Thought Id post a couple more photos before we leave the beautiful Isla del Maize!!
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Thursday, March 3, 2011
A couple more from Corn Island
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Isla de Ometepe-Granada-Big Corn Island
Hola Amigos! I am truly sorry for the lack of updates (especially sorry to my Mom), We have just been trying to soak up as much as we possibly can, and sitting inside an internet cafe is just not appealing when there is so much to see and do and so much beauty everywhere!!
We left San Juan del Sur with love in our hearts for that place. It is truly a beautiful spot with great people and so many things to see and do close by. We decided to go to Isla de Ometepe, an island formed by two volcanoes in the biggest lake in Central America Lago de Nicaragua. We took a bus to San Jorge where we ate some delicious spaghetti and got on the one hour ferry to Moyogalpa. The boat was a little rough but wasn´t too long so everyone was fine. We got a shared taxi for 5 bucks each and drove an hour to a fairytale place called Little Morgans. It is owned by this fabulous Irishman and the whole place looks like something out of Lord of the Rings. It has these quirky wooden treehouse dorms with a Mirador in the top. The views of the volcanoes are amazing! It is right on the lake and we just relaxed and watched movies and drank lots of beers (about 6L per day). We walked to the swimming hole which was so picturesque and beautiful. It is a natural spring in the middle of the island where theyve made two concrete pools. The water is so cool which is forgiving on an island as hot as Ometepe. It was very quiet there and we ended up staying a day longer than planned because it was such a contagious vibe and very hard to leave. We were treated like kings and queens and ate like them too. They run you a tab and you pay at the end so everything is laid back and the food was to die for. IT ended up costing us 20 bucks each a day which is 10bucks under our budget, and we didnt hold back at all. Beer is as cheap as water! We went and had pizza at the hostel next to ours which was about a half hour walk. It was alright but I really dont like the nicaraguan cheese, it is very sour tasting. We didnt do much the last day, just relaxed and let the waves put us to sleep. The next morning we go back on the ferry, then on a bus to Granada.
Granada is a beautiful spanish colonial city with BEAUTIFUL old buildings that seem to never end. They all have lush green courtyards and the restruants are just perfect. We ended up at the Bearded Monkey hostel which was great. We stayed in the dorms, which were busy since there was a poetry festival in the Parque Central. There was a huge market set up and Philip and I bartered all day for 4 dollars fake raybans and bracelets while the girls got hair braids. Greg bought a great Nicaraguan shirt for 7 bucks. We went out for dinner to this great place with the best Pork beefsteak EVER. We shared a bottle of rum and went out to the club that night. It was such a good time we stayed until th lights came on chatting with the bartender from our hostel who had so kindly accompanied us to the club. We woke up pretty hungover and went to the Museo de Chocolate for a chocolate brunch buffet. We have been travelling with 2 fabulous Swededs and they LOVE FOOD. I cannot explain in words how much they love to eat. It is awesome. We went back to the hostel for happy hour and gathered an entourage and went back to Nuesto Mundo for dinner and drinks. We were all exhausted from the day so we went to bed pretty early.
We decided to come to the Corn Islands with Philip and Julia. It wasnt on our original itinerary, but we are on vacation afterall! We took a bus to Managua the capital of Nicaragua where we saw a tranny on a bike and a 200lb pig roasting on a spit on the sidewalk. Strange. I didnt actually mind the place despite what everyone said about it being very dangerous. We got an awesome taxi driver who got us to the bus station literally as the bus was pulling away and we got on the bus for the 6 hour journey to El Rama. El Rama was a dirty seedy place that I definetley did not like. Everyone stares at you and you dont feel safe even in your room. We for cheap rooms for 3 bucks each. It was pretty good but we didnt realize is was right beside the municipal dock so we didnt get much sleep, since its a port town and there are boats coming and going all hours of the night. We got up early for the 2 hour panga down the Rio Escondido. The Panga was a blast! Greg sat in the back and got pretty soaked, but it was fun. We arrived in Bluefields at around noon. It is right on the delta of where the river meets the Caribbean. It was a shitty place with no real restaurants and just street food with flies all over it. We got another 3 dollar room and a had a little nap since I was getting bitchy from the lack of sleep and heat (and being in a place with no food, where everyone stares at you and tells you to give them money or buy them food). Greg went grocery shopping with everyone, since we heard the islands were expensive to buy food and it would be better to bring some supplies with us. When I woke up we went to find something to eat and decided to go to the busiest place we could find. It had to be good right? Wrong. Greg ended up with...*drum roll, please* FOOD POISONING! (You knew it Linzy.) I dont know what it is but he always get sick when we travel. ALWAYS. He didnt get much sleep and we had to wake up early for our 5.5 hour ferry to Big Corn Island. He was pretty hurting on the boat. I felt so bad but there was nothing I could do. The first hour or so was great fun being in the open Caribbean with huge waves washing over the boat, but the novelty soon wore off and I became the most seasick person besides one other German girl. Everyone around me was puking too and assholes were smoking on the deck right in front of us and laughing about it. I didnt know if I was going to make it. Luckily I had a Doctor beside me on the boat (We had already seen him perform acupuncture on a fellow whose jaw locked). Someone yelled Land Ho! and it was probably the most relieving point in my life thus far (too bad it still took an hour and a half to get there). As soon as I stepped off the dock I felt a million times better. We were in absolute PARADISE. I learned they actually filmed the first Pirates of the Caribbean here. It is so beauitiful the whole island is surrounded by reef , but the beaches are ABSOLUTELY COVERED WITH PLASTIC. Everywhere, bottles, shoes, toothbrushed, lighters, SO MUCH GARBAGE. We stayed the first night in a 6 dollar per person room which was actually really great, right on the beach close to town. We got up early the next morning and flagged down a cab driver. His name was Daniel and he showed us around and took us to a house for rent. It was $350 for the week between the 5 of us. $10 bucks each a day, and has 2 bedrooms a bathroom and a beautiful kitchen. The island is very small, only about 12km around, and everyone is very friendly and they all speak so jamaican-like. We have been cooking up Red Snapper and chicken for dinner and feasting and drinking too much. We havent been doing much really, just snorkelling and walking and exploring the island. We went out to Reggae Palace the other night for drinks and danced the night away. Life is so easy and cheap here, and the people are so just so friendly. We have been here 5 days now and after I finish this post, Greg and I will go book our flights home for Thursday morning. The Swedes are staying another week but we are a little eager to get back to the Pacific, since the weather is so unpredictable here and there has probably been more rain than sunshine. But we are still getting out snorkelling and swimming almost everyday. Greg came down with a pretty bad heatstroke (we think?) the other night so yesterday we stayed inside and napped the day away, and I played with the puppy of our homeowners. We went out for expensive delicious pizza last night and drank a few beers. When we got hoime Greg went to bed but the roomies were having a party of their own and I couldnt help but dance in my underwear with all of them until the wee hours of the morning. We will go to Leon on Thursday morning for some volcano boarding, and delicious food and nightlife, then off to the pacific beaches of Poneloya and Las Penitas for surfing on the weekend. Then we will go back to Managua for the DJ Tiesto show next Tuesday night. I will try and keep updating as often as I can, but tell our Mothers not too worry we are safe, and having the best time ever!! Love, Angie
P.S. I really miss my dog, and lasagna, Mcdonalds double cheeseburgers, My Kid Cudi album and the new KOL album <3
P.P.S. WE SAW A DOLPHIN ON THE BOAT!
I have enjoyed the discovery channel things of isla de ometepe the most. it has been amazing to to volcanoes and I will have to come back to conquer thier summits one day. the heat gets to me and i realize i love the cold because it makes me a more active person. thanks for the leatherman knife mom i have used it everyday. we will have underwater photos to share when we get home but I forgot the cord to hook my camera to the computer so everyone has to wait to see my pictures but enjoy some of angies and think about coming back here with us next time. i miss everyone at home like i miss the snowy slopes but only 2 more months and i´ll be able to get back to work again. Feeling retired, Greg.
Isla de Ometepe
Our bed
Little Morgans, the dorm and the mirador
Where Pripri, Philip and Julia slept, just across from our bed.
diabetes anyone?
Crab crossing, please yeild.
My favorite snorkelling spot.
Juanita and her brother and friends. My mermaid.
Cooking a feast. Chicken cacciatore!
All the lighters we found on the beach in a 10 minute walk.
Greg having a siesta.
We left San Juan del Sur with love in our hearts for that place. It is truly a beautiful spot with great people and so many things to see and do close by. We decided to go to Isla de Ometepe, an island formed by two volcanoes in the biggest lake in Central America Lago de Nicaragua. We took a bus to San Jorge where we ate some delicious spaghetti and got on the one hour ferry to Moyogalpa. The boat was a little rough but wasn´t too long so everyone was fine. We got a shared taxi for 5 bucks each and drove an hour to a fairytale place called Little Morgans. It is owned by this fabulous Irishman and the whole place looks like something out of Lord of the Rings. It has these quirky wooden treehouse dorms with a Mirador in the top. The views of the volcanoes are amazing! It is right on the lake and we just relaxed and watched movies and drank lots of beers (about 6L per day). We walked to the swimming hole which was so picturesque and beautiful. It is a natural spring in the middle of the island where theyve made two concrete pools. The water is so cool which is forgiving on an island as hot as Ometepe. It was very quiet there and we ended up staying a day longer than planned because it was such a contagious vibe and very hard to leave. We were treated like kings and queens and ate like them too. They run you a tab and you pay at the end so everything is laid back and the food was to die for. IT ended up costing us 20 bucks each a day which is 10bucks under our budget, and we didnt hold back at all. Beer is as cheap as water! We went and had pizza at the hostel next to ours which was about a half hour walk. It was alright but I really dont like the nicaraguan cheese, it is very sour tasting. We didnt do much the last day, just relaxed and let the waves put us to sleep. The next morning we go back on the ferry, then on a bus to Granada.
Granada is a beautiful spanish colonial city with BEAUTIFUL old buildings that seem to never end. They all have lush green courtyards and the restruants are just perfect. We ended up at the Bearded Monkey hostel which was great. We stayed in the dorms, which were busy since there was a poetry festival in the Parque Central. There was a huge market set up and Philip and I bartered all day for 4 dollars fake raybans and bracelets while the girls got hair braids. Greg bought a great Nicaraguan shirt for 7 bucks. We went out for dinner to this great place with the best Pork beefsteak EVER. We shared a bottle of rum and went out to the club that night. It was such a good time we stayed until th lights came on chatting with the bartender from our hostel who had so kindly accompanied us to the club. We woke up pretty hungover and went to the Museo de Chocolate for a chocolate brunch buffet. We have been travelling with 2 fabulous Swededs and they LOVE FOOD. I cannot explain in words how much they love to eat. It is awesome. We went back to the hostel for happy hour and gathered an entourage and went back to Nuesto Mundo for dinner and drinks. We were all exhausted from the day so we went to bed pretty early.
We decided to come to the Corn Islands with Philip and Julia. It wasnt on our original itinerary, but we are on vacation afterall! We took a bus to Managua the capital of Nicaragua where we saw a tranny on a bike and a 200lb pig roasting on a spit on the sidewalk. Strange. I didnt actually mind the place despite what everyone said about it being very dangerous. We got an awesome taxi driver who got us to the bus station literally as the bus was pulling away and we got on the bus for the 6 hour journey to El Rama. El Rama was a dirty seedy place that I definetley did not like. Everyone stares at you and you dont feel safe even in your room. We for cheap rooms for 3 bucks each. It was pretty good but we didnt realize is was right beside the municipal dock so we didnt get much sleep, since its a port town and there are boats coming and going all hours of the night. We got up early for the 2 hour panga down the Rio Escondido. The Panga was a blast! Greg sat in the back and got pretty soaked, but it was fun. We arrived in Bluefields at around noon. It is right on the delta of where the river meets the Caribbean. It was a shitty place with no real restaurants and just street food with flies all over it. We got another 3 dollar room and a had a little nap since I was getting bitchy from the lack of sleep and heat (and being in a place with no food, where everyone stares at you and tells you to give them money or buy them food). Greg went grocery shopping with everyone, since we heard the islands were expensive to buy food and it would be better to bring some supplies with us. When I woke up we went to find something to eat and decided to go to the busiest place we could find. It had to be good right? Wrong. Greg ended up with...*drum roll, please* FOOD POISONING! (You knew it Linzy.) I dont know what it is but he always get sick when we travel. ALWAYS. He didnt get much sleep and we had to wake up early for our 5.5 hour ferry to Big Corn Island. He was pretty hurting on the boat. I felt so bad but there was nothing I could do. The first hour or so was great fun being in the open Caribbean with huge waves washing over the boat, but the novelty soon wore off and I became the most seasick person besides one other German girl. Everyone around me was puking too and assholes were smoking on the deck right in front of us and laughing about it. I didnt know if I was going to make it. Luckily I had a Doctor beside me on the boat (We had already seen him perform acupuncture on a fellow whose jaw locked). Someone yelled Land Ho! and it was probably the most relieving point in my life thus far (too bad it still took an hour and a half to get there). As soon as I stepped off the dock I felt a million times better. We were in absolute PARADISE. I learned they actually filmed the first Pirates of the Caribbean here. It is so beauitiful the whole island is surrounded by reef , but the beaches are ABSOLUTELY COVERED WITH PLASTIC. Everywhere, bottles, shoes, toothbrushed, lighters, SO MUCH GARBAGE. We stayed the first night in a 6 dollar per person room which was actually really great, right on the beach close to town. We got up early the next morning and flagged down a cab driver. His name was Daniel and he showed us around and took us to a house for rent. It was $350 for the week between the 5 of us. $10 bucks each a day, and has 2 bedrooms a bathroom and a beautiful kitchen. The island is very small, only about 12km around, and everyone is very friendly and they all speak so jamaican-like. We have been cooking up Red Snapper and chicken for dinner and feasting and drinking too much. We havent been doing much really, just snorkelling and walking and exploring the island. We went out to Reggae Palace the other night for drinks and danced the night away. Life is so easy and cheap here, and the people are so just so friendly. We have been here 5 days now and after I finish this post, Greg and I will go book our flights home for Thursday morning. The Swedes are staying another week but we are a little eager to get back to the Pacific, since the weather is so unpredictable here and there has probably been more rain than sunshine. But we are still getting out snorkelling and swimming almost everyday. Greg came down with a pretty bad heatstroke (we think?) the other night so yesterday we stayed inside and napped the day away, and I played with the puppy of our homeowners. We went out for expensive delicious pizza last night and drank a few beers. When we got hoime Greg went to bed but the roomies were having a party of their own and I couldnt help but dance in my underwear with all of them until the wee hours of the morning. We will go to Leon on Thursday morning for some volcano boarding, and delicious food and nightlife, then off to the pacific beaches of Poneloya and Las Penitas for surfing on the weekend. Then we will go back to Managua for the DJ Tiesto show next Tuesday night. I will try and keep updating as often as I can, but tell our Mothers not too worry we are safe, and having the best time ever!! Love, Angie
P.S. I really miss my dog, and lasagna, Mcdonalds double cheeseburgers, My Kid Cudi album and the new KOL album <3
P.P.S. WE SAW A DOLPHIN ON THE BOAT!
I have enjoyed the discovery channel things of isla de ometepe the most. it has been amazing to to volcanoes and I will have to come back to conquer thier summits one day. the heat gets to me and i realize i love the cold because it makes me a more active person. thanks for the leatherman knife mom i have used it everyday. we will have underwater photos to share when we get home but I forgot the cord to hook my camera to the computer so everyone has to wait to see my pictures but enjoy some of angies and think about coming back here with us next time. i miss everyone at home like i miss the snowy slopes but only 2 more months and i´ll be able to get back to work again. Feeling retired, Greg.
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