And off we go to market

So Monday was our big shopping day. We piled into 2 cabs for a white knuckle ride to Rivas, about 30 km for SJDS. We had told Eric that we had a $1000 from the Sunrise club to use at our/his discretion. So we went looking for a couple sewing machines, a bed and dresser for the school teacher and some material for the sewing centre. Well let me tell you, this is not the West Edmonton Mall. People, dogs, horses, bikes, cars trucks all competing for the same narrow space. I’ll let the others expand on this but I must tell you about the ride home. Eric managed to borrow a truck to bring everything back to SJDS, so Kris and I jump in the back for what we believed was a couple block trip to the taxi stand, well the plan changed and Erick blew right by the taxi stand and of we head home! Not far down the highway and I spot a Police road block, I look at Kris and tell him, remember the hockey rule, you can’t get in a fight if you don’t make eye contact, so we just look a each other as we roll right by with not even a second look from the Police.

While in Rivas Eric took us to meet a friend who runs a Print Shop, a Guillotine cutter and Multi 1850 with a T Head and a Meile Vertical for numbering and perfing, made my day. Dennis also had a highlight, he got to ride in a one horse power Toyota, (see the photo above). Back in San Jaun we met with two lovely young ladies from Project Niangua, a Rotary Project founded by the Rotoract Club of Calgary. Lyndsey Rovevear is originally from Prince George and Kristen Fedorak is a former District 5370 exchange student who went to Poland the year before Briggette Schilds.. The laugh of the day comes aq Kris’s expense, he stopped of to shower will Dennis, Lisa and I meet with Lyndsey and Kristen. Kris joined 20 minutes later and after introductions Lyndsey asked him if he was late because he was doing his hair.(Kris is mostly bald) Kris said later he liked her right of the bat.

George

Like George said exciting day in the Market yesterday. Sitting on top of a bed, dresser and a couple of sewing machines in the back of a Toyota Hilux pickup flying down the hi-way is a white knuckle experience. The Market itself was a labyrinth of stalls and shops and carts full of goods. Anything and everything on display. Eric commented that it was nice to be there on a cool day, about 30-34 with a little breeze. The doughy ham and cheese pizza with ketchup for sauce reminded me a lot of my time in Cuba. It was nice to finish the day with a seafood feast back on the beach in SJDS with a $300 bottle of wine, you can look up the Cordoba conversion if you are curious... Time to go talk to a man about a horse, the jungle is next.

Kris

I love Nicaraguan sewing machine prices. We bought 1 treadle machine that would remind you of the one your Grandmother sewed on and 1 that is a modern machine with zig zag, an automatic button hole stitch and half a dozen other fancy stitches that can plug in to power or work as a treadle. It is a really neat machine and when the ladies get their solar panel they will be able to use it as an electric. Both these machines cost just under $400.00 US combined. They are Regina machines built by Janome for anyone who knows sewing machines. Because the machines were so cheap Dennis and I decided that we could splurge a little on fabric. Dennis came fabric shopping because thanks to shopping with Sandy he knows a little about fabric. I bought some cotton to line bags with for (get this Sandy) $1.00/metre US. We then bought the expensive stuff for the ladies to make dresses and blouses with and that was $2.25/metre US. Dennis and I are going fabric shopping when we go into Managua on thursday. I would have liked to wander the market for a while but we were on a schedule so there wasn't enough time but it was a very interesting day.

Lisa

Another awesome day in Nica. The hair raising taxi ride to Rivas could quite possibly have taken a few years off but fortunately not all of them. The driver was pretty busy trying to sell us some lots that his brother-in-law had. For us only $3500.00 each but I think you could only get to them with google earth. Into the city of Rivas, around the cars truck, motorcycles, bicycles, horse drawn wagons and ox carts. I thought everyone in Nica was at the market but Eric said it was just a normal day. The walk through the butcher shop section was nose holding at best. However the cleanest stall was close, rumor is that one was two for one laser eye surgery location!! The people here do seem to be great, there is lots of troubles but for the most part it is business as normal. Had a terrible pizza with great beer for lunch and were loaded up to head home by 4:00 pm. We all held are collective breath oin the ride home, two Policia road blocks but lucky they ignored the truck load of Gringo's with a load of furniture. Fun times, early to bed, jungle trekking in the morning!!

Dennis