...I am still in Granada. Let me explain!
After I last wrote, travel-buddy Jenny and I completed a guide-book-museum-tour of Granada. Our choices were the Tres Mundos art school inside La Casa de Los Liones near the main plaza, the museum of history in La Iglesia San Fransisco, La Fortaleza La Polvora, and the chocolate museum. We also spent much time in el parque central drinking tiste and chicha, and on the street behind la Plaza de la Independencia drinking iced sangría, or back in the park with a local cigar after dinner. We enjoyed much street food, and even viewed the sunset and bell-toller in the cathedral La Merced. The city-center is colonial, with tiled rooftops scooping into central courtyards stretching into a view of Volcánes Mombacho y Concepción, as well as the hilltop city Catarina. Jenny was due for a flight Tuesday, so we went back to Playa Gigante with all our purchases. Turns out, since Erin, Alex,and John were leaving soon they were heading back to Granada with our newest addition (Monica) to see some sights. As Eliot and Russell were leaving for the Corn Islands soon, at the prospect of staying at the project alone I decided to return to Granada. And here I am still!
But I haven´t just been sitting here on the internet. My new travel-buddy Monica and I went ziplining in a canopy in the base of Mombacho (at a local´s price, since I had a misunderstanding about what a canopy-tour is and thought that $28 per person was outragous for a walk around some trees). The first time was terrifying, the others were fantastically fun. Then we spent the rest of the night eyeing street vendors, and talking before John left for the airport. In the morning we all had breakfast together, and while the girls went to Masaya for the market-place I rented an all-day bicycle and rode uphill for two hours to the lookout at Catarina. Toward the end I got off to walk twice because the hills became so steep, and stopped between Catarina and San Juan de Oriente for a passionfruit refresco...but I made it! Again, a place I cannot explain. I will tell you I cried at the top from the sense of accomplishment and the mind-blowing view of la Laguna de Apollo, Granada, and the Lago de Nicaragua. I met a few travellers at the top, had a lunch of tostones, fried cheese, salad, and beef stew at the overlook, then coasted at top speed all the way down to Granada along huge red cliffs, Volcán Mombacho, fíncas, and mango trees. When I returned, Monica and I climbed the belltower of Catedral de Granada to watch the sunset and see the bells toll. From there we got macuá coctails and returned to the hostel to talk late into the night with a sweet woman and her daughter.
Today, we kayaked through Las Isletas. They are gorgeous, verdant water-pastures with a small Spanish fort on the outskirts of the Lago de Nicaragua. The guide was helpful and sweet, giving us a taste of a lemon-tasting fruit that grows in the water and pointing out rocks that landed in the trees after an insect created an explosion (?? I swear that´s what he said because I asked several times, but perhaps my Spanish isn´t that good. I told him he was lying and he swore it was the truth!). He talked about how life in Nicaragua is difficult now, because for the past four years things have grown more and more expensive. Four years ago, Nicaraguans could purchase 15 units of rice for the same amount that 10 units costs now; two shirts then cost the same as one shirt now; and he says that he does not ally with any party, Sandinista or no, because he observes that those in politics keep promising a better life, but they never work for it. So the best political alliance is none, only work pays for the costs of life. He was eager to hear about what we did for our Playa Gigante project and wished us the best of luck with continuing it in the future. Like most Nicaraguans, he was very patient with my broken Spanish and good-natured. Afterward, we grabbed pupusas and kebabs for lunch, discussed life and religion for hours, then explored town in time to hear the students playing instruments in the music academy and watch a spray-paint artist perform for a crowd. We found the heart of the market-place and bought more than enough for our dinner for 23 córdobas, about a dollar. At the hostel we feasted on steamed corn, sweet tamales, avocado, and leftover rice (after an appetizer of pan de leche) and prepared coleslaw salad for tomorrow´s dinner.
Where shall we adventure from here? Hasta luego!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Hello all! I write this during a brief siesta at the Hostel Oasis in the heart of Granada.
We just arrived here by chicken bus earlier this afternoon, but before I go on about this gorgeous city of Spanish building fronts and colonial churches I must recount these past couple days....
Adventura Dos began (as all our Nicaragua adventures do) in the bus terminal of Rivas, in the heart of the marketplace encased by ceviche stands, street vendors, and miscellenious tiendas. Jenny (my travelling companion) and I wended our way North through a bus to Managua, a relatively expensive taxi to the terminal, another bus for León, and a long walk with a local in love with Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío to the Catedrál in which the aforementioned prodigy is buried. León is Nicaragua´s second largest city, with the third largest church in Latin America--one built, as a gregarious local explained, on the backs of the indigenous of the area during the Spanish colonial period. These indigenous still live near León, but are divided from the city by a street.
The rest of our night in León consisted of tacos, cheese, ice cream, music in the park, galleries of local art, and a couple mojitos at Big Foot hostel. The mojitos were quality; the hostel was not. All things considered, you can´t win all the time.
The following morning we awoke at 5:15 to walk to Quetzaltrekkers, where we threw all our necessities into backpacking packs (mine was rented), hitched a bus to a point on the highway in front of Volcán Tolica, and hiked 6 hours into the sulfuric dust of the crater. There, we set up camp in the grassy knoll beneath the rock fields. Seeing the crater was one of the most awestriking experiences, one that reminds you that you see very little of what goes on in this Earth--especially when you live in the city as I do. We mounted the hill to the crater three times. First, when we arrived and the volcanic pit poured so much smoke that it was impossible to see in the crater or around ourselves. Second, at sunset we could see two more volcanoes as well as a vista of all the farmland stretching to the sea lit up by the gold dusk. The crater itself was clearer, and the circle of its lip and pool of boiling water inside were visible. Third, after dinner when darkness descended, the night was cloudless. Lava churned bright red, lighting up the bottom of the crater. This, dear friends, is indescribable. Pictures and words do not do it justice. But I felt like I was mere feet from the center of the Earth. Afterwards, we all gathered around the fire to roast marshmallows and talk before retiring.
Our guides woke us early to race to the top of the hill overlooking our campsite. I stumbled over rocks steaming with geothermal heat to the precipice containing a vista of a line of volcanoes on the other side of the crater, and stared directly into the rising sun covered by volcanic dust. Afterwards, with a breakfast of toast, guava jam, and oatmeal raisins, we picked up again and descended through farm-fields of maíz y gandules to the highway. All the way up and down the mountain were campesinos and their horses tending to their fíncas. At the bottom was pits of boiling mud, similar in heat and shape to Yellowstone but without the color. We ate at a fantastic Comedor and caught the bus back to León. From there, we exchanged information and said our goodbyes to our travel companions from Germany and LA, and hopped on the busetas (little busses) to Masaya. The one from Managua to Masaya was so packed that I had to hold dearly to the front seat on which my sitting pad was attached, my knees pressed against locals sitting in front of me and my hands falling asleep from exertion. But no matter, I didn´t have to sit that long.
Masaya was simple to navigate, and with a quesillo (corn tortilla with thin cheese, sauteed onions and chiles, and tons of salt and sour cream) in my hand I was immediately endeared to the city. The hosted in the guidebook was unmanned, so we found our own, and washed ourselves thoroughly (by that point we smelled of sweat, sulfur, mildew, and all other manners of odors we may have picked up on the way). I will tell you now, as that was my first backpacking experience, the first night back you sleep better than you ever have before. Our room was quite dark and had a fan, which made it that much better.
The morning consisted of gallo pinto, plantains, queso frito, and café con leche in the central park, then we ventured to the markets. We spent twenty minutes or so perusing the stalls of the gringo market without purchases. So we left and walked five blocks or so to the more local, more tightly packed market...which was wonderland for me! We bought all our kitsch and presents, then sat for tiste and people watching. Lunch was street food--fried yucca, flour donut, and a rice empanada with cabbage salad--before we had to check out of our hotel and catch the next bus to Granada. And here we are, back at the beginning. There is not much to this adventure in Granada besides free coffee and internet (and reading of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, so good!), but more is to come. Hasta!
We just arrived here by chicken bus earlier this afternoon, but before I go on about this gorgeous city of Spanish building fronts and colonial churches I must recount these past couple days....
Adventura Dos began (as all our Nicaragua adventures do) in the bus terminal of Rivas, in the heart of the marketplace encased by ceviche stands, street vendors, and miscellenious tiendas. Jenny (my travelling companion) and I wended our way North through a bus to Managua, a relatively expensive taxi to the terminal, another bus for León, and a long walk with a local in love with Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío to the Catedrál in which the aforementioned prodigy is buried. León is Nicaragua´s second largest city, with the third largest church in Latin America--one built, as a gregarious local explained, on the backs of the indigenous of the area during the Spanish colonial period. These indigenous still live near León, but are divided from the city by a street.
The rest of our night in León consisted of tacos, cheese, ice cream, music in the park, galleries of local art, and a couple mojitos at Big Foot hostel. The mojitos were quality; the hostel was not. All things considered, you can´t win all the time.
The following morning we awoke at 5:15 to walk to Quetzaltrekkers, where we threw all our necessities into backpacking packs (mine was rented), hitched a bus to a point on the highway in front of Volcán Tolica, and hiked 6 hours into the sulfuric dust of the crater. There, we set up camp in the grassy knoll beneath the rock fields. Seeing the crater was one of the most awestriking experiences, one that reminds you that you see very little of what goes on in this Earth--especially when you live in the city as I do. We mounted the hill to the crater three times. First, when we arrived and the volcanic pit poured so much smoke that it was impossible to see in the crater or around ourselves. Second, at sunset we could see two more volcanoes as well as a vista of all the farmland stretching to the sea lit up by the gold dusk. The crater itself was clearer, and the circle of its lip and pool of boiling water inside were visible. Third, after dinner when darkness descended, the night was cloudless. Lava churned bright red, lighting up the bottom of the crater. This, dear friends, is indescribable. Pictures and words do not do it justice. But I felt like I was mere feet from the center of the Earth. Afterwards, we all gathered around the fire to roast marshmallows and talk before retiring.
Our guides woke us early to race to the top of the hill overlooking our campsite. I stumbled over rocks steaming with geothermal heat to the precipice containing a vista of a line of volcanoes on the other side of the crater, and stared directly into the rising sun covered by volcanic dust. Afterwards, with a breakfast of toast, guava jam, and oatmeal raisins, we picked up again and descended through farm-fields of maíz y gandules to the highway. All the way up and down the mountain were campesinos and their horses tending to their fíncas. At the bottom was pits of boiling mud, similar in heat and shape to Yellowstone but without the color. We ate at a fantastic Comedor and caught the bus back to León. From there, we exchanged information and said our goodbyes to our travel companions from Germany and LA, and hopped on the busetas (little busses) to Masaya. The one from Managua to Masaya was so packed that I had to hold dearly to the front seat on which my sitting pad was attached, my knees pressed against locals sitting in front of me and my hands falling asleep from exertion. But no matter, I didn´t have to sit that long.
Masaya was simple to navigate, and with a quesillo (corn tortilla with thin cheese, sauteed onions and chiles, and tons of salt and sour cream) in my hand I was immediately endeared to the city. The hosted in the guidebook was unmanned, so we found our own, and washed ourselves thoroughly (by that point we smelled of sweat, sulfur, mildew, and all other manners of odors we may have picked up on the way). I will tell you now, as that was my first backpacking experience, the first night back you sleep better than you ever have before. Our room was quite dark and had a fan, which made it that much better.
The morning consisted of gallo pinto, plantains, queso frito, and café con leche in the central park, then we ventured to the markets. We spent twenty minutes or so perusing the stalls of the gringo market without purchases. So we left and walked five blocks or so to the more local, more tightly packed market...which was wonderland for me! We bought all our kitsch and presents, then sat for tiste and people watching. Lunch was street food--fried yucca, flour donut, and a rice empanada with cabbage salad--before we had to check out of our hotel and catch the next bus to Granada. And here we are, back at the beginning. There is not much to this adventure in Granada besides free coffee and internet (and reading of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, so good!), but more is to come. Hasta!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Las días de nuestros vidas...
Since I last wrote, our little garden had two community work days! A group of about five Playa Gigante residents came over to see the property, bring home materials for composting at home, and help plant some tamarind and citrus trees on the plot. Otherwise, things on the finca have slowed down quite a bit. Our companion John is still working hard on creating the foundation of his community center, waking up before sunrise to get out and dig out the plot. When he finishes leveling the land the plan is to lay out old tires and fill them with dirt to serve as a sturdy base for a building. For the rest of the garden, the rain is quite plentiful at this time of the year (it's winter here), so no effort needed just yet. In the meantime, our padre de Nicaragua Ruffino took us on an expedition through the jungle behind our homestead to a remote beach. On top of the Pie de Gigante, surrounded by saguaro-like cacti, jungle vines, and butterflies our group could clearly see all the way to Punta Arenas, Costa Rica. From there, Ruffino took us down a creek that leads to an enclave West of the surfing beaches. There, the boys scraped concha snails from the rocks and speared crabs with Ruffino while Jenny and I watched and searched for rocks and shells. When he tired of prying shells with his machete, Ruffino stood on the rock furthest into the sea, in just galoshes and jean shorts, to fish with a kite string and crab legs. He pulled three wonderful, toothy, leopard-spotted and black fish from the water, the last one causing him to loose his balance and drop his watch. When we could not locate it, he let it go with a laugh, remarking that life is more important than any item. Later that day, mi madre de Nicaragua Maria helped me toast and shell cacao seeds, which I ground in a hand-crank and added to homemade chocolate pudding for the family (Maria's favorite!).
The next day, Jenny helped me learn a bit more about past tense in Spanish, and for dinner Russell cooked up a huge batch of pancakes. The family usually doesn't sit at the table with us while we eat our meals, so it was an incredibly special meal. The pancakes took a while to cook (especially since we were flipping them with a spoon), but that gave us a long time to joke with the family about how much John eats or Eliot marrying Ruffino when he tried on his ring. Even though most of the time there is a language barrier between us and the family, we barely felt it that night. We all went to bed remarking on how it was one of the best days we've had at our little homestead by the jungle.
And then today (it's been so long since the last post because electricity was out from here to Rivas for a day...apparently there are two Nicaraguan electricity companies--del Norte y del Sur...thankfully we have solar :P) I awoke at 5:30am to ride our road bike down the path (more like the rocks, puddles, and creeks) to Hotel Brio to help make breakfast with the chef, Isolina. Of course, it was a bit early for the Brio crowd, so we spent most of our time eating her pork tamale (handmade by her mother) and my oatmeal (from a bag), drinking coffee, talking about life, and listening to Mexican music videos. Past that, it was just another day in the life...cooking with Maria, reading, making jewelry out of shells and rocks, then a lovely meal at el Pie de Gigante of bruscetta and hummus...then internet, as a good gringa. Lovely place, lovely people, lovely pastimes; there is nothing bad to say about our Playa Gigante but the mosquito bites which consistently ring my ankles.
The next day, Jenny helped me learn a bit more about past tense in Spanish, and for dinner Russell cooked up a huge batch of pancakes. The family usually doesn't sit at the table with us while we eat our meals, so it was an incredibly special meal. The pancakes took a while to cook (especially since we were flipping them with a spoon), but that gave us a long time to joke with the family about how much John eats or Eliot marrying Ruffino when he tried on his ring. Even though most of the time there is a language barrier between us and the family, we barely felt it that night. We all went to bed remarking on how it was one of the best days we've had at our little homestead by the jungle.
And then today (it's been so long since the last post because electricity was out from here to Rivas for a day...apparently there are two Nicaraguan electricity companies--del Norte y del Sur...thankfully we have solar :P) I awoke at 5:30am to ride our road bike down the path (more like the rocks, puddles, and creeks) to Hotel Brio to help make breakfast with the chef, Isolina. Of course, it was a bit early for the Brio crowd, so we spent most of our time eating her pork tamale (handmade by her mother) and my oatmeal (from a bag), drinking coffee, talking about life, and listening to Mexican music videos. Past that, it was just another day in the life...cooking with Maria, reading, making jewelry out of shells and rocks, then a lovely meal at el Pie de Gigante of bruscetta and hummus...then internet, as a good gringa. Lovely place, lovely people, lovely pastimes; there is nothing bad to say about our Playa Gigante but the mosquito bites which consistently ring my ankles.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
The things you do in Ometepe
Climb volcanoes, drink fantastic coffee, eat amazing Italian food, ride bikes, and swim in a lake as warm as a bathtub.
Isla Ometepe is one of those places which I would put on my top ten must-see lists. It is gorgeous, two volcanoes like a postcard of Mt. Fuji (without the bullet train), sweet and helpful people, fantastic food growing in Volcanic soil. Except for the bus system, there was nothing to dislike about Ometepe.
What made it fantastic was the company. Jenny and Heather from my group who accompanied me, of course, but also the people we met in the hostels Finca Magdelena and Finca Ecologica Zopilote. Magdelena was all about the coffee, while Zopilote was-- get this--a huge version of our little Playa Gigante project. It's run by an Italian man named Christiano who makes the best homemade bread, condiments, jewelry, flavored liquors, and pizza. We got to sit down and pick his brain on multiple occasions...plus he was just a kick to talk to! Got a lot of Spanish practice in while I was there. Also, when we went back to Rivas, I had a ball running around the outdoor market striking up conversations in Spanish about Ometepe with the vendors, getting nessesities for the campsite, and buying street food like sweet tamales, ceviche, tamarind refrescos, pupusas, and plantain chips. I love love love Nicaragua.
Isla Ometepe is one of those places which I would put on my top ten must-see lists. It is gorgeous, two volcanoes like a postcard of Mt. Fuji (without the bullet train), sweet and helpful people, fantastic food growing in Volcanic soil. Except for the bus system, there was nothing to dislike about Ometepe.
What made it fantastic was the company. Jenny and Heather from my group who accompanied me, of course, but also the people we met in the hostels Finca Magdelena and Finca Ecologica Zopilote. Magdelena was all about the coffee, while Zopilote was-- get this--a huge version of our little Playa Gigante project. It's run by an Italian man named Christiano who makes the best homemade bread, condiments, jewelry, flavored liquors, and pizza. We got to sit down and pick his brain on multiple occasions...plus he was just a kick to talk to! Got a lot of Spanish practice in while I was there. Also, when we went back to Rivas, I had a ball running around the outdoor market striking up conversations in Spanish about Ometepe with the vendors, getting nessesities for the campsite, and buying street food like sweet tamales, ceviche, tamarind refrescos, pupusas, and plantain chips. I love love love Nicaragua.
Friday, July 2, 2010
gettin 'er done
We finished the pathways to the garden today! This is a big deal since that means tomorrow we plant. And some time from now, delicious vegetables will ensue! Trust me, I will post pictures up as soon as I have them. For now, I am using a borrowed computer.
Otherwise, just cooking and making friends. My Nicaraguan mother Maria teaches me how to make the most amazing food. Today we had a feast of conch ceviche, spiced pork, snail rice, fried sweet plantains, bread, and strawberry kool-aid. We also made a friend with the woman who works in the kitchen at a local hotel, and she's teaching me a lot of Spanish vocabulary. We'll be coming to help her in the kitchen. She's also part of a minor-league baseball team, which we'll be playing with! They certainly love their baseball here. In all, besides all the mosquito bites, all is fantastic. Hasta!
Otherwise, just cooking and making friends. My Nicaraguan mother Maria teaches me how to make the most amazing food. Today we had a feast of conch ceviche, spiced pork, snail rice, fried sweet plantains, bread, and strawberry kool-aid. We also made a friend with the woman who works in the kitchen at a local hotel, and she's teaching me a lot of Spanish vocabulary. We'll be coming to help her in the kitchen. She's also part of a minor-league baseball team, which we'll be playing with! They certainly love their baseball here. In all, besides all the mosquito bites, all is fantastic. Hasta!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)