Managua trips (to civilisation)

I have a confession to make - despite all the mod cons that Granada has to offer, I've already made three trips to Managua (the capital of Nicaragua) to the two shopping malls there, each of which has an air-conditioned mutiplex cinema. I'm afraid the need for a little retail therapy that doesn't involve haggling in market stalls plus a cool cinematic experience (the cinema here in Granada has only three showings a week!) got too great. But I suppose I do also have the excuse that I had to try to replace a few of the things I had stolen from my bag (in which I have been at least partially successful). And our lovely washing machine has this tendency to chew up whatever you wash - so a few more shirts and vest tops are required. Alas, even in Managua it's impossible to replace any bras though, because apparently there are no women in Nicaragua above a C cup (according to the underwear available in every shop I've been into). Not something I completely believe, but that's the way it goes here...

Luckily it's easy to get to Managua, since the best bit of road in the whole country links Managua and Granada. [N.B. Interestingly and strangely enough I hear that the roads here in Nicaragua, even though many are hideously potholed and not even paved, are considerably better than the roads in the much richer and more tourist-developed Costa Rica. Go Nicargaua!] So there are minivans (called expresos or micros) that run from one corner of the Parque Central in Granada about every 15 mins and take an hour to get to Managua. The ride can get a little hairy, especially if you don't get a seat (sometimes having to crouch in the passageway getting up close and personal with the guy who takes the money, and who usually spends half the journey hanging out of the open sliding door trying to encourage more passengers into the van by shouting ManaguaManaguaManaguaManagua (I don't know why but it's always four times) at anyone even vaguely lingering by the side of the road. I think the bus guys would try to persuade anyone into the bus by telling them they can get to wherever you want to go to via that bus's route. I'm assuming the buses run on a franchise basis, which might explain why the drivers and money guys (conductors of a sort) are so keen to pack as many people as physically possible in. Anyway, on the way to Managua it's normally OK to get a seat, but trying to squeeze on the last bus of the night (sadly only at 8pm) for the return journey is another matter!