The school took us on a field trip to Rivas. I try to do as many of the activities offered as possible to keep myself busy. When there was an opportunity to do a quick tour of Rivas, Nicaragua, I took it.
Rivas is the closest big town, between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of just under 50,000. Compared to San Juan del Sur, it’s HUGE.
About Rivas
Rivas doesn’t get a lot of tourists. It’s mainly a stopping off point to switch local buses from San Juan del Sur to Ometepe, Granada, and Managua. We took the local bus, aka “chicken bus” and stayed in Rivas.
Taking the Chicken Bus to Rivas
The chicken bus cost 17 cordobas, which is about 60 cents US. We got there early so we could have seats. Glad we did because the bus left before 8am, was packed the whole way, and took more than an hour with all the stops to pick up and drop off. The return trip was a little better but not much!
Stops on A Quick Tour of Rivas
We only had two hours for our visit and tour of Rivas, but our teachers or “guides” made the most of it. We visited the archeology museum of Rivas, which thankfully was free, because there wasn’t much to see; a cool old church;
the very large market;
and the town park, which is new and fronts on the town cathedral. We covered a lot of Rivas in two hours!
The Bus Back From Rivas
At the bus station in Rivas to get home, we waited patiently with other passengers. When the bus arrived in the station, all hell broke loose. Myself and the other “gringos” from the Spanish school were getting shoved and climbed upon by men, women, and children to get on the bus fastest. We stepped aside if we could, and waited for the craziness to be over. Once we did board the bus, there were still plenty of seats, but a couple of tourists who hadn’t been able to exit! It was not a fine example of humanity by any means. No me gusta!
Still, we had a fun day trip and I went somewhere I would never have gone on my own. And, I know what to expect if I do take the chicken bus again.
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