13 Feb 2010
5:05 PM
SIT Centro de Estudios, Colonia Máximo Jérez, Managua
Ever wondered what happens to old American school buses when they're replaced by newer models? Well, wonder no more. Those docile yellow buses drive down to Managua, get painted ridiculous bright colors, tagged with a route number and a name (often aggressive, religious, or both - "The Bomber" "Jesus Will Rule Forever"), stuffed to the gills with commuting managüenses, and sent careening down the streets, weaving around the taxis, pedestrians, and motorcycles that dare to share the streets with them. The price to go anywhere in the city? 2.50 córdobas, or about 12 cents.
The buses are a suitably crazy way of maneuvering through this crazy city. As I mentioned before, Managua has no true center anymore, not since the 1972 earthquake leveled the city. It's now just one big sprawl, with neighborhoods and commercial centers tossed together seemingly randomly. There is no grid here. The streets here have no names, except for those of the main carreteras, down which the aforementioned buses hurtle according to a logic I have yet to wrap my head around. This morning, we took Ruta 108 to the Marcadeo market to buy supplies for our trip to the campo next week, and I think the bus turned enough times on the way there that we must have crossed our own path at least a billion times. That's another problem - everything looks the same here. Uniqueness is apparently not a valued trait in Managuan architecture.
With no street names, you may ask, how do Managuans give directions? Well that's simple. They draw upon a massive collection of landmarks, many of which no longer exist, and then describe the distance from said landmark according to the cardinal directions. But of course, it would be too easy to use North, South, East, and West. Instead, we have al lago (towards Lake Managua, which you can't see from most of the city), al sur (to the south, that's the freebie), arriba (where the sun rises), and abajo (where the sun sets). So for example, my address is given in the title of the post. It roughly translates to "From where the Mundofri restaurant USED to be, head two blocks west and 1/2 a block south."
Most of you know that there are few things I like more than transportation and planning trips and maps and so forth. I'm purty darn good at finding my way around in general. I've memorized a significant portion of the NYC subway system, and can tell you the route numbers of every RIPTA bus line that goes up College Hill. But I think I may have finally met my match in Managua. I have never felt so completely disoriented. It´s kind of refreshing.
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15 Feb, 8:40 PM
Note: So I kind of cheated. The photos I just added to this post are from our epic beach trip to Pochomil (2.5 hours each way, mostly standing), not around the city. But trust me, the experience is pretty much the same.
At da beach:
5:05 PM
SIT Centro de Estudios, Colonia Máximo Jérez, Managua
Ever wondered what happens to old American school buses when they're replaced by newer models? Well, wonder no more. Those docile yellow buses drive down to Managua, get painted ridiculous bright colors, tagged with a route number and a name (often aggressive, religious, or both - "The Bomber" "Jesus Will Rule Forever"), stuffed to the gills with commuting managüenses, and sent careening down the streets, weaving around the taxis, pedestrians, and motorcycles that dare to share the streets with them. The price to go anywhere in the city? 2.50 córdobas, or about 12 cents.
This one doesn´t have the best name, but I liked the colors.
The buses are a suitably crazy way of maneuvering through this crazy city. As I mentioned before, Managua has no true center anymore, not since the 1972 earthquake leveled the city. It's now just one big sprawl, with neighborhoods and commercial centers tossed together seemingly randomly. There is no grid here. The streets here have no names, except for those of the main carreteras, down which the aforementioned buses hurtle according to a logic I have yet to wrap my head around. This morning, we took Ruta 108 to the Marcadeo market to buy supplies for our trip to the campo next week, and I think the bus turned enough times on the way there that we must have crossed our own path at least a billion times. That's another problem - everything looks the same here. Uniqueness is apparently not a valued trait in Managuan architecture.
...and then more people got on.
With no street names, you may ask, how do Managuans give directions? Well that's simple. They draw upon a massive collection of landmarks, many of which no longer exist, and then describe the distance from said landmark according to the cardinal directions. But of course, it would be too easy to use North, South, East, and West. Instead, we have al lago (towards Lake Managua, which you can't see from most of the city), al sur (to the south, that's the freebie), arriba (where the sun rises), and abajo (where the sun sets). So for example, my address is given in the title of the post. It roughly translates to "From where the Mundofri restaurant USED to be, head two blocks west and 1/2 a block south."
Most of you know that there are few things I like more than transportation and planning trips and maps and so forth. I'm purty darn good at finding my way around in general. I've memorized a significant portion of the NYC subway system, and can tell you the route numbers of every RIPTA bus line that goes up College Hill. But I think I may have finally met my match in Managua. I have never felt so completely disoriented. It´s kind of refreshing.
-------
15 Feb, 8:40 PM
Note: So I kind of cheated. The photos I just added to this post are from our epic beach trip to Pochomil (2.5 hours each way, mostly standing), not around the city. But trust me, the experience is pretty much the same.
At da beach:
Gene, I miss you something religious, aggressive, or both...reading your blog is always a delight. say hi to ms. frizzle for me when she pops out of one of those buses and I MISS YOU AND I LOVE YOU!
ReplyDelete*and i got a bike! i haven't walked in weeks! despite the providence blizzards...
**and the frisbee team went to queen city: that's right, charlotte NC! i felt your presence...
***keep the posts comin', you adventurous stud and owner of the most famous leg on facebook.
Not a fan of "Jorge Randy Andy"??
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