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Lynda S. | profile | all galleries >> Panama Canal April 2012 >> April 30, 2012 Corinto & Chinandaga, Nicaragua tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

April 30, 2012 Corinto & Chinandaga, Nicaragua

Prior to leaving for the cruise, I saw a post on Cruise Critic Message Boards from David, a firefighter from Kamloops, BC., that was offering a 'tour of a lifetime' to anyone who was going to be in Corinto, Nicaragua. He would arrange for the local fire chief to pick up a group of us with the fire truck, from the dock, and take us to the city dump in Chinandaga to help feed soup to the kids there. All money collected from this tour - 100 % - would go back to feeding the children.
Once I booked the tour, I went onto our Roll Call on Cruise Critic, found 8 more people interested in the tour, as well as plenty of donations for the community center & the kids - crayons, soaps, toothpaste, toothbrushes, band aids, pencils, hair ties, & combs to name but a few! The kindness of the Cruise Critic Roll Callers, both that were, and were not going with us was astounding. Unfortunately Nicaraguan customs saw fit to place all of these goods in bond for a later release, and this took a walloping three months! But - they did release everything in the end thanks to Gerry & David's efforts!
If anyone is going down to Nicaragua & would like to contact David, here is his contact info:
davidsakaki@gmail.com
Sailing into Corinto
Sailing into Corinto		 The port in Corinto
The port in Corinto		 Waiting for clearance to leave the ship with the donations for the community center & the packages for the kids
Waiting for clearance to leave the ship with the donations for the community center & the packages for the kids		 Customs insist the boxes & extra bags of markers, crayons etc. have to go in bond to the warehouse. Absolutely no heart, I say.
Customs insist the boxes & extra bags of markers, crayons etc. have to go in bond to the warehouse. Absolutely no heart, I say.
Our ride - a fire truck donated by the city of Stow, Ohio
Our ride - a fire truck donated by the city of Stow, Ohio		 The bravest (or the hottest) sat up top on the truck!
The bravest (or the hottest) sat up top on the truck!		 There were plenty of roadside markets along the way to Chinendaga
There were plenty of roadside markets along the way to Chinendaga		 It's very dry here at this time of the year
It's very dry here at this time of the year
Monument in Chinandega dedicated to the working class
Monument in Chinandega dedicated to the working class		 The monument is a of a man who is chiseling himself out of stone - pretty cool!
The monument is a of a man who is chiseling himself out of stone - pretty cool!		 Gerry starts to prepare the soup - he skins & chops the fish we stopped to buy on the way.
Gerry starts to prepare the soup - he skins & chops the fish we stopped to buy on the way.		 In the meantime, we play with the kids. Fraser is taking photos for the kids to see
In the meantime, we play with the kids. Fraser is taking photos for the kids to see
A yound lady & her mom travelling together from Victoria play ring around the rosie
A yound lady & her mom travelling together from Victoria play ring around the rosie		 Ian plays soccer with the kids
Ian plays soccer with the kids		 The kids love to play on the truck
The kids love to play on the truck		 Best buddies
Best buddies
Chris makes friends with a very shy little girl
Chris makes friends with a very shy little girl		 Mewanwhile, Gerry & his volunteeer cooking crew are still busy!
Mewanwhile, Gerry & his volunteeer cooking crew are still busy!		 The soup is simmering now - almost done!
The soup is simmering now - almost done!		 These two kids in the tree were hilarious!
These two kids in the tree were hilarious!
See - a soup bowl can double for a hat!
See - a soup bowl can double for a hat!		 This guy was just too cute!
This guy was just too cute!		 The kids loved to have their pictures taken
The kids loved to have their pictures taken		 The little girl was really shy, but she soon lost that shynessfor the camera!
The little girl was really shy, but she soon lost that shynessfor the camera!
This is the young lady that I wanted to bring home, she was always laughing!
This is the young lady that I wanted to bring home, she was always laughing!		 Out of hundreds of pictures, this is my favorite of the girls
Out of hundreds of pictures, this is my favorite of the girls		 One of the boys gets in on the action too
One of the boys gets in on the action too		 Gerry lines up the kids to receive their goody bags
Gerry lines up the kids to receive their goody bags
Gerry's crew get the bags of kid's packs from the truck
Gerry's crew get the bags of kid's packs from the truck		 The bag of goody bags!
The bag of goody bags!		 These kids were so orderly as we were giving them out!
These kids were so orderly as we were giving them out!		 That's Carlos holding his goody bag up high
That's Carlos holding his goody bag up high
A young boy proudly displaying his goody bag
A young boy proudly displaying his goody bag		 Transportation here is fairly basic
Transportation here is fairly basic		 I went wandering down the road of the shanty town while the kids got their soup
I went wandering down the road of the shanty town while the kids got their soup		 Note to self - bring chicken feed along next time too
Note to self - bring chicken feed along next time too
Animals were the only life I saw in the little shanty town, everyone else must have been up at the community center
Animals were the only life I saw in the little shanty town, everyone else must have been up at the community center		 Jerry and his crew explain to us what they will be doing with the containers
Jerry and his crew explain to us what they will be doing with the containers		 Meanwhile, the kids were getting their bowls of soup
Meanwhile, the kids were getting their bowls of soup		 The kid's packs were a really big hit - many of them put their soup down & put the puzzle together, or coloured
The kid's packs were a really big hit - many of them put their soup down & put the puzzle together, or coloured
Some very busy kids!
Some very busy kids!		 Chris & Annie sit up front for the ride back
Chris & Annie sit up front for the ride back		 As we went by, I saw one of the kid's sitting on a rock colouring
As we went by, I saw one of the kid's sitting on a rock colouring		 The streets of Chinandega
The streets of Chinandega
This truck was donated by the Prince Rupert, BC fire dept!
This truck was donated by the Prince Rupert, BC fire dept!		 David, the driving force behind all of this fundraising, is a Kamloops firefighter
David, the driving force behind all of this fundraising, is a Kamloops firefighter		 Having lunch at the local Hollywood Pizza - it was wonderful!
Having lunch at the local Hollywood Pizza - it was wonderful!		 Los bomberos
Los bomberos
Back at the port
Back at the port		 One last picture of Gerry
One last picture of Gerry		 There was a craft market set up for us just down the road from the ship
There was a craft market set up for us just down the road from the ship		 The streets of Corinto - that's our ship in the background
The streets of Corinto - that's our ship in the background
Martin, there's something strange here
"Martin, there's something strange here"

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