Tour around Boaco

Today I told myself that I would get out of the house and walk around and enjoy the fresh air.  I was starting to feel almost depressed being cooped up in the house.  So, before I left I thought it would be a good idea to take pictures of the places I frequently visit, just for fun.  It was kind of weird because I felt like a tourist in my own town and even got some stares and comments, but whatever.  I'm leaving soon.

Front door of my house

Post office (pink) and ice cream shop (blue)--wouldn't you think the colors would be reversed?  Well that bright, bubble gum pink is the color of the government and they like to put their stamp on everything.

One of the ways to get up to "Boaco arriba"--the upper part of Boaco

Gift store that Jasser and I would visit to buy things for any party/event we were decorating

Selection of faux flowers at the gift store

Gas station near my house--this is where Frank & I have gone to play cards on super hot days because they have AC :)

The infamous traffic light that divides "Boaco abajo" (lower Boaco) from "Boaco arriba" (upper Boaco).

The hill that you have to climb to get up there--this is why I don't go up there every day!

Bus in the intersection--very common for these buses to be going through town

Half way up the hill, the road splits, and some genius thought it would be a good idea to have the left side be one-way up and the right side be one-way down.  I'm all for the one-way here since the roads are narrow and people park on the side, but this way, really?  Traffic has to cross each other--it's often crazy.

Still climbing the hill--this is looking back (and this is not the steep side of the road split!)

Almost to the top--nice view above a staircase

Reached the top and greeted by the beautiful contrast of the mellow yellow church and the bright blue sky.

To the right over there is the amphitheater and to the left is the park

Central park--every town in Nicaragua has one and it's always right in front of the church

There's a bus again.  This time barely squeezing between cars and the median.  I'm so amazed at how many times they don't hit other cars, trees, people, etc.

Picked out a seat at the ice cream shop across from the park to have lunch--pretty empty today.

View from the ice cream shop--it's nice and breezy here, and in the shade, making it the perfect place for a hot afternoon!

This is the lab that I have had to visit a few times when sick.  It's really unfortunate that you have to walk up so many stairs (can't see the other 4 steps) when you're feeling miserable.

Health center--bright pink of course

This is a hardware store on the bottom and a house on top--pretty fancy.

Here's the big grocery store in town--owned by Walmart.  This truck is often out front, making it difficult to get in the store and pass by in a taxi.  Pretty inconvenient.

This is the grocery store

This is a foundation where I gave workshops to teachers and we had a couple PC events here too.  The lady was really nice and let me use the rooms for free :)

Looking up the street to the police station (blue, on left)

This is the "town hall" or "palace" as it says.

Just a house along the way

Dancer statue that represents part of Boaco's Patron Saint Festivals

Quite a view of Boaco from the statue

There's my house below that big brownish wall--it has two little trees in front of it and it's one-story.  There's a little room in the back (to the left) as the "second-story" that's connected to the house next door--the big brownish wall).

Dancer statue up close--people dress up like this for the festival.

Decorative window bars--looks a little nicer than the standard bars to prevent robbers

A nicer house in Boaco arriba--they have pretty fancy bar

Looking down another hill

"Nicaragua: unique...original!"  Yes, that's true.

This is a little place where I like to buy banana & milk smoothies and the lady also makes pupusas at night.

Store on the side of the road--always SO many sandals!

Walking down the main hill in Boaco behind some police officers--check out those guns!  And no, I'm not talking about muscles.

Down the main street where there are three of the same kind of stores right next to each other (they all sell appliances and furniture) kind of like having a Best Buy next to a Best Buy across from a Best Buy.

The pharmacy that I go to--yes, the one where the owner was smoking that one time...

This is the cyber that I used to use to call home before I got internet in my house.

Here's my bank.  Well, not anymore since I closed my account.  I was very thankful for the ATM outside because so often the bank has a line out the front of people waiting to cash checks, but the ATM never has a line!

A little bit of the market--I used to stop by here to grab some fresh veggies on my way home from Access class.

Barber shop in the market--there are tons of these just like this.  And, they sell pirated DVDs just out front!

At the top of another hill on my way home.

The steep hill I have to climb to get to the bus.   This is why I sometimes take a taxi.

And back home!

Hope you enjoyed your super special VIP tour of Boaco, Boaco, Nicaragua :)