Ometepe

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Today the hike was off to a roaring start but probably not my (Gillian's) most shining moment in choice of family activity. We ascended into the cloud that may have something to do with the amount of moisture that perpetually greases the trail to the laguna. It got wetter and wetter, until everyone in our group gave up chance of keeping anything dry or clean. David, the nice German guy with us worried that he would have to replace his sister's bag that she had lent him for the hike, Niels just stopped worrying about his entire lower extremities and charged through the middle of every slick as snot mud wallow, mom laughed when I said I thought the whole thing was pretty apropos considering this trip was with craig's frequent flyer miles, and I was proud that I still could see the shoe laces on one shoe.

The best thing about the lagoon were the mysterious perritos who were apparently chasing deer - no idea where they came from. And then we slid back down whence we had come up. I have to say that Nancy did give me fair warning that I didn't heed.

Bonnie: The reward at the bottom was watching howler monkeys cavorting in the trees-two with babies on their backs - in the slanting late afternoon sun, a scrub brush to try and restore shoes, a bracingly cold shower, and some cold beers.

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Photos

sunset from taxi
okay - pickup truck. at 30 miles an hour. pretty good eh?

just a taste of mud
I was too busy trying unsuccessfully to stay out the mud to photograph the really hairy spots

anti-climactic finish
laguna de volcan madera

a bit muddy
david, niels, bonnie, and that would be dirty girl behind the camera

finca magdalena
a cold shower and a rocker never felt so good