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Published: December 28th 2010
My first introduction to Nicaragua is not a pleasant one. After being stamped out at Costa Rica passport control, I walk the 1km along what I assume is no mans land towards the Nicaragua border control. This seems easy at first - a straight road with other fellow tourists making the same journey, or so I thought. This supposedly pedestrian journey slowly degenerates into vehicular chaos. I had earlier observed freight jams along Costa Rica´s roads heading to Nicaragua. It looks a strenous journey as it seems to get worse within and around the border controls. Its basically a swealtering, dusty, disorganised freight park with unmarked sporadic buildings. However, I manage to negotiate myself through the jams - much to the amusement of the locals - have my passport stamped for entry and manage to find a bus (more by luck than judgement) that is heading to my next stop, Rivas. The bus poses yet another perennial problem - trying to sit down. Its not there aren´t any seats, its just that they are so small. I am lucky as this bus seems to have more space than normal; its a former U.S. school bus (and having more space is not an exageration!).
So, I arrive at Rivas from where I jump in a taxi to the ferry port. From here I catch a ´lancha´ (i.e. a wooden boat which appears to have seen many years beyond its intended life) and arrive in the port of Moyogalpa on Isla de Ometepe. I opt against my normal backpacking rules and get a private room in a hotel; however, I was tired and smelly after catching 4 buses, 1 taxi and 1 boat in addition to the usual chaos of trampling between each journey with two backpacks. I´m back to normal self the next morning and book myself into Hospedaje Central also known as ´The Old Indian´, so called because of the extremely interesting operater who was nomadic for many years after his expulsion at an early age from Nicaragua. This contributed to his current total of 211 countries visited!...only some middle eastern countries and the far pacafic islands remain! He is very knowledgeable after having studied law and also economics at the London School of Economics. He talks of current U.S. influence in the country and how the CIA is funding the churches in the hope of slowly aligning Nicaragua with U.S religion and values. Apparently the U.S. regards Nicaragua as the next star state.
U.S. influence has long been felt in Nicaragua, as it has in every central america country. Unfortauntely, this is commonly in the form of financing arms groups, thereby contributing to or lenghtening conflicts. The unfortaunte side effect of this is that it often leads to more deaths and finance being diverted to those in power, who are often disctators but are regarded as friends by the U.S. because they are aligned with their economic objectives. Here follows a brief history.
The Marines invaded Nicaragua in 1912, and stayed until 1933, fighting but never defeating the revolutionary Augusto Sandino. They created the Nicaraguan National Guard and installed Anastasio Somoza Garcia in power. Corruption, torture, and wholesale murder of dissidents continued for 45 years under two generations of Somozas, for after Somoza Garcia was gunned down in the streets in 1956, his son Anastasio Somoza Debayle took control. The Somozas plundered Nicaragua and became millionaires. The younger Somoza, made $12 million a year buying the blood of his people and selling it abroad at a 300% mark-up. In 1972 after an earthquake killed and wounded hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans, Somoza had his National Guard seize $30 million in international relief supplies and sold them to the highest bidder. Near the end of his reign, he aerially bombed his own capital to stay in power, but he was overthrown in 1979 by a rebel group who called themselves the Sandinistas, named after the revolutionary hero his father had slain. It is estimated that 50,000 people had been killed in the revolutionary struggle, with perhaps 150,000 more homeless.
Unfortunately, Nicaragua's problems don't end there and were pulled into the Cold War owing to the numbers of Soviet and Cuban advisors in the country. As part of their response, a CIA scheme to mine Nicaragua´s harbours was revealed in 1984 and resulted in a judgement agianst the U.S. by the International Court of Justice. The Court found; "the United States of America was under an obligation to make reparation to the Republic of Nicaragua for all injury caused to Nicaragua by certain breaches of obligations under customary international law and treaty-law committed by the United States of America¨ but was rejected citing the 'Connally Amendment', which excludes from the International court of Justice's jurisdiction "disputes with regard to matters that are essentially within the jurisdiction of the United States of America, determined by the United States of America". Hmmm, it seems the U.S. is beyond any international law. It is extremely disheartening when you read about the history of central america and discover the behaviour of the most powerful nation on earth; you would hope that the country might concentrate its vast resources on more honourable aims rather than just pursuing power and greed. Check out this web site for some extremely interesting information realting to U.S. influence in the third world: www.thirdworldtraveler.com
Anyway, moving on to the present. Isla de Omepete is a very pleasing, if not surreal, place for the eye. It´s basically made up of two large volcanos with rainforest sweeping around its bases, slowly dimishing the higher you ascend. I decide to climb the highest of the two volcanos - Concepcion, 1610m. The hike through the rainforest is a treat in itself. Howler and capuchin monkleys clamber above you through the treetops. Our timing is good as we see lots of baby howler monkeys being carried by their mothers. We also pass some Ceiba trees; one being a particularly large specimen which allows you to walk along one of its main limbs owing to volcanic ash raising the ground floor level. The higher we climb, the smaller the vegetation becomes and the greater the winds are felt. We reach a point of grassland with only a few stubborn bushes remaining and are surprised to see some cows (somewhat degrading our effort!) Our guide advises that they tend to stay at the top and are probably the most inquisitive cows Ive met; not in the least bit afraid to start nosing your rucksack for food! Whilst we are close to the top we decide against going any further owing to time constraints (deaths have been known on the volcanos, normally from climbers who have become lost) and also because the volcano is bellowing smoke. The views from the volcano are on par with the volcano itself. We are fortunate to have a view of many miles and are able to see the distant pacafic ocean. Its also interesting to note the lush green flatlands which surround the volcanos which is in contrast to the bleak image which greets you during arrival by boat. After leaving this fantasy island and head to some more which I hope offer their own brand of fantasy - The Corn Islands off the Caribbean coast.
The journey to The Corn Islands is either easy or difficult; the easy one being by flight, the difficult - but much cheaper one - being overland. I opt for the latter. The first stage of the journey allows me a stop off at Granada which I had already planned. Granada is a nice enough place, strong with colonial architecture but which offers little to differentiate it from any other colonial town or city. Perhaps I have been blessed in having visited some great colonial places already. That is, I might be impressed if Granda was my first colonial town, much alike the hordes of U.S. tourists which seem to dominate the tourist driven streets continually applying their own brand of approval ("wow!", "awesome!", "woooaahhhh!") to just about everything!
After one night in Granada I move on to the capital, Managua. It's a dour place but is a required layover before a very early bus heading north to El Rama. It takes 7 hours to reach El Rama; this being literally where the road ends and from where I catch a boat further north again. The boat is powered by two huge engines so it only takes two hours to reach the northern coastal town of Bluefields. Bluefields is quite an isolated place being surrounded by swathes of rainforests which are inhabitated by the indegenous Moskito people. The area has an interesting history. British influence in Latin America is mainly restricted to the Caribbean coast which was never colonised by the Spanish. In the 18th century, leaders of the Moskiitia area requested that it be made a British protectorate, as a defence against the Spanish. It remained British for over a century, with a capital at Blufields, and was signed over to the Nicaragan Government in 1859. Owing to this history and the number of Black Creoles brought from other parts of the Caribbean by the British, English is widely spoken.
I had heard that Bluefields was a dangerous place and so feel like a moving target as I step off the boat and go looking for some accommodation through the town. Im offered all types of help and advice by various dubious characters which I refuse despite them following me where ever I go. Eventually they take they hint and finally find some extremely basic accommodation for the night. I arise the next morning in the hope a catching a boat to The Corn Islands - there appears no timetable as such, more a case of asking around the dock if a boat is leaving. Unfortunately, the one boat destined to leave is ordered to stay in the dock for safety reasons as the weather off cost is too dangerous. So, I book myself into some nice accommodation, equipped with cable tv - the sights of Bluefields are no more than one, and that is limited to a small church, albeit even that is a concrete version of the wooden original destroyed by a hurricane. Before dark, I head back to the dock to enquire over the next days boats but am told that the weather will be just as bad with no boats leaving. Fortunately, there is a flight the next day to Big Corn Island which I have no hesitation in purchasing.
First impressions arriving onto Big Corn Island are not so great; it almost feels like a sporadic version of Blufields on an island. My intended accommodation isnt so great either so I manage to catch a boat to Little Corn Island. It is during this journey that I realise why none of the lasrger boats were leaving Bluefields. The waters between the two islands are renound for being violent at times and all we seem to have is a flimsy lifejacket. The boat is exposed to the elements although the owners kindly allow a large tarpaulin to be draped over the top of us! It is quite an unerving journey when the boat manouvres its way between large waves and then swings the boat over one wave to maintain the direction of the journey (the waves run diagonally between the islands). After a very long 30 minutes, soaked to skin with sea water, we finally arrive at Little Corn Island where I in search of 'Graces' ; a favoured backpacker destination of the island. My arrival proves why; its a little piece of relaxed paradise with turquoise reefs and a long unbuilt palm tree lined beach. I couldn't have been happier after such a long journey.
The days are as stress free as they get being typified by reading, sunbathing, eating lobster and walking the beaches (you could encircle the island in one hour) and snorkling. The latter was particualrly enjoyable being notable for the number of nurse sharks we spotted (the first being one swimming underneath me as I jumped in off the boat!...thankfully they are harmless but they are still big sharks, enough to give you a fright when equipped with only a snorkle as a weapon!) Not only does Little Corn Island benefit from natural beauty, its residents are also very friendly and development has occured on a scale which you would noramlly associate with a Caribbean island - without the crass development of better known 'paradises'. Fortunately, development pressures are not foreseen, mainly becuase cruise ships are unable to negotiate their way throgh the reefs. A cheap and genuinly Caribbean island that I would definitely recommend.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and so I decide to depart after hearing of some forthcoming bad weather. So, after running the gauntlet again by boating it to Big Corn Island, I decide to catch a flight to Managua, thereby allowing enough time to reach the Bay Island, Honduras for Christmas. Time allows me for a layover in Leon for the sole pupose of sledging down Cerro Negro volcano (well, when I will ever get another chance!?) The hike up the volcano is more impressive than the sledging, albeit hampered by a piece of kitchen table I am told is a sledge. The last eruption of the volcano was as recent as 1999 and sulphur chimneys are evident. From those from my home village or anyone else from a coal mining area, it was similar to walking over the slag heaps. My journey down the volcano is obviously much quicker than when I ascended it, but much less graceful as I seem to spend most of time cartwheeling down the volcano; by the time I reach the bottom, I have the appearance of a miner having completed a shift down the pit! So, a surreal start and finish to my time in Nicaragua - a great country which I hope is allowed to define its own future. Next is Honduras, read my next blog for more.
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tom byers
non-member comment
great blog on Bluefields
I was in hope you would answer a little more on Bluefields. Such as do 30000-40,000 really live there. If so why don't they spread out in the huge uninhabited territory? Why do they leave the territory empty and pack into bluefields? Who really owns that huge expanse of land? Its too bad you don't have your camera. Plus you don't tell people about rentals with internet and how much they cost. But no travelbloggers seem to cover the rental aspect. I just have to assume rentals don't exist. Thats how Mexico was when I was there.