Oh hi! We left Granada by chicken bus for five days of village hopping on Isla de Ometepe. We were looking forward to getting away from town life, doing some walks and seeing some wildlife in Nicaragua. This seemed to be the place to do it; rough terrain, minimal signage and trails hard to find...so no change there then! There was only one ATM on the island...perfectly rural.
On the chicken bus journey we met Thu and Mark from San Franscisco, who we shared a taxi ride with, and got our first introduction to Marks bargaining skills - very useful.
Once we were on the ferry we could really appreciate the scale of the lake. It is enormous and looks more like the sea (something we were to repeat over and over again to ourselves, because we just couldn't believe it!) The crossing took an hour, and once we had found a suitable spot outside on deck we had some great views.
The big ferry. We stood on the first floor deck, titanic stylee.
Isla de Ometepe is two volcanoes. Ancient lava flowed between the two volcanoes and created an isthmus, joining the two volcanoes and forming the island, whose name means ' between two hills'. Both volcanoes are circled by roads which connect along the isthmus.
Here was our first view of the active volcano conception from the ferry.
Conception´s last major eruption was in 1957...good to know. It was breathtaking!
Wiji enjoying our shady spot on the boat. Nice to get a breeze, even if it does wreck the hair!
Thu and Mark had also travelled from Granada and planned to spend a similar time exploring Isla de Ometepe. We all decide to share another taxi together, getting us all out of a very long, slow and hot bus journey, and into another taxi were we could chat and make a swift trip together to Merida. The island roads were dirt tracks and full of potholes. We travelled through dotted villages were people live by farming the fertile volcanic soil growing plantains, maize and citrus fruits, amoung other crops, and fishing the lake. It was very rural.
We arrived at Hacienda Merida, where we planned to stay. This was a former Somoza family ranch. In 1937 Anastasio Somoza Garcia overthrew the government and established himself as president, creating a new constitution to give himself more power. Somoza ruled Nicaragua as a notorious dictator for twenty years as president. Through corruption and manipulating others, he amassed huge personal, while the majority of Nicaraguans remained in poverty.
All that remained at Hacienda Merida of the Somoza family was a concrete dock. We got an upper floor wooden cabin overlooking the lake. The building wasn't really completed, with no mosquito nets along the wall of the bathroom and into the bedroom, so this was all open, and nature was noisey and abundant and in our room! LOL. We were really glad of our mosquito net for our bed! We were sharing our bathroom with a large black bee that was forever hopelessly trying to find somewhere to make a nest in the bathroom, and our room was generally in its flight path. We managed to all get on though!
Here is Wiji in the bathroom, with the door closed, but the walls all open plan! 'Oh hi! I'm in the much appreciated cold shower'.
Here is an early morning view from our room, we were right on the lake.
We explored the immediate shore line by the hacienda and came across this beautiful butterfly - the size of my hand - poking its tongue into the wet sand for a drink. It was quite amazing to watch and so very fast and agile in flight.
All over Mexico, Guatemala and now Nicaragua, this beautiful tree lit up the sky with its firey orange/red flowers.
Walking back along the dirt road to the hacienda two little people shouting ' hello photo' came running up to us, there mum was laughing and so were we as we dutifuly took their portraits and showed them their image on the digital camera. This little girl was very excited and had lots of smiles for us!
Her brother was just as enthusiastic, but all of a sudden very serious! He looked at his photograph and gave us a big smile. Mum had to call an end to the photoshoot and they waved us off down the track.
We had a fun meal with Thu and Mark that evening at the hacienda, where we watched in amazement and amusement as our host ushered his chosen guests to the buffet, then rang the bell for the rest of us, at which point everyone ran to line up. It was quite hilarious! Great veggie buffet and fish from the lake. We washed this down with some large bottles of Nicaraguan larger, living up to classic British stereotypes for our American friends!
We also met Richard (from mid west America) who was a retired fire fighting paramedic (wow). He was doing voluntary work in Nicaragua and had been staying at the Hacienda for a week, in which time he had assisted in moving a whole building to improve access. He told us an amusing tale of this and sounded like a very hard working and patient person. He was a bit horrified at how many people had turned up suddenly...the buffet certainly did bring everyone out of the woodwork!
On day two of our stay we hired some bikes and rode to the San Ramon waterfall...but Wiji is going to write about that...
So on day three we had breakfast and caught a chicken bus with our American counterparts Thu and Mark to go to Santo Domingo. We hung around for the bus on the main dirt track in front of some houses watching the world go by peacefully...this was where Mark enthusiastically made the suggestion (allegedly, so he doesn't sue me) that we pick up a coconut and bowl a chicken to see what the locals would do (?!!) LMAO. We did resist!
A short and busy bus trip down the track to the isthmus (the islands waist) that is Santo Domingo we hopped off the bus with Thu and Mark and checked out thier lovely chosen accomodation that wasn't in our guide book, then we decided to have a bit of a walk off down the track to Finca Santo Domingo were Wiji wanted to stay.
It was super hot on the dirt road as we marched on with our backpacks, watched by the locals in their pickup trucks. It was one of thoes times were you know the locals thinks you are nuts, all very cheerful hello's though! We passed lots of grey and sun bleached trees with no leaves left, but some giant citrus fruit that Mark kidded Wiji were melons! LOL.
Finca Santo Domingo had its restaurant bar right on the lake's sandy shore. We immediately decided to chill out here in the breeze, and shortly met up agin with Thu and Mark who checked out our accom and also had a walk along the 'beach'.
The lake was so big it actually had breaking waves.
Local men were out fishing in these boats and women were washing clothes on large stones propped up by drift wood in the lake.
An imposing view of brooding conception that rises 1610 meters above the lake in an almost perfect cone. This man was carrying some green plantains on his horse.
Another large butterfly, this time with beautiful transparent wings.
Piggggggeeeeey on the beach! We watched them come running out of the undergrowth and onto the sand where they proceded to noisily dig away. It was hilarious, Wiji was beside himself and wanted to hug one! (Good job he has had his Rabies jab!) In the background is a classic pose from the very loud and naughty bird that we have seen all across south America.
We are always so keen to spot wildlife and when we first caught a glimps of the cream and blue Urracas, (white throated magpie-jays, yes really.) We hopped we would get a snap of one. They always seemed to know when you were hurrying to get the camera out...and then would hop off just out of sight. However at Finca Santo Domingo two very naughty Urracas dominated the breakfast tables with some divebombing techniques and kept a very beedy eye on our food. We naturally didn't have the camera then! However we did get to witness one of them lift off the china lid of the sugar pot with its beak and then fly off with it!! We thought it was only fare to warn Thu and Mark who also had them as uninvited guests at breakfast then next day!
We arranged to met up with Thu and Mark again at Charco Verde and left them to chill at Finca Santo Domingo as we headed off in a shared minibus across to the southside of the island. There were only three places to stay here, all run by the same family. We opted for Hotel Finca Playa Venecia on a recomendation from New Zealand Hazel who had enjoyed staying there. Fortunately they had a nice cheap room for us that was perfect to relax by on the veranda in some rocking chairs. We were both well into our books!
Oooh yeah, taking it easy gorgeous boy!
Luckily Thu and Mark arrived the next day and motivated us out of our chillaxed state into nipping off to the reserva Charco Verde, just a small stroll down the shore line to some trails through the woods.
From the shore by our hotel we could see volcan Maderas. This is 1394 meters high, and like Conception it can also be climbed. Its a very hot 10- 12 hour trek. We did meet Canadian Scott who was excited to take up the challenge. Madness! Thu saw him after he had done it and he made it. Apparently he had to hold onto tree roots to scale the last section on all fours and descend with a rope. Can't say that Wiji and I were really up for that! ha ha!
Near our hotel and on one of the trails we saw monkeys several times in the mango trees sellecting fruits, eating them and then dropping them out of the trees. They had a good look at us and weren't too bothered. We kept our distance, but could clearly see their faces. Shame the Lonely Planet didn't name them.
Another fantastic seed pod! Of course I had to touch it immediately, thus covering my fingers in small ginger fluffy spines from the velvet interior of the seed pod. It reminded me of the time that Michael dropped one of Gran's cacti and then caught it in his bare hand...but not as painfull!! LOL.
Mmm must touch this! Luckily knowone was home! I wish I could have kept it for a school resource. Whatever.
A beautiful view of Volcan Concepcion whilst on our walk.
Before we took this photo, Mark was accosted by some Nica-Americans who really wanted to take his picture. He was wearing his Indiana Hat then also. Nice touch with the key fob.
Mark and Thu. Mark with his big stick for poking monkeys. (this didn't happen). However he did warn us about the Monohente (the Nicaraguan monkeylike bogeyman!).
Thanks Mark and Thu for your company!
