Managua Trip - Part 1 : the Panga ride

Last Tuesday afternoon, after a hectic morning of last minute errands, Stephanie and I got decked out in our best fisherman's outfits and headed off to catch the panga to el Rama in the pouring rain. Having packed all of our belongings in layers of plastic and donned very flattering, over-sized, bright yellow rainpants, we were ready to embark upon our journey to Managua. Arriving at the docks, we paid our 4 cordoba entrance fee and lined up. An hour or so later, were were cozily squished into the front seat of the small wooded boat awaiting our departure. After wrapping up the luggage in another layer of plastic, the driver passed a clear plastic sheet along one edge of the boat and instructed us all to pull it up and over our heads. This was to be our only protection from the driving rain for the duration of the nearly two hour ride. As we exited the lagoon and picked up speed, those of us in the front had the pleasure of holding down the front edge of the plastic with our feet while forcibly pressing the top half away from our faces. With the panga moving at a good speed, this was no easy task. Of course, Stephanie and I had to count ourselves lucky since the farther back in the boat you were seated, the harder the plastic snapped down upon your head to the rhythm of the wind and waves.

Throughout the entire ride, all we could see was a thin haze of gray with an occasional splash of green on the horizon. Pushing the plastic away from your face was more than a casual motion and required constantly switching hands as one arm became exhausted. Luckily, both Stephanie and I were in high spirits and managed to thoroughly enjoy the ride, despite bone jarring bounces, fetid smelling plastic, rock hard wooden benches and rivers of water flowing across our feet. By the time we arrived in el Rama, we were both very thankful for the abundance of waterproof clothing we had worn and the redundant plastic wrapping of our belongings.
Hoping off the panga, we stripped down to slightly more reasonable clothes, secured seats upon the bus that would be departing at 7pm (about 4 hrs after we arrived), and prepared to wait. Smelling something delicious upon the air, we ventured across the street and discovered a lovely little stand selling deliciously marinated chicken, gallo pinto cooked to perfection and homemade tortillas. Feeling like queens at a banquet, we enjoyed our savory snack and settled in once again. Well, settled in until we discovered the existence of a billiards hall just down the street. Thoroughly excited, we passed the next couple hours accumulating quite a crowd as the only female pool players el Rama had apparently ever encountered.

A few pleasant hours later, we were on our way to Managua on the nicest bus I have yet to come across. Serenaded by everything from Spanish hiphop to Bob Marley to Brittney Spears and Madonna, we passed through the countryside and into the big city. Arriving in Managua, we were met by Victor and chauffeured back to casa Ivan where we happily collapsed into bed.