The Chicken Bus

Let's talk about the chicken bus. It is called the camioneta and are old US school buses that no longer meet US codes and are sent to Latin America. These buses are painted and decked out by the owners of the bus and they have all kinds of pictures and stickers on the inside. On market days (Monday, Thursday, Saturday) these buses are packed to the brim. There are at least three people to a seat with babies and toddlers sitting on laps. There are people packed together like sardines standing in the aisles and somehow more people manage to squeeze on at each stop. The buses park at the market and men get on selling candy, icecream, healing creams, and religion. It is really interesting getting on the bus early just to see all the vendors. Then the bus gets going and drives all around the city of Antigua picking up more passengers. These drivers are crazy and run around turns, drive fast, and slam on the breaks. Then a man manages to squeeze his way through the aisles collecting the bus fair, which is about 7 US cents. These men have incredible memories because they have to collect a few times throughout the ride and they always remember who has paid, who has not, and who they owe money too if they could not break a bill. I am starting to become familiar with some of the buses and bus drivers. The driver of the Carolina bus is crazy and I do not want to be standing during that ride. The Mickey Mouse bus is the worst. I have to sit down and close my eyes the entire time or I will vomit. All in all, the chicken bus is an interesting experience (reminding me of the dalla dallas in Tanzania) and I will be excited to compare Antigua camionetas to ones in Xela and San Marcos.