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Published: August 9th 2006
Ferry ride to Isla de Ometepe
We took the one hour ferry ride to Ometepe-- where volcán Concepción can be seen in the background, topped by clouds. Apparently it takes 10 hours to climb and descend the volcano...so we decided AGAINST it!On Monday, August 1st my frined Steve arrived in Managua from Toronto, thus marking the beginning of 29 days of spontaneous adventure travel from Nicaragua up to Mexico. We fly home from Mexico City on August 29th, but until then we have 29 days to play it by ear and go where the wind takes us! This is a whole new level of sponetnaity for me: and so far I am loving it! Before I left I bought a "Footprint" travel guide to Nicaragua, which has since become our best friend. Basically we just pick a random place that sounds interesting, then ask around until we find a bus/cab or whatever to take us there. The nice thing about the system is that one can never be late (unlike my normal life, in which I am late for just about EVERYTHING), nor can your plans be messed up if there AREN´T any plans! Very cool.
The first day of our trip we went to Masaya, the renouned artisans quarter of Nicaragua, about 45 minutes outseide of Managua. It is where all of the traditional-style shirts, dresses, jewllery, handcrafts, etc. are made. I had been hoping to score some pretty good
Horseback riding on Ometepe
View of the island from "Mirador del Diablo" (Devil´s Lookout), Isala de Ometepe. The poor horses were panting like crazy by the time we got to the top, but coming down was worse-- their hooves kept slipping on the smooth volcanic rock, hardened in the form of molten-waves that once spilled down its side and FORMED this very island from the lake-bed. deals, and so had been waiting these past 3 months to purchase tourist-y stuff there. I was also hoping to see some of the artisans making their crafts, and maybe get a bit of a feel for the EFFORT that goes in it. I was sadly dissapointed on both counts: they do indeed sell tourist stuff in Masaya...at tourist-y prices. Everything was OUTRAGEOUSLY priced compared to what I have been used to in Nueva Guinea. And so much for the "authentic" native communities I was hoping to see: Masaya has been converted into a tourist-haven, any trace of a quite, simple, Indigenous "authenticity" was lost long ago in the swarm of Western invaders with cameras and terrible Spanish. I hated it. We left after only a few hours, and took the bus another hour to Grenada, which I had hoped would be better. ANYTHING would be better than that, I thought, as it is SO unrepresentative of Nicaraguan lifestyle. So rich. I was disapointed again.
Grenada is even MORE rich than Masaya, with (I must admit) a rustic Colonial charm. But the sign that greeted us said Welcome to Grenada, the Tourist City, and it proved correct. After 2
Laguna de Apollo
This is the view looking down on Laguna de Apollo, as you take the half-hour walk down into the crater basin. The sounds of traditional pan music wafted up to us from the various restaurants on the beach below, completing the ambiance. As we walked we saw lots of beatiful birds, some lizards, and some irridesecnt blue butterflies as well. But after 1/2 and hour walking in the hot sun, we were EXHAUSTED, and glad to swim in the fresh waters of the lagoon... nights in Grenada, where we saw pre colonial statues in the local museum (one of the few things I REALLY enjoyed), we moved on. Next we went to Isla de Ometepe, which is a volcanic island. We rode horses andf got a stunning view of the island. Unfortunately my time here at the internet cafe is running out, so that is all for now. Tomorrow morning at 5am we leave for Guatemala, and the adventure continues...
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