BORDER BRIDGE FROM COSTA RICA TO PANAMA

What's left of the pedestrian bridge all travelers must walk across between Panama and Costa Rica.

When it comes to border crossings in foreign lands, you never know what you're going to find. There is always anticipation, as border towns can be a bit sketchy, and usually we arrive to the border exhausted, after double digit hours on a bus.

Such was the case as we crossed the border from Costa Rica to Panama. But thanks to our numerous sloth stops in Cahuita, we only had six hours of bus under our belts when we arrived to Sixaola, a dusty border town separated from Panama only by a wide, rolling river.

While we were well-prepared for the cranky border officials, what we were not ready for was the dilapidated state of the bridge we had to walk across. 

Liz and her backpack head toward Panama as a man on his cell phone treks carefully toward Costa Rica.

Lucky for us, there were no trains coming during our crossing...  OK, full disclosure, we doubt trains actually use this bridge, as their weight alone would probably send it crashing into the river below.

So, as Kip would say, we dodged three trains and saved two drowning children as we crossed the ramshackle bridge, with its exposed rusty nails, loose boards, and gaping holes where loose boards used to be.

But it was a lovely view.

Even better was the looks on the faces of the military and bridge merchant as Kip tried on some of the wares they had for sale. Who says you can't sell guns and bras at the same store? 

Welcome to Panama. We already love it here.

Kip checks the sizing on a new bra while Liz eyes the nice array of firearms.
Imagine what the TSA agents would say about this back home?!

Liz takes reluctant first steps over the rickety bridge.

Want to read more border fun? Though we there were no bras involved, and we weren't actually allowed to cross into the Congo, there was plenty of danger in this border town in Rwanda.

HELLO COSTA RICA

Giant wind turbines and a spare windmill blade dwarf a parked semi-truck
near the Nicaragua-Costa Rica border.

Liz crosses the border with style.

Don't know about you, but we never would have guessed that one of Central America's largest wind farms spins off the coast of Lake Nicaragua a few miles from the Costa Rican border. 

But it does. 

With a little research we also learned Panama just unveiled its first wind turbine, which will be part of the region's largest wind project in history. 

Anyway, we were en route to Costa Rica after a fairly quick trip through Nicaragua. Highlights: volcano boarding, a boat-enabled border crossing from El Salvador, motorcycle riding, canyon jumping, and volunteering, among lots of other things.

Up next, some awesome National Geographic photography, more beautiful sunsets (obviously...our favorite) and us getting into some dirty jobs-style volunteering. 

Stay tuned!

BOAT FROM EL SALVADOR TO NICARAGUA

El Salvador to Nicaragua: Cross the Gulf of Fonseca
 by boat (orange) or by road through Honduras (pink)?

Would you rather take a scenic, two-hour boat ride across a sheltered bay or suffer through a butt-numbing eight-hour bus from El Salvador to Nicaragua, passing through Honduras, the murder capital of the world? 

An easy choice, normally, except that our previous boat trips have gone so, so very badly that we hesitated. Briefly. 

With Todd, Kip's brother in tow, we opted for the more direct route, from El Salvador, across the Gulf of Fonseca, to Nicaragua.

Not a lot of travelers venture this way, so below we provide a "How To" guide, along with some photos from the trip. 

Shockingly, the journey concluded without incident all the way from the new port of La Union to what's left of a deserted, decrepit dock in Potosi.

EL SALVADOR TO NICARAGUA BY BOAT

The trip from La Union, El Salvador to Potosi, Nicaragua is a scenic alternative to the long bus ride through Honduras. Below are some steps and essentials to get you on your way:

What to bring: passport, water, snacks, optional seasick meds (especially if your name is Todd) though the Gulf is usually calm. 

1. La Union: Get yourself to El Sal's major port town of La Union, home to a brand new, multi-million dollar shipping center. Bus direct from San Salvador via San Miguel (4-5 hrs, $3-$5), or from El Cuco, hire a taxi (around 45 mins, $30-$40) or take a local bus (2-4 hrs, $4-$5). If you'd prefer, you could also book the entire trip at the Hotel Tortuga Verde in El Cuco.
2. Book a boat: Better to do this before you get here, but it may be possible to find a captain dockside in La Union. Boats leave in the morning if there are passengers. One option is Ruta del Golfo, though there were no departures when we contacted them. We went with Mario from Tours Panoramico (7282-4362, golfo_fonseca@hotmail.com). Negotiate a price beforehand. A private boat could be $200+, but much cheaper if there's already a boat going and you can hop on.
3.  Clear Customs: You need to be at the customs office in La Union at least an hour before departure (ask anyone for "aduanas.") Yes, it takes that long. They may ask for copies of your passport. There's a store with a copy machine across the street. Good coffee shop three blocks up with wi-fi while you wait.
4. Pick up passport, board your boat: Pretty straightforward, assuming you know where your boat's leaving from. Ask anyone. Photo below. Make sure you have life jackets on board.
5. Enjoy the scenery: It's a scenic trip, passing by a few hilly islands, some inhabited, some not so much. Try to get the captain to pass close to Meanguera Island to see the pelicans and flocks of Great Frigate birds. 
   
6. Dock at Potosi: Lower expectations. There's no functioning dock and no facilities. You'll likely get your feet wet. And then you'll need to walk a couple hundred yards to the customs office. Wake up the officer. Get stamped in. Pay your entry fee ($12 for U.S.). Walk past the soccer field and ask about the next bus to Chinandega. There may or may not be one there. We ended up going to the only hotel in town and the owner gave us a ride in his truck. Negotiate.  Or, stay the night in the hotel and hike Cosiguina volcano.

   

   Todd celebrating arrival in Nicaragua.

   

   Walking from the pier in Nicaragua, Potosi's customs office is on the left,
   soccer field dead ahead and an abandoned warehouse is on your right.