With only a little over a week before the highly
anticipated arrival of a good friend, I thought I might share some advice for
those thinking of visiting Nicaragua for the first time:
Do not expect people to speak or understand English. Nicaragua has not yet become a vacation destination
on par with Costa Rica or Panama, even though it may rival its neighbors in its
offerings of natural beauty. Therefore, less emphasis has been placed on the
inhabitants learning English sufficiently to cater to a tourist crowd. All
children who attend high school receive English language classes, but as those
who have taken foreign language classes probably know, it can be very difficult
to learn a language when one has only one and a half to two hours weekly of
study and practice. There are, however, a few places in Nicaragua in which one
is more likely to encounter an English speaker: Managua, Leon, Esteli,
Matagalpa, Granada, and San Juan del Sur. And of course, there is the Atlantic
coast – Bluefields, Pearl Lagoon, and the Corn Islands – where Creole English
is prevalent.
Before you travel, you may want to learn a few key
phrases:
¿Dónde está el baño? – Where is the bathroom?
¿Podría
llevarme… - Could you take me…
Al aeropuerto? – the airport?
Al hotel _______? – the hotel (name)?
Al
restaurante ________? – the restaurant (name)?
¿Podría tener…? – Could I have (item on menu…etc)?
La cuenta por favor – The check please
Bring along a Nicaragua guidebook so that you can
point to words if needed…or travel with a friend who knows Spanish!
Do not necessarily expect people to understand your Spanish either. Many Nicaraguans have not been exposed to Spanish
speakers with accents different than their own. Therefore, if you learned
Mexican Spanish or Argentinean Spanish, you may find yourself getting a lot of
blank or confused stares, even if you are speaking correctly. Have patience.
You’ll probably be able to get your point across after the third or fourth
repetition.
Do you research: If using public transportation, try to find out the
schedule of departures and cost before you set out. In some cases, there are limited options for getting
from one place to another, and buses, unlike most things in Nicaragua, actually
run on a rather strict schedule and depart on-time. It’s best to know so that
you can get to the bus stop or station early – an hour before should be
sufficient to reserve a seat or, at the very least, a spot in line.
The cost issue with buses, but in the case of taxis,
many drivers will try to take advantage of the ignorance of travelers and
charge higher fares. You may be able to bargain with the driver to get a lower
price, or you may need to say “ah, gracias…” and move on to the
next taxi. An important note about Managua: try not to take just any public
taxi, as there have been “express kidnaps” in which unsuspecting travelers are
essentially held hostage and robbed once inside the taxi, then dropped off in a
random (and often dangerous) neighborhood. Arrange rides with the assistance of
a concierge, host, or other appropriate staff member.
The food will probably not be what you expected. Reading my blog will probably have prepared you
somewhat, but you need to know that you will not be eating the Mexican food of
the United States. First of all, seemingly familiar menu items are deceptive.
For example, tacos here are more like flautas in the states – shredded meat is
wrapped in a corn tortilla and fried, then topped with cabbage salad,
mayonnaise, and ketchup. You never know what you’ll get when you order a
hamburger: some are made with beef, others with soy meat, and sometimes you’ll
end up with a chicken patty reminiscent of your school cafeteria days. Most
places that make pizza produce something like that out of the freezer section
of your local grocery store. And “crema,” while often having the look and
consistency of cream, does NOT taste like cream but rather more like sour
cream. Good to splash on top of your beans, but not in your coffee!
Also, the flavors will probably be different.
Nicaraguans, in general, do not enjoy spicy foods. Most food is flavored only
with onion, salt, garlic, vinegar, and/or lime juice. Some dishes also
incorporate cilantro, basil, mint, or orange juice. On the Atlantic coast,
you’ll find coconut milk or cream in many food items. If you want to make your
food más picante, ask for hot sauce (salsa picante) or chile (hot peppers,
onions, and occasionally vegetables such as carrots, soaking in vinegar and/or
lime juice). Nicaraguans do, however, like their sugar. Natural juices will
have a large amount of sugar, as will coffee, smoothies, and most other
beverages. You’ll probably be out of luck when it comes to the juice (and
depending on the place, the coffee too), but if you’d like less sugar, ask for
your beverage to be prepared “sin azucar” (without sugar) or “con poco azucar”
(with little sugar).
Foods that are less likely to disappoint or confuse
include grilled meats, rice and beans, fried chicken, homemade chips (plantain,
yucca, malanga, or potato), smoothies and milkshakes (licuados and batidos),
hot dogs, and fresh fruits.
Some food should be avoided. You should probably stick to bottled beverages while traveling. As good
as those bagged frescos may look as they’re waved in front of you by the
elderly lady or little boy on the bus, skip them – the ice may have been made
with unclean water, or the block could have been dragged through the gutter
before being chopped up and put in your drink. You may also want to avoid the
ceviche by the side of the road when you’re nowhere near the ocean. You can try
to be smart about what you eat on the street, but unless you stick to chatarra
(pre-packaged snacks and bottled soft drinks), there’s always a chance that
something might make you sick. At some point you’ll need to decide whether or
not you want to take the risk in order to enjoy some of Nicaragua’s finer food
offerings.
Lodging can be confusing. Some
places require a reservation, although unless it’s high season it’s usually
possible to reserve a room up to a day or two before. Some places do not take
reservations. Some take reservations but then ignore them. Some require a
deposit (but many will not take credit cards), some require up-front payment,
and some will have you pay when you check out. You may pay by the room, or by
the person. Amenities like towels, soap, breakfast, fans, hot water, and daily
cleaning of the rooms varies greatly. It’s best to do a bit of research before
you go – look at reviews, ask around. In most places, you’ll have a few options
to choose from, and at least one will be decent to nice. Cheap doesn’t
necessarily mean bad, nor does expensive mean good (or significantly better
than the cheaper or mid-range options). Stay away from auto-motels.
Throw all used toilet paper in the waste basket provided next to the
toilet. No one likes a flooding toilet. Exceptions may be made
in the case of latrines (though some may still require that you place paper in
a separate receptacle so as not to fill the latrine as quickly) and in some
hotels (a good indicator is a lack of receptacle in the restroom).
Use your mosquito net. If one is being
provided, there is a reason. Not only are mosquitoes annoying, they also carry
dengue and malaria (you may also want to invest in some good insect repellent).
Plus, mosquito nets are good for protecting you from a variety of other
nighttime visitors (best not to think about that much).
Bring earplugs and an eye mask if you are a light sleeper. Those who have lived here for a while do not notice
the roosters, music, talking, and other noises outside, but you probably will.
The sun rises early – never any later than 6:00 AM – and people often rise with
it. Expect a light-filled room and people moving about (often noisily) outside
of it quite early.
Plan your activities appropriately. Nicaragua is close to the equator. It is hot. Very few places in the
country will be cool enough at mid-day to want to spend extended periods
outside and active unless you are by or in the water. During the rainy season
(June – November, September and October being the rainiest), you can expect
nearly daily showers in the afternoon. They don’t last too long, but you’ll
want to take cover when you see the storm coming because it rains hard. During late
March, April, and May, it will be HOT. No matter where you are, you will
probably be uncomfortable to miserable, especially at mid-day. All year round,
you’ll have the early sunrise as mentioned above, and a sun-set around 5:30 –
6:00 pm.
Also be aware of major holidays and festivals. These
events will give you an opportunity to experience local cultural traditions,
but they will also limit your ability to travel.
Life is simpler. Outside of a
few major cities, you will not find movie theaters, fancy restaurants or
foreign food options, museums, shopping malls, boutiques, spas, concert venues
or live music, book stores, or air-conditioning. What makes Nicaragua a good
place to visit is not the “stuff” it has to sell you, but rather the
friendliness of the people, the richness and beauty of the land, and the
slow-moving, peaceful atmosphere. Take a deep breath, relax, and adjust your
pace to a simpler existence.
Words of the week: Pasear – to pass time (equivalent to hanging out or enjoying free time); Extranjero - foreigner
