What a couple of days

I've debated wether or not I wanted to share this with you all or not. For 2 main reasons really. 1) I don't want you all worrying about me, 2) I'm not trying to tempt fate (how much I believe in the idea I don't know but there's something to be said about the matter) into repeating it. But, it's been on my mind as part of the combination of my experience in Granada, Nicaragua, where I'm at right now, and I think it's best to purge and also let you all really know what I'm experiencing.

First, Granada is about 90km southwestish of Managua. Both cities are on Lakes. Granada is on Lago de Nicaragua. Managua is on Lago de Managua. Both cities are relatively close to the Pacific coast as well. Something like an hour or two.

Ok. So, Sunday evening I was almost jumped/robbed/mugged, whatever you want to call it, by 2 guys. Mom & Dad (& everyone else), before you get your panties in a bunch, this could've happened anywhere, just so happens it was here. Don't worry, I'm ok.

Let me go back first and tell you how I got here. Saturday, I left La Libertad, begrudgingly. Got to the San Salvador bus station to book a ticket to Managua. The only bus leaving that day at that time was $42. Ouch! considering the cost for transportation thus far hadn't been anywhere near $42. But it was a first class trip as far as buses are concerned. Included "meal service" (a sandwich for lunch and some snacks much later-good think I brought my own stuff), 2 Will Smith movies, and fully reclineable seats. About 10h later and 2 border crossings I was in Managua. Everyone I've talked to (mostly gringos) say Managua sucks and is really dangerous. I didn't spend more than the night there so I wouldn't know. I met another solo-US-traveler from Seattle (Jason) and we got a room for the night with the help of Chooki, our cab driver. We asked for one hotel & I think we got it but I'm not sure.

Regardless, next morning (Sunday), Jason and I both went to Granada. I experienced some the pushiest ayudantes ever here but held my ground when one was trying forcibily to put me on his minibus. What the fuck?? Didn't even say yeah or anything to him. Just grabbing my bag and then chest bumping me while I'm trying to get on a different minibus.

Granada is 45m-1h from Managua. I stashed my stuff at a hostel, then went looking for a school with the help of an Aussie chic named Henna who was really no help at all. One school I wanted to check out had a line around the block, literally. I figured out later this was polling place. It's on the main square. Granada is absolutely beautiful. Much prettier than Antigua which is what a lot of people compare it to. So colorful. So hot (not as hot as Managua). So many churches. Maybe I'll acutally go in one this time. I found the other school I was really interested in and signed up for classes. Got put into the home of a very attractive single mother who seems to be very well off (I'm not sure exactly how many people live here vs. work here yet). Then went on a boat tour of the islets with Moises, the teacher in training. Lago de Nicaragua, where the islets are, is massive. At one time, there was a canal proposal that included going from the Atlantic to Lago de Nicaragua to the Pacific. There are something like 336 islets. I don't know how many are close to Granada. People live on the islets. Both rich and not so rich. JI, you could buy your own island here for as much as a house in Livermore or Mantica might be.

Moises and I ate linner. Fried whole tilapia from the lake (I think), platanos tajadas, and rice. Gotta have rice. Plus some $2 liter beers on the boat and $1 bottles at linner (Toña and Victoria respectively which are the best beers I've had in C. America so far). Moises and I made plans to meet again that evening to hang out at 7:30pm. He was going to meet me at my homestay.

I went to get on the internet and get a snack before this. I hadn't anticipated going all the way to Parque Central to do this, but that's where I ended up. It's about a 7min walk from the house to Parque Central. Mind you, I didn't exactly know where my homestay was or have the address, but whatever. I've got a decent sense of direction and had some landmarks in my head. But, it gets dark here and they have 1 second long power outages that are like someone flipped the switch on and off.

So anyway. I had my para llevar taquitos and beans. I was eating them en route at about 7pm to get back to my house to meet Moises. Should only take me 15mins to get there. Well, I got turned about in the darkness and went down some streets that I thought should go through when in fact they don't. No problem, I thought I could figure it out. Well, I also walked into the wrong part of town. No problem. I've walked through the Tenderloin at 5am more than once. I ain't skcerd. But when you walk confidently past everyone the first time, but then walk past them in the other direction..... not so great.

I remember thinking out load when I was turning around "Oh shit. I've walked down the wrong street in the wrong part of town & now I've got to go back." So I turned around and continued to walk confidently back the way I'd come still saying 'Hola' and 'Buenas' to everyone that looked at me. This is normally what I've done in order to show people that, yes, I am a giant gringo, but no I'm not a threat. I was almost back to some things I had seen prior to turning down the wrong street when I heard footsteps getting faster and closer behind me. There, behind me, was 2 guys I'd seen minutes earlier. One was pretty close and was reaching for my arm or back pack as I was turning around. I chucked my styrofoam box at him and took off. He was steps behing me for about 4-5 strides but then I was gone. Thank you Saul. Thank you CrossFit. I sprinted for 5-6, maybe more, blocks before I couldn't go as fast anymore. I saw one of the many armed security guards on a street corner talking to a woman and ran toward them. I tried to express to them in my poor Spanish while panting that I'd almost been robbed. When they figured out what I was trying to say, they set me down. I asked for help getting a taxi they trusted while I caught my breath. This took a minute and then I had the joy of trying to explain where I lived to the cab driver. Some how the cab driver and his passanger were able to figure it out and I got home.

There's the story. Funny thing is I thought of it all comically. I knew I was in the wrong place. I remember nodding to the guy who tried to grab me on my way back up the wrong street. I remember thinking 'RUN' and '2-3-4' (strides). 'Gotcha. I'm gone.' And 'this is why I had Codexis pay Saul to kick my ass with CrossFit workouts.'

It's put a bit of a sour taste in my mouth and I didn't have the best class today so I'm wondering how long I'll be here. Let's see what tomorrow brings.