Northern heights

---

Got on the first really crowded bus that came from the airport and ended up in Matagalpa, the chocolate and coffee king of Nicaragua. Due to the elections, not much was open which resulted in not being let into the chocolate castle and going to Germany.

Selva Negra is named after the black forest in Germany and has clearly been run by germanic precision for several generations. An extreme contrast to the rest of Nicaragua. As we were in a group we hitch hiked home on the back of a truck to escape a deported american terrorist with columbian friends and a fondness for cockfighting and 20 beers before 4pm.

Next stop Esteli´. Home of custom leather, fantastic cheese and beautiful nature reserves. Having discovered a cafe with WHOLEMEAL bread, camembert, hummus, gouda, yogurt cheese and honey we went in search of cheese source...

Found ourselves on a cheese tour in a tiny community in Tisey nature reserve, and learnt that it takes 130 litres of milk to make 20 rounds of cheese.

After telling Lexie that she hated horses, and the idea of horse riding, Emily signed up to a 6 hour horse tour around Miraflor Reserve. Gently does it.

For the tour we were met off the bus by a mute with the slowest paced walk we'd ever encountered. Somehow we ended up leading the way to his house while he conversed with a woman on horseback. Whilst eating breakfast we discovered he could speak - he informed us he was going to prepare the horses which we found out later meant shoeing them. Despite informing him that Emily had only rode once, about 10 years ago, we charged off up the hillside with Emily leading the way and loving it. Best thing about Nicaragua is the laid back attitude to safety. After charging around we were exhausted, the horses hadn't even broken a sweat. Lovely day with some of the best views we've seen yet.

Nicaragua we've enjoyed your loud music, cheapness, lack of road etiquette and no concept of personal space in any situation. On a serious note, stunning country, lovely people - Nicaragua your pretty darn cool.

Off we head North x

---

Photos

Germany
not where we thought it was

cheese
swiss

Traffic
In Nicaragua you go through the cows, not round the cows

nice
view from the cheese

Comments

[lynn spruce]

paradise!
knowing your taste in food I think this sounds more like paradise, you must have thought you'd found heaven!! Hope there's more of the same up north :-) xxxx

[at home with the cat]

Countries Left Behind/Counties where we're Heading.
Covering a lot of ground,Central America,whizzing by on our spinning Globe.So much you've seen,photo's looking like a National Geographic.What we're missing though,is what does it smell & taste like.Come to think of it,What do you do for food each day.? I'm guessing that to you,local life and culture,is just part of a every day experience.To use at home,we have to don our Tropical Specs to Imagine it all.So help us out,whats the Best Creature you've seen so far,the Best Place,Happiest Market,with the Best Food.? Warm thoughts to you both,thanks too for warming our Winter.Love from us all. Stephen.