It begins with us on Tuesday morning, saying goodbyes and loading into the Explorer with a couple bags and Julia's parents. One of the workers was heading into Managua to buy stuff so we got a free ride to the bus station for a straight shot down to Granada. The parents were also looking for some adventure, so they joined us for the first 2 nights in this colonial touristy town that is always a delight. We rode a chicken bus, crammed into a taxi, and found a decent hotel close to the action. Everything went smooth as we strolled the central park, ate food, and checked out shops.
Later that afternoon, we did the customary horse carriage ride around the city before taking advantage of the cheap happy hours and outside dinning options. After some gelato, we returned to the hotel for pinochle in which Julia tried to get me to cheat in order to beat her parents. She is very competitive.
Wednesday, we awoke with a list of things to do and amazingly did them all. Free typical breakfast at the hotel was followed by a short walk toward the lake. The previous night, we had looked at booking a boat tour of the islands through an agency, but the prices were too high. Instead we figured we could find a guy on the street, which ended up working really well. After about 2 blocks, a guy with a horse carriage walked up to us and we agreed on $30 for transport both ways and a customized 90 minute boat tour for the 4 of us.
Faithful readers may remember that last time we were here with Megan and Brock, we did a kayak tour of the islands. Well the boat tour was a lot easier and more relaxing. We saw the monkeys again and got a better look at some of the fancy houses. Ninety minutes was the perfect amount of time and we were back at the hotel by noon. This is important because also on the agenda for the day was meeting up with Angela for lunch as she was rolling through town on a visa run to Costa Rica. Again, all was smooth as we joined up and ate at one of the kiosks in the parque central. I had Vigorón (mashed yucca topped with coleslaw and pork rinds) and others had fajitas and fruit drinks. Anytime you eat outside in Granada, you will be hounded by venders and beggars. One man was selling pottery and Mama Smetana asked if he had a certain design. He plopped his large bag of bowls down on our table and said he would be back in 5 minutes. When he returned with the requested pieces, the table was now covered in pottery and the negotiating began. As this is unfolding, other sellers circled around us, either waiting to get a crack at this apparently high-rolling group of gringos, or just curious what was going on. In the end, fine items were bought for discount prices.
Later that afternoon, we walked to a small cigar manufacturer in town for a peak at the process. Four men and women sat at desks with headphones on, grabbing tobacco leaves and rolling them into a shape that is easy to smoke. It was fun to watch and they were very informative and kind. We took pictures and purchased variety packs.
Next stop was Iglesia de La Merced, an old church with a bell tower you can climb for a small fee. We didn't get a chance to climb this last visit and it was high on my list. The views over Granada are amazing, especially with the central cathedral rising up and the lake in the background. While at the top, a man walked up and gave everyone a brief warning to cover their ears. He grabbed 2 large ropes and tugged with all of his might. The bells rang loudly. Afterwards we laughed.
That night, more happy hour drinks with breakdancers for entertainment and los padres (the parents) treated us to what will probably be our last big feast for a while. Tasty onion rings, a steak sandwich, cajun chicken alfredo, and boneless chicken wings. Angela made it back from the border just in time to help us leave no food behind, and we all retired to the hotel.
Thursday could be considered the actual start of our 2nd big backpacking adventure. We ate one final free breakfast together and hugged goodbyes as the parents and Angela made their way back to Gran Pacifica. Julia and I took our time getting things in order before the 11am checkout. Our destination was Isla de Ometepe and this is how we got there:
30 minute walk to the bus station. Hopped on bus and got the last seat in the back. Bus was packed with more gringos than any other bus we have been on all trip (other than Cuba). We arrive in Rivas after 1.5 hrs and men are climbing in the window trying to get people to ride in their cabs. The story they say is that the next bus to the San Jorge ferry dock isn't until 3pm and the next boat to Ometepe leaves at 1:30pm. We halfway believe them but being the last ones off he bus, are unable to find another couple to split a cab with. One man quietly says to me that the bus we want picks up across the street and will be here shortly. This is what we had thought and we walked away from the chaos. After a few seconds on the side of the road, a bus rounds the corner with San Jorge written on the front. We smile and laugh. Instead of paying 100 Cordobas ($3.66) for a cab, we roll to the ferry for 14 Cordobas ($.51) and better yet are the only gringos on it. Not bad for a couple of kids just getting back on the road.
We board the first boat we see and it takes off 5 minutes after we sit down (about 2pm). Not 100% sure at this point where it is going but there are other travelers on it and the possible destinations are limited based on boat size and strength. One and a half hrs later we arrive on the island formed by 2 volcanoes. It is quite visually stunning. If you looked down from above it would look like a mishapen old school barbell. After disembarking, we follow the other travelers and get on a bus that was going somewhere. It drops us at an intersection where another bus is eager to grab our bags. We ride on that bus for a while with our maps out, trying to determine the best place to exit. We had pinpointed 3 potential hostals and got out at a point we thought was close to our destination. We were wrong. Our guidebook maps aren't always accurate and this was one of those times we paid the price. After walking for about 5 minutes in the heat, we realized that the next hostal may not be for another mile or 2. A little embarrassed that we got off the bus way too early, we laughed and tried not to get frustrated. We were just saying how our travel had been seemless all day. I guess our first real day shouldn't be too easy.
After about an hour of walking, we stumbled upon a hostal that was a little too pricey. We walked more. The next one was cheap but we thought we could do better. The 3rd was 300 meters off the road and up a hill; a 4 hectacre banana farm with a large garden, hammocks, and volcano views. With the effort we had put in, we hesitantly paid the high $33 per night price and dropped our bags. As night fell, we grabbed headlamps for the dark, walked back to the road and found a burrito place for supper.
That first night it rained heavily, but in the morning the skies were basically clear and sunny. Friday was a relaxing day with me suffering from a cold and sinus issues. We found a cheap place for lunch on the water and proceeded to swim in the lake water. The eastern side of Ometepe, between the volcanoes, is a long wide black sandy beach. The water is warm and free of garbage. It is very shallow and smooth, with amazing views back up toward Volcán Concepcíon. That night we ate at a place called Comedor Los Cocos and enjoyed some good jalapeño beef and crispy tacos. That about sums up Friday.
Saturday, we decided we couldn't afford to stay any longer at the nice hostal and switched to one just down on the main road for $17 a night. We had hopes of biking to a waterfall, but the skies were dark and cloudy, and rain fell most of the morning. By noon it had cleared slightly and we ventured up the beach about an hour to the next little grouping of lodgings and restaurants. Rain began to fall as we entered the village and we quickly found a place to eat with an easy to remember name, Comedor Julia's. The food was decent and cheap but the important part was it had a roof and windows that kept us dry. A thunderstorm rolled through and it rained sideways for over 30 minutes. At this point we cancelled plans of walking further to a natural pool area and made the walk back home as the rain dissipated. For supper, we returned to Los Cocos where we played with a puppy and Julia had some of the best grilled pork she has had all trip. It was seriously good, especially in the jalapeño sauce.
Sunday (today), we set the alarm so we could get up and check the skies and make decisions. It was clear and sunny so it was time to see more of the island. We rented bicycles across the street for $3.66 a day and made our way to the southwestern shores for Casacda San Ramon (waterfall), on the south side of Volcán Maderas (the shorter of the 2). The paved road quickly ended and the last 12 kilometers were over rough roads and through small villages. We reached the settlement of San Ramon after about an hour and paid the entry fee. With our tired quads, now all we had to do was hike over 3 kilometers uphill to see the 40 meter high falling stream of water. This was a tough slog. We haven't been very active lately and it showed. We also didn't eat very much and near the end felt a little light headed and nauseous. We would also like to point out that there is no way that the hike is only 3 kms as they say. It has to be around 4+.
In pain, we finally reached the top in just over 90 minutes. Rain began to fall lightly but it was mixed in with the mist from the giant falls. Then we heard the loud crack of thunder reverberate through the canyon and it began to pour. We threw on our rain jackets and stood there for a minute eating cookies, watching others undress and walk into the water. This actually seemed like a good idea since we were already drenched. So we dropped our coats and bag and strolled in. Not needing to take shoes or shirts off, we walked right under the heavy flow that nearly pushed us down. The pool at the bottom was surprising shallow and not that cold. We took turns taking pictures with a couple from Scotland that didn't have a waterproof camera. They told us their email address and we promised to send them on. It was jolly good fun.
After a few minutes, we threw the coats back on and made our way back down, carefully navigating the slippery rocks and the stream that had now doubled in size. Feeling a bit reenergized, we reached the bottom in good weather and prepared ourselves mentally for another rough 13 km ride. After a short stretch we found a local house with a comedor sign, and we stopped for lunch. The menu was hand written on notebook paper, little kids took our order, chickens and puppies ran around us, and a 5 yr old girl sat with us at our table and drew squares or outlined circles. At one point she went and brought her Barbie doll to the table, seemingly setting it down in front of me. Julia asked what doll's name was and the girl said "Barbie". Julia smiled and nodded.
A little later, 2 men walking down the road paused near our bikes and one of them walked in and talked to the owners. The man then walked out and made his way toward us. He introduced himself and sat down. In these situations, we normally use the "no hablo mucho español" line, hoping to avoid a long awkward conversation or sales pitch. It didn't really work, the man kept saying things about the island and asking questions. I always get protective in these moments and had two theories; he was either distracting us while his friend tried to steal our bikes, or he wanted us to buy them lunch. Though we aren't certain exactly what he said, pretty sure he asked if they could eat with us. We politely said "no" and luckily our food came out at that moment, so he said goodbye and walked out to talk with his friend, before coming back in to chat with the proprietor again. It was raining hard at this point and the man's friend had now run away from our bikes and into the woods for shelter. We relaxed a bit and happily ate our food, paid, and hopped on our bikes as the rain still fell.
The ride home was tougher, as standing water and slick roads made us a little more cautious. The downhill portions were scary with wet brakes and we gripped our handlebars tightly and hoped we didn't crash hard. We finally made it back to our casa close to 5pm and immediately went to the beach to swim in our muddy clothes and wash them in the lake like a local. We now have wet clothes strewn about our room in hopes they dry somewhat before we pack them up tomorrow morning. We also hope we will be able to walk after thoroughly testing our muscles limits.
Monday (tomorrow), we will make our way to the touristy beach town of San Juan del Sur. We don't surf so this will be a short stop. Hopefully the weather is a little better. In a few days we will cross over into Costa Rica and try to see how much we can do there on a backpacker budget.
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