We really didn't have anything planned for this trip, other than going sailing with the owners of the B&B where we are staying. Since there were problems with the sail boat, it was decided to go sailing on Saturday. So we asked what there was to see and got a list of several places we could drive to.
Along the way as we were coming to a bridge we encountered our first police stop. We were motioned over to the side of the road. The police asked to see our papers giving us permission to be in the country, so I handed them to him. He looked them over for a moment and then pointed out that our destination was San Juan del Sur. He then motioned over the bridge and said that we were about to enter into Granada. He explained that it is a mater of "control" that you can't put one place as a destination and then go to another place. He mentioned that we could fix the situation for a "fee." I then turned to Karen and said "he wants money!" Rather than offer to pay this fee, I asked if it is not permitted to travel anywhere else other our destination. I explained that we didn't know where we'd be going, we only knew where we'd be staying. I suggested that if it is not permitted, we could just turn around and go back. He then explained (several times) that it is OK to travel anywhere in the country, and we had the right to do so for 30 days. However, you need to list the places you are going or you can just put Nicaragua as the destination and then you can go anywhere. After several pauses, and several times saying that we could just turn around, I asked "what can we do?" He then replied, "I can go back to the shade, because I am burning in this hot sun." I then thanked him and headed off down the road.
On the way back from our day of sightseeing we were stopped at a different location by an officer who asked to see our papers. After a quick look, he asked for my license. I gave it to him and then he asked to see my "triangles" and fire extinguisher. I had a puzzled look on my face so he explained that they have a transit law in Nicaragua just like the transit law in Costa Rica that requires all cars to have two reflective triangles that you put on the road when your car breaks down. You also have to have a fire extinguisher in the car. After I said (several times) that I did not have these things, he informed me that he would have to write me a ticket. I said "OK." He then explained that I'd have to go to a bank, pay the fee and then return back to him to get my license back. He began to write out the ticket. I looked at my watch and noticed that the time was 4:00 PM, so I asked him how long he would be there. He told me that he would be there for another 30 minutes. I then said there was no way I could make it to the bank and back within that time. He then mentioned that "if" I went to the bank it would cost me C$500 (about 25 bucks), he gave me look and asked, "so what can we do?" I then smiled, as I often do in such situations. He commented on my smile. I then said, "to tell the truth, I don't have C$500." After a little more discussion, he handed me my license and said we could go. I then thanked him, and said he was very nice and we drove off!
Wow. Nicaragua sounds like a very interesting place.