Ometepe, Nicaragua
So on entering Nicaragua we had to pay 7$, some sort of an entry tax or something. It was a rather long walk across a bridge, and they really didn’t have things signed well, so we basically followed the flow of people. They had a huge line, and people kept cutting in at the very front. But we didn’t really have to be anywhere, so… anyway. After getting out of immigration, we were looking for a bus to Rivas, Nicaragua. One bus (the big, expensive international buses) quoted us 5$. I thought, nah… so we were looking for a chicken bus to ride, when we were beset by taxi drivers. They tend to throng in certain places like piranha. Anyway, we were off to find a bus and they kept telling us this bus didn’t go there, that one stopped all over the place, etc. I knew they were lying, but I also knew that the best way to bargain a cheap taxi fare was to let them know I really didn’t care whether I rode a bus or a taxi.
So I asked the price, they quoted me 15$. I smiled and went back to bus-hunting. They chased me down and said 12$. I looked very serious for a moment, and said “ten”. They looked at each other, and one agreed. The buses were awfully rickety, and while I would have enjoyed the ride, it would have taken a long time and we’d been traveling solid for 2 days. So we took the taxi since I figure that was a fair price. Although I probably could have gotten it for 8$. Still.
We found a market that had that papaya I showed in the last post. It was spread over a dozen blocks, arranged by type - food, clothes, etc; it was a great fun. I bought all sorts of street food. A tortilla with mozzarella type-cheese, filled with sauerkraut and topped with sour cream and chili sauce. It was actually quite good! Called a “quesilla”.
I then walked around looking for tannin, since a friend wanted me to bring some home. I spent about an hour looking for it, and only got blank stares. So no luck there. Used internet for a few hours at 60 cents an hour, instead of the 2-3$ I’d been paying in Costa Rica, which was quite cool. Meals were 1.50$ or so, and I bought this gigantic tub of soup for 1.75$. I mean, it was like 50 ounces. It was huge. And delicious. I love their soups here. Anyway, after wandering around for a few hours enjoying soaking up some real latin american culture after being in Costa Rica’s antiseptic environment, we caught a boat for Ometepe.
Ometepe is a textbook-perfect volcano. Actually, pair of volcanoes. That rise from the middle of the gigantic lake Nicaragua. One of the only (if not the only?) lakes in the world that has sharks in it. Interesting story about that, when they were discovered the pro-evolution scientists used them as a proof of evolution, that these sharks had evolved to live in fresh water over millions of years. Then finally someone thought to actually tag the sharks in question they discovered that these sharks actually migrated up to this lake from the ocean through the river, which is quite a feat. This was rather embarassing after having been used as a proof of evolution, so they stopped using that example 
Apparently, sharks can actually live in fresh water environments without millions of years to adapt. Of course, because of fishing and pollution they are not very common anymore. Anyway, back to the volcanoes themselves, they are quite beautiful, and lava flows formed an isthmus between them forming a single island.
I really liked Ometepe. Granted, things were a bit higher there, but not much. And it was very laidback, they grow a good portion of their own food on the island, the people were really nice, and things were all well cared-for.
In fact, we were both struck by how much happier Nicas were than Ticos (Nicaraguans vs Costa Ricans). They were more cheerful, they were feeding the seagulls off the boat, and were much more open and friendly and unhurried than their wealthier neighbors to the south. I guess wealth brings with it responsibility. And when it brings too much responsibility, and sucks all the fun out of life, maybe it isn’t wealth at all?
We chose the Hacienda Merida, on the southern volcano, to spend the night, since it said it had an all-you-can-eat buffet and served brown rice, whole wheat bread, and things like that. That is all we eat, so we had been quite bread-starved going through Central America thus far. But we got to the dock at around 5:30, and found that this hotel was clear around the island, which was much bigger than I had thought.
So we walked into a place that said “free tourist information”, (knowing that nothing is ever free) and said we wanted to go to this hotel. He said no, all the buses had already left and a taxi would be like 30$. Then he said “Oh, wait a minute!” and ran outside, and came back in yelling “the owner is here, he is here! And he will take you to his hotel!”.
This remarkable good fortune was at first looked at with skepticism by myself, having been burned before. But it was true, he was, and he refused to accept any money for carrying us there. So an hour and a half later, we got to the hotel. Starving (I’m glad it was All-You-Can-Eat!).
So we had the buffet, which at 5.75$ each was quite expensive for here, but it was all you can eat and it was healthy. So even I, a reknowned cheapskate, didn’t mind paying it. I opted out of breakfast the next morning, at 4$, since I didn’t see anything I really wanted to try.
Things at this hotel are rather expensive if you stay for one day, but if you stay longer it gets cheaper. For example: Kayaks are 4$ an hour. They are 15$ for your entire stay. Same price for bicycles. Etc. It’s a little skewed, but I still rented a kayak and we paddled out to monkey island. They had a sign up which said “stay away from monkey island. They are agressive!” - Like I listen to signs like that!
It was about a 15-minute kayak trip in our two-person kayak. Two small islands nearby to one another, I wasn’t sure which was which, but we decided to circle both. Took a few pictures of birds en route, but it wasn’t until we got around to the other side of the second island that we saw the monkeys. Aren’t they cute?
Then we got closer, so we could get some GOOD pictures. Then they got angry.
So here Crystal is, this monkey like 5 feet from us, trying to fend off the monkey with a paddle, while I snap pictures of it. And she’s screaming “this monkey’s going to eat me and all you can do is take pictures???” - I of course reminded her of how great this would look on our blog, and that if the monkey ate her it would be a great Youtube entry. Imagine the hits!
She didn’t think that was nearly as funny as I did. So we paddled to a safe distance, and then back home. Some other tourists were contracting with a taxi to go back to town, at 30$ for the group of 7, so we shared the costs and caught a ride back, then caught a boat to Rivas. It was quite a rough ride, and I managed to amuse myself and the other hundred-odd passengers by adding another video to my collection…
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Posted on February 13th, 2009 by Natnee and filed under Nicaragua |
February 16th, 2009 at 3:24 am
I am enjoying the running monologue Nathaniel. Juggling on the boat was interesting. Take care and get home soon.
Paul