Our Arrival in Nicaragua & the Bus Ride

We left SF on Thursday morning and got to Managua on the evening of the same day. Chris had a great idea to book a room across from the airport so it was super convenient to get to. We celebrated our arrival there in the Nica way - by having a media servida... half a liter of rum with coke and lime by the pool...
The next morning we met up with Karen and Stacy, couple of ladies we met in the hotel, and got a taxi to the bus station where we were to catch a bus to Granada. The ride to the bus stop through Managua was not the most picturesque but it sure was interesting. I was not ready for what was to come once we got out of the taxi. Immediately we were swarmed by ten or so guys asking us all kinds of questions that I didn't understand. Chris told them we were going to Granada... and suddenly I saw all of our bags on top of their heads moving through what looked like a field of ants... to the right bus. All I knew that I was on the bus... not sure if it was the right one at the moment... but that was part of the adventure. The bus ride very entertaining. I was also able to find out why all the roads are so littered - the family next to us was eating their meal and once done they just opened the window and tossed the plate out - all clean... why do we even bother with trash cans :o).
Our 'express' bus was direct to Granada... but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't stop hundred times... express just means faster than the slowest. On every stop people would jump out while it was still moving and jump on while still moving. Various merchants would some on board on one stop and jump off on the next. I got to say that it was probably the most entertaining bus ride of my life.