Hello earthlings,it's been a couple of interesting days. Yesterday, we swapped some weird-looking black-sand beaches in El Salvador for the capital of Nicaragua aka Managua. A legal agreement between Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua states one only has to pay once entering the region and once leaving it. But entering Nicaragua, a boarder patrol policeman charged 8 dollars on both of us. Locals were asked only 1.
We were told this money is for the benefit of the local community, but locals made it perfectly clear to us the money was going to disappear in the policeman's pocket. We resisted to pay the 16 dollars for a while. Sadly, it was clear the busdriver and the policeman had made an agreement: not to pay the money would've ment the bus was going to leave without us. The busdriver and the policeguy surely divided the money. Viva la corrupcion! These illegal practices are truly sad; the money doesn't go to those in need.
In the bus, a Nicaraguan told us about the situation his country is in. Prices for food and gas are going up, but wages stay the same. Poverty is rising, people are sad and angry. Disputes are solved with sticks and guns. Nicaraguans have no belief in a good future anymore. The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. The president and his regime are responsible.
The highway into Managua was blocked by demonstrants demanding changes. Angry people and fires all around us. When we finally arrived in Managua, a security officer holding a shotgun escorted us into a cab; Managua wasn't safe to stay. That's how we ended up in small and tranquil Granada.
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