An update

I just got home from a three day training in Selva Negra, a private reserve of cloud forest several clicks east of me.  It was beautiful and I will attach some photos.( one of the cabanas with a roof garden which  rents for $80 a night, one view out over the mountains of Matagalpa and another of the pond where the restaurant is located) Its quite different from Malpaisillo, where I live.

The upcoming week is Semana Santa which celebrates the crucifixcion etc.  The official holidays are next Wednesday thru the following Monday but they take the whole week off. They are very good at holidays.  There will be lots of music and food vendors in the streets each night but I have sort of gotten used to the din.

 There is music playing in the street right now...but I think that has to do with the elections that are coming up.  Peace Corps prohibits us from attending any political rallies so  I am closeted in my hovel.   I did hear a truck patrolling the street yesterday with speakers strapped on top announcing  very loudly, that the opposition candidate would be here today around 3  pm and thats what it is right now. 

We have the current president, Daniel Ortega, running for another term, despite the fact that it is prohibited by the constitution and one strong contender, Fabian Galdea, who is running a pretty tough campaign.  The election is next November but things are heating up right now.  Galdea wants international observers but Ortega will not allow them.  Ortega is BBF with Castro, Chavez and Gadafi.  Its sort of surprising as he was one of the leaders of the famous "revolucion" back in 1979 when a bunch of young kids who got themselves well organized, overthrew the US supported dictator, Somoza. They were called the Sandinistas then ( in honor of an old guy, Sandino, who in the 1800's was successful in running the US Marines out of Nicaragua) and the party is still called the Sandinista party but lots has changed.  Many of the other leaders of the Sandinistas from the old days are no longer supporting Ortega...so there are lots of issues. 

In this coming week, the schools are closed for Semana Santa so many of the younger volunteers take off for the beaches.  We got lots of warnings about all the crime that takes place this week on the buses and at the beaches especially.  Booze is very very cheap over here, unfortunately, and lots of young and old men use any excuse to get wasted.  Its very sad, actually.  Also, we have had two terremotos ( earthquakes) off the west coast of Nicaragua in the past week so we are getting text messages about what to do if the ocean receeds suddenly....run for the hills !!!!!

We are also having more and more incidents involving narcotrafficing, so thats another concern.  There was big news the other day in the paper about a former Peace Corps volunteer who returned to Nicaragua and was arrested with a bunch of something on him...can't remember if it was weed or something else.  Anyhow, PC was very embarrassed and the paper kept referring to him as a PC volunteer even tho he had ended his service many years earlier. 

This blog started off all cheery...sorry about how it deteriorated !!!  I'll do better next time.

Some good news is I am still enjoying DELICIOUS papaya and aguacate ( avocado) at  very very low prices !!!! I bought two beautiful papayas this morning for 14 cordobas, thats about 75 cents. 

I also got a flat on my bicycle fixed last week for 5 cordobas ( less than 25 cents)  I gave him 10 cordobas...big of me. 

Be happy,
Pat

PS,  I added a photo of my dear little dog , Tico, with his big brother Cash.  My son and my daughter in law are taking care of Tico and clearly are doing a great job of it. 

PPS  I also added a photo taken from the bus on my way home from Selva negra.  These are school kids walking out the lane from their school to the highway where they can walk home or catch a bus.