trucks have hammocks strung up underneath their trucks and we could see lots of truck drivers lounging away in their hammocks.
The border crossing was a wild mass of people from various buses trying to get clearance to leave Costa Rica. We also had to exit the bus to deal with the authorities, but it was fairly easy for us and soon we all were back on our bus and driving the few feet across into Nicaragua, where we had to exit the bus once again. Here is was even more confusing. Masses of people everywhere and if it hadn't been for this one lady from the bus that befriended us while we were standing around, it wouldn't have been as easy as she made it for us. She knew the procedure well, since she makes the trip often, so when she said to stay in place or move over here or whatever, we followed her lead.
Here is a picture of us with her, and also with Bjorn who we befriended at the hotel in Liberia where we were waiting to catch the bus.
Bjorn, Guillermo, Marta
And now me with Bjorn and Marta
Finally we were all back on the bus and continuing on our way. The drive from the border to Granada seemed to take a very long time. The scenery at times was very pretty - we could see Lake Nicaragua and across the lake were two very nice looking volcanoes. But we also saw lots of trash along the highway and people living in very sad conditions. So that wasn't pleasant. It was nice to get to Granada and get to our nice little hotel. Here are some pictures of it.
The walkway to our hotel room.
That's our room there on the far right.
What it looks like walking from our room back out to the front.
And now some pictures of the various scenes that we saw as we walked around Granada.
No comments:
Post a Comment