managua
• 16 comments •We arrived in Nicaragua's capital, by bus, late at night. There was only one 'cab driver' who quoted us a price of $6. He looked kind of sketchy (and was inexplicably wearing a Kate Hudson tee from the Skeleton Key), but an armed police man at the bus station assured us that it would be a safe ride. Once we were inside the cab, he told us it was $6, per person. We had experienced this sort of thing in Egypt. Normally we are savvy enough to make sure the fare that is quoted is for both of us, but we were exhausted and just wanted to get to our hotel.
Mina was able to negotiate the price down and we started driving through the completely empty streets of Managua. After a few minutes of driving, he stopped and went inside a house. When he came out, he tried to tell us that because our hotel was a "5 star hotel" (it wasn't), that our fare should be $26 - we told him that we didn't understand what he was saying and he eventually got frustrated and started driving again. It was terribly disconcerting that there was not one other person on the roads - no cars, no pedestrians.
After several minutes of anxiously trying to figure out if he was actually going to take us to our destination (or rob/kill us), we were relieved to see the sign for our hotel.
We finished the night with a relaxing dip in the pool:
16 comments
wow sketchy!
ReplyDeletebut so jealous of you in the pool!!! its pouring here!
That guy sounds sketch.. but at least you got back safely!
ReplyDeleteThat pool is crazy. So is the gargoyle/fountain thing in the front. For something that is not a five-star hotel, that actually looks pretty snazzy.
ReplyDeleteYikes!
ReplyDeleteScary.
One time in Jamaica, our cab driver pulled over and picked up a prostitute. He then yelled at all of us (one of those van cab things that seats 12 people) "Don't you tell nobody!!" It was so weird.
oh boy- you had me holding my breath hoping the driver would get you to your hotel. Thankfully you made it back and were even able to cool off in the pool :)
ReplyDeleteglad you made it there safe + sound!
ReplyDeleteThat is crazy scary..you guys are much braver than I. How are you protected from harm? Are you carrying?
ReplyDeleteah glad you made it safely! what a pretty pool! Glad you two are having fun!
ReplyDeletethose pesky taxi drivers!
ReplyDeleteyou my goodnesss... i think thats the only thing i hate about traveling. you don't know who to trust. and because you are a tourist they treat you like you are a money bag.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me so angry to read about those cab driver stories.... how frustrating. I just scares me to go traveling there, you know? But hey, glad to hear you made it safely, that's what matters. Now go enjoy that pool!!!! And take care, stay safe xx
ReplyDeleteSam - Those two photos were the only really nice things about the hotel. Everything else was pretty standard.
ReplyDeleteJason - You cabbie story is more awesome than ours!
Random Thoughts - like a gun?! No.
Except I wasn't afraid we were gonna die!
ReplyDeleteI was just shocked at the total lack of customer service! I mean, if you get a hooker, snag one for us!
The pool is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI heart your posts.
Top site, I hadn't come across sending-postcards.blogspot.com before during my searches!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the wonderful work!
Hi - I am certainly delighted to discover this. Good job!
ReplyDelete