Tina the Gringa, Los Zorros, Nicaragua
Here is the directions on how to get to Tina´s:
You go to Chinendega this is the nearest big town to her, two hours out of Leon. You go to the "other" market. Then you get on a brightly painted bus called "The Titanic", (yes really) to a place called Jiquilio. You then ask your trusty bus conductor to let you out at a shop in Los Zorros, conveniently but coincidentally called Tina Mata, (i.e Tina´s shop), 40 k´s into the middle of nowhere.
You then wander around, or into the shop....... (genius) asking for "Tina the Gringa" and they point you to Tina as she is the only Gringa, or female white person, there!
If you are me you do this having caught the wrong bus into Chinendaga, and so it is now dark, and you are wondering WTF exactly am I doing down here on my own in the middle of nowhere and trying hard to keep your nerve!
When the man from the shop walks you to the local boy, (who later turns out to be lovely, and called Noel), and he then walks you the next 50 meters into Ranch Tranquillo, and you shout "HOLA GRINGOS!!!!" and they all shout back HOLA!!! you have never been so glad to see a gringo, honky, or person of any origin whatsoever who is expecting you and can speak English, in your life!!!!
I was rewarded for this expedition with two days of the pleasure of the lovely Tina Morris¨s company. (By the way all the keyboards are very different out here!) Really I was getting a bit bored of being in the company of young kids on holiday drinking beer at 11.00 in the morning and I wanted to see what it is "really like" out there.
What I found was a close community and some lovely people. I had what could probably count as my first, (faltering and halfway incomprehensible,) conversation in Spanish with the lovely Elgar. He is 17 and he works as a fisherman one day a week, and goes to school the other days. His dad Alturio (sp?)is what we, back in London, would call a diamond geezer.
He has done work conserving the turtles there, by himself without the aid of any project, and has saved quite a few nests by the sound of things. Benita, his wife is the leader of the local community. A matriarchal figure who has taken Tina into her family and looks after her, which suits Tina well as she works hand in hand with the local community.
(Tina and her community, we also might note, do not torture chickens like they did on the first project I worked on!!!)( http://thegoldenpathblog.com/2007/05/02/turtles-r-us-with-the-chicken-torturing-conservationists-1927-april-2007.aspx)
Tina showed me around the area, the first day we walked along the white sand beach to the point of the Chinandega Peninsula. The second day we visited the neighbors at the only other backpackers lodge, about 20 mins away in this Nicaraguan community which is otherwise untouched by tourism. The backpackers visiting here are still few and far between.
Plenty of the proper local neighbors had already dropped in to say hi to us at Tina´s place. We had Spanish lessons, Tina is a great Teacher and fixed Tina's "shower", well the shower area anyway!
The DIY supremo strikes again!!
It really is a lovely little rural community. There are pigs and chickens wandering around everywhere, you pull your water out of a well by bucket. The kids play in the rough road, where mainly only the bus goes by, three times a day. The bus also acts as a delivery service and brings Tina her drinking water! You can write them a shopping lsit and they pick things up for you in town! Cows also amble past, with cow boys, as oppose to cowboys, on horses (and bicycles!) Although it is still hot, the sun beaming down as always, and something like 35 degrees, the rains have come to Nicaragua now and everything is turning green, as if before you very eyes. The beach which Tina's´s house is on is picture postcard, and at the peninsula point you can see where the currents churn together as the ocean moves in different directions.
If anyone else fancies a visit out to Tina I highly recommend it. She is about 4 hours out of Leon. It is a great place to spend a day or two away from it all, and Tina can do Spanish lessons by arrangement. This is a fantastic place to practice as the neighbors are so friendly. Tina would be the first to admit that the conditions are basic, but the beds are clean and comfortable, and I got a whole room all to myself!! I was really well looked after throughout.
I am now in Chinendaga which is supposed to be the hottest town in Nicaragua. Fortunately it is only about 34 degree today. I think I have finally acclimatised as to me it really does not feel that hot!!
I am still headed north towards the Bay Islands, and a friend of mine who I met on the road is there ahead of me. There is a carnival going on apparently, so I hope to make it for that. All I have to do now is get there!!!!
Loads of Love to all
Hey you, missing you lots. Sounds like your having an amazing experience. My mom arrives in a week and baby in three but getting ready. Hope to read another amazing adventure soon. Big Hug x
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Hi Cath,
Finally got around to reading your exploits ! Sounds like you're having a great time - beats the office ! Continue to have fun !
Vaya con Dios
Hasta la proxima,
Nigel, x
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Thanks Nigel!! Hope you are well back there in blighty too.
Cath x
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