Nicaragua

 4th March

Leaving the Bay Islands meant we had to get up very early. Breakfast was at 5 and our flight at 7. We had a 23 lempira exit tax to leave the island. It was the F27 to Ceiba, walk along to to the Jetstream and off to Tegucicalpa. It was a short flight through clouds but over mountainous country.

At Tegu we got our bags and got a bus which took us south to the Nicaraguan border. The road was terrible, very potholed, and lots of roadworks. We stopped for a snack stop and got crisps, banana chips etc.

 

The Nicaraguan border was chaotic. Lots of lorries trying to cross in both directions, money changers, forms to be filled in - all the usual chaos. We met our Nicaraguan guide, Walter. Eventually, after George's finest efforts we set off for Leon. 

The road from the border was very good. It was obviously new - maybe built with European money. About 2 we stopped for lunch near Estrila and had rather good hamburgers. Walter told us quite a lot about Nicaraguan history and the story of his family - when he was a boy they were political refugees in the USA - his brother were in danger of being recruited into the Sandanista army.

Shortly afterward we left the good road and headed west towards Leon along a very bad road indeed. The countryside was no longer hilly but mainly flattish with lots and lots of dust. Every so often would be some lonely hamlet. I don't think I would enjoy life there.

Eventually we came to San Jacinto where there are boiling mud springs. There certainly were boiling mud springs but as it had not rained in months they were a bit less than exuberant. There was a strong smell of sulphur. But the most memorable thing about the place were the kids who surrounded us and led us round. They were charming and some of them knew a lot about the place.

HERE are some pictures taken at San Jacinto and from the road. 

Then on to Leon where we found our hotel - an old colonial house -, showered, changed and set off for our dinner. This was wonderful - good service, good food and so cheap. Chris and I had a cocktail each, a couple of beers and a very good main course - it cost us £11 including tip! Despite some minor disagreements between us, it was a good evening.

5th March 

Up early to go to the Cerro Negro volcano. This is 50 minutes from Leon along some very dusty trails. It is still a very active volcano. It first formed in April 1850 and last erupted in 1999 There are some lava flows but mostly it seems to produce ash. The magma seems intermediate with crystals of feldspr and quartz visible. It must also be very viscous. Where there is lava it is Aa. We walked up the slope and then along the ridge encircling one of the caldera. The side of this has been blown out. At the top we could look into the other caldera. Lots of steam and sulphur. Then the highlight - a long scree run down the ash pile which is this volcano about 1500 feet of descent.

HERE are some photos taken on Cerro Negro.

And HERE are some photographs of Leon.

Then back to the hotel for a shower to get the black dust of us - we were filthy! Then a very nice lunch and onto the bus to take us to Granada. Our hotel here was another Colonial house with a lovely central garden. Time for shower and off to our restaurant which once again gave very good food, expertly served and very cheap. The beef in Nicaragua is wonderful.

6th March
Next morning it was a 9 o'clock start. We set off for the Masaya Volcano and drove right up to the edge of the huge Santiago Crater - The Gates of Hell! It is huge and expanding. Car parks fall into it and it occasionally spits rocks - the last time in 200.  It smokes constantly - lots of sulphur and very spectacular. We took lots of photos but it is very difficult to do it justice. We looked at one of the older caldera and then went to the museum which is better than you might expect.

 The huge caldera of the Masaya Volcano. Note the lake next to the town.

The more recently active of the craters of the volcano.

The craters named. Santiago is currently the most active. It is expanding at the expense of the older Nindiri crater.

HERE are some pictures taken at the Masaya craters.

Then down into Masaya town where we went round the craft market and bought more than we intended.
After an hour we drove to  Catarina overlooking the Lagoon de Apoyo where we had a slow lunch but with fine views.

HERE are some photos of the Laguna de Apoyo 

To the ceramic village (San Juan de Oriente) where we saw a local artisan make the most beautiful pots with the most primitive of equipment. So much skill and energy makes wonderful things out of the most unpromising of materials. We bought a wonderful pot for $13. Then home, wander through town, ate at a posh Spanish restaurant with a serenade from guitarist, cocktails at bar and home.

7th March
The next day was a day of rest and recreation. Four of us - Kevin, Jack, Chris and I - with George drove in the bus to the Lagoon de Apoyo and the Norome resort. This was a very upmarket resort on the edge of the lake. There is a swimming pool, sun loungers, bar restaurant all on the edge of the lake and you can sail on catamarans. It was a hot day and it was a pleasure to sit in the shade and write up a large swathe of this diary. The other three went out on one of the cats with an instructor and went round the lake. We had lunch at the resort and returned to Granada in time to do some shopping for, among other things, rum and postcards. 

I found some fairly poor postcards in what was almost a department store. After selecting the cards I took them to an assistant who took my name, entered it on a computer, and worked out the price. She then indicated that I should go to a cashier who took my money and gave me change. I then had to go to another assistant who checked that my receipt had been stamped, and gave me my cards.

We had a communal meal that night which many found unsatisfactory, but I had a very nice one. Then some beers in a bar with a juke box and off to bed.

HERE are some photos of Granada and our Hotel

8th March

On Wednesday 8th March we had a 7:30 start for Lake Nicaragua. Walter missed the bus but caught up with us before we got onto the boat. We toured the islands on the lake for an hour or so and thought that they were great fantasy islands. You could make your dreams concrete on your very own island. 

 The area we looked at on our boat trip on Lake Nicaragua

HERE are some pictures from Lake Nicaragua 

Then off to Costa Rica. The trip to the border was uneventful. The border was the usual chaos, but possibly more ordered than usual. We changed some money and then had to carry our bags across no-mans land to the Costa Rican side. We hired a man with a large box on his tricycle to transport ours to Costa Rican Immigration.