Buses and Chickens

Granada is a city rich in History and Culture. The evidence from Colonial times shows through the architecture and especially the old churchs. The scene is very refreshing as the sun rises to cap off our 26 hour travel ordeal. Sleeping on the Ferry has been one of my highlights so far. There has been nothing or nowhere yet to compare to the blanket of stars on this night which accompanied us all along our journey. Their presence was a reminder of how really insignificant our problems can actually seem: when it feels as if the stars are watching you then it manifests into a very humbling experience.
Finding Hostel Oasis was true to its' name and it couldn't be soon enough before we hopped onto a hammok or jumped into the pool. Exploring Granada was fun and exciting. There was an obvious difference in the vibe here compared to other similar cities in Costa Rica: more energy, the people were more aggressive and there was less of a touristy feel. The market area was extremely basic yet intricate at the same time, as if we were in a maze of produce and meat and cheese and flour and just plain stuff being displayed for the purpose of exchange. Everybody is selling something somewhere whether it is in the market, on the street corner, in Central Park, out of their home, at your table and even on the bus!!! Something, somewhere, everywhere...anything is possible!!!
The prices are noticeably cheaper compared to Costa Rica so we decide to live a little large. Eating out, hitting the patios, visiting the local gym and getting our laundry done for us! Time with Tim is slowly coming to a close yet we are excited to still share one more destination with him before he heads back home. San Juan Del Sur lies against the Pacific Ocean close to the (other) border to Costa Rica and is an up and coming popular destination for young surfers and what seems like older Americans looking to capatilize on new and hot property investment. Between our current location and getting there however, requires a ride on the Chicken Bus, 2 of them in fact! I have been anticipating this experience with a bit of anxiety already knowing what is possible on this trip. According to my research and accounts from other travellers, the chicken bus is where 'it' happens: THEFT! Why is it called the chicken bus? Well, literally the chickens ride the bus...once the market closes at about 2pm, everybody and thier daughter is closing up shop and making their respective ways home with inventory on hand just to bring back again the following day.
We are some of the first to get on the bus which means we get a seat, although departure time is not disclosed. We figure the same itinery applies to that of the boat, departure time is when all the seats are full. Rule #1 when travelling on the chicken bus: do not let your bag out of sight!!! Not to be a paranoid adventurer but it has been known that when your bag goes on the roofrack, say bye bye baby....what happens is, the bus makes random stops, picking up other people and dropping off cargo etc.... alot of these transactions are happening right through the back door and eventually become hard to keep track of. One chosen person is organizing this system and half the time, he is riding either on the outside back ladder or right on top with the rest of the cargo, for all we know....he disappears then reappears and all the while there are people on the side of the road giving and recieving other bits of 'stuff'! It would be very easy for our backpacks to go 'missing' and without our awareness for the whole 2 hour ride. So when it is suggested that we have to put our bags on the rack, suddenly mine and Tim's Spanish became very clear and Danny's sign language just aggressive enough that the bus driver understands we are not willing to part with our packs!!! As the seats fill up and more + more cargo is loaded in the back, the bus rambles off and my eyes cling to our belongings like a newborn on a nipple. At every stop there is a shift in the dynamics of our surroundings as entreprenuers fill up the aisle selling chicklets, coconut cookies, sunglasses, you name it!! Our changeover is totally chaotic as we are dumped off the back of one bus and tumble into the back of our connecting one.
Safe and sound, I can actually enjoy this ride as I gaze out the window to absorb what will eventually be our next destination...