Esteli and Matagalpa

We spent a record 3 hours in Guatemala City before we boarded a Tica bus (an international, first class company). After two days of riding through 4 different countries, several border crossings and one night in San Salvador we arrived in Nicaragua, Esteli to be exact.

Maybe we were tired but our first impressions of this farming community were unpleasant. There has to be a first for everything!! It was sad because no one greeted us on the streets. We felt like we had to pry information out of the local toursist bureau. The museum in town was closed for renovations. And worst of all the phone call that I made home had the worst connection ever. I heard 1 in 4 words that my mom spoke when I wanted to talk with her sooo badly (it had been over a month and a half). The food was delicious with huge portions.

The most activity we saw was when we went to the bus station to get a ride out of town. As we walked the streets to get there were impressed with the lasting infrastructure ( sidewalks, sewage systems, firetrucks, ambulances, and dump trucks) of foreign aid after a natural diaster.

The bus ride to Matagalpa took us through some of the most fertile areas of the country. We passed rice and coffee farms. A small town we passed through had stalls set up displaying the largest carrots I have ever seen. As the bus stopped people jumped on the bus selling onions, tomatoes, potatoes and cucmbers. The vendors had to be quick or they went for a little ride before they could jump off. Other areas were dusty hills with scruffy trees growing on the sides as the dry season is just about done.

Matagalpa is known for their coffee and black pottery so we made sure to visit a coffee finca ( farm) and bought pottery pendants for on a necklaces. Though coffee season is finished we were able to enjoy the scenery and tranquility of this German owned plantation. We spent time hiking about the property which a mix of trails around a lake and checking out a bit of the buildings and old equipment that was a round. Strolling the streets, buying hotdogs, drinking beer and eating chocolate cake at a great cafe/bar, smiling, friendly security guards and an unusual simply built church were all different things that we experienced. We stayed for three nights in the smallest room yet.

Esteli and Matagalpa

A Little Taste of Home

This is sort of stepping back in time a little bit but after a 3 week vacation from the blog I thought it was long over due to share with you what we did in Antigua. Antigua was the last place we stayed in Guatemala.

Antigua has an amazing reputation in the back packers world because it reminds everyone of home. It is a dynamic,gorgeous city that is full of resturants, cafes, chocolate shops and a bagel place. The view from the streets is awesome as there are volcanoes in every direction. One of which is still active and occassionally you would see plumes of smoke rising to the heavens. The scars from damaging earthquakes are most evident in the old cathedrals and colonial buildings.

Parents of one of Jay's good friends generously invited us to join them visiting a Guatemalan friend of theirs. We were delighted as we were spoiled over the following days. The highlights included relaxing at the beach house, cooking deliciuos meals, drinking tea as we discussed life, and sleeping in a luxurious room. We felt refreshed after many stimulating conversations and lots of down time .

Adventures in Antigua

Sights and Sounds of Guatemala

• Our Anti-malaria medication that we take weekly makes Jay have diarrhea the day after we've taken it.


• I found myself wishing that I could get laundry lesssons. Washing clothes by hand is not as easy as it looks!


• Who knew that being in the back of a small pick up truck holding on for dear life could be as entertaining as TV - the view breath taking, great people watching opportunities and it is cheap,


• Samana Santa was unparalled


• Chicken bus is not a figure of speech! Clucking baskets and bags are a common sight. The grunting ones worry me - bacon in the morning :0) So far we've squeezed 28 people onto the back of a truck and 27 into a mini-bus collectivo.


• The most deadly mode of transportation is the lavishly decorated school buses that are driven at top speed. The death defying driver assistants hanging precariously off the back, on the top or out the side door, no matter how close the cliff's edge is or how fast the bus is moving. The air horn used to get people's attention and to notify the masses of their presence is not appreciated at 4 am.

Sights of Guatemala