Nicaragua

Steenderen - Nederland

Yep, got back yesterday in one piece in cold and wet Holland! The flight was not that bad, but somehow i can not sleep very well in an airplane.

There will be no Nicaraguan fireworks in Steenderen. I got searched in Nicaragua and they found all my fire-crackers. To prevent searching I put my dirty laundry on top in my backpack, but they got to the bottom anyway.
14.34

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Next to the licqour i bought myself another book for the last cordoba's. Since i had a lot off smoke the past day's; The Smoke Jumper - Nicholas Evans

- Vincent email homepage
- Wednesday 01-Jan-2003 12.42

Leon - Nicaragua

Let's do nothing today! That should not be to difficult.

Then again I still have to confirm my flight, otherwise i will be here for longer then expected. I tried to confirm in Matagalpa, but somehow they wanted to return the call at a phone I was calling from. I was there, but they never returned the call.

At the hostel they never got through to Iberia in Managua in two day's, so i went to the Enitel office in Leon. They do however not have phones there. Then just go to a public phone and throw in some coins. O well they do have an opening for coins, but you can only call using a phonecard (progress...). And where do you buy them ? No, wrong! Not at the Enitel office, but just at the 'farmacia' around the corner. The smallest they have is c$50. That is a bit to much for just one call, but i do not know how long it will take.

Within 5 seconds I get connected, and within half a minute everything is arranged and i have to be at 10 in the morning at the aeroport. (takes c$5 from my Enitel Feliz Navidad phone card, another souvenir.)

This means I can make it from Leon easily. Just takes two hours by bus and they go as off 5 am... No i will take a later one, since they go every half hour.

So this means i am ready to go home on Saturday.

Takes a long time, hanging around at aeroports and i will arrive at 11:15 on Sunday at Schiphol aeroport.

Can somebody bring a warm jacket ?
17.04

Leon - Nicaragua

All Leonese are lying at the beach today (probably will go there tomorrow). They do not have a second christmas day as we have.

Just bought a doll (40cm high) for the kid (Marcella)of the hostel. Grandma, ma and she are running the place, since dad died a few years ago. And what the heck, it is Christmas.

Not doing anything else today. Maybe do dome practice shooting this evening.
14.23

Leon - Nicaragua

Absolutely fabulous ! Do not expect anything and you will get the best. Went out for some dinner and ended up at an italian pizza place, with a german girl and a swiss couple. Leon is packed with people after 8 o'clock. The plaza and the church are also packed with people. At 12 at night the fireworks really start, but only for about 15 minutes. Not to much to see, but a lot of noise! Wonder if my fire-crackers make the same noise, probably not.

Could not have planned it any better. Looks like a 'kermis', they even have a stand where you can shoot toy-soldiers. The country has a history of battle...
14.03

Leon - Nicaragua - hot+

Thinking of home again.

Things I am looking forward to :
- two nieces, 4 and 6 years
- licorice
- a shave with HOT water
- no more itchy mosquito bites
- no more currency conversions (although i sometimes still translate the euro to guilders)

Things I am going to miss :
- travelling
- having no schedule
- meeting up with new people everyday
- nice weather

12.06

Leon - Nicaragua - hot+

Casa Ivana had no more places, not even when i wanted to stay in a hammock. Then a city at night is no fun, because it is difficult to orientate. I am staying now in 'Hostel Clinica'; clean, good baños, nice beds and no noisy neigbours. It's better then the places i stayed the last few day's, but that is not that difficult...

It is close to where the fiesta is this evening, close to the cathedral. I do not have any Christmas feeling, so i think i will be fine.
12.00

Matagalpa - Nicaragua

Today head for Leon. Only two buses leave from Matagalpa with destination Leon. One at 6 in the morning (no thank you, to early) and one a 3 in the afternoon (no thank you, to late). Since i do not like both i take the afternoon one, meaning i arrive in the dark (about 3 hours drive) in Leon.

Hope Casa Ivana has room, because that is where i am heading as Christmas destination.
13.15

Matagalpa - Nicaragua

Returning to my bunk in 'Hospedaje Descanso' i realize that my walkman has gone. Did i take it with me and did someone take it from my daypack? No. I left it next to my pillow. So, this means someone was in my 'room' and took the walkman while i was out.

I quickly check what else is missing. Luckily nothing else is missing. It gives a strange feeling, but it could have been worse (passport, tickets, some cash money and my resque-money, everything is still there). Am i getting careless after 8 weeks of travel? It must have been someone from the hospedaje. I even lock the door when i go to the baño. They did not come in to clean the room ...
13.07

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Fist your bible, now your walkman.... hum.. you're getting to relaxed. I remember that feeling when we lost our bible of Peru in Puno. We felt too much at home, just like in Amsterdam.
But the advantage is that the adventure finally begins. Have a nice Christmas!!

- Eef email
- Tuesday 24-Dec-2002 09.21

Matagalpa - Nicaragua

Got back late from 'Selva Negra', so i went in for a quick bite. A hamburgeusa is alway's something save to eat. The restaurant keeper seems to know holland, since there seems to be some linkup between a Dutch city called Tilburg with Matagalpa. Also Wuppertal - Germany has a link with Matagalpa, the garbage-bins throughout the city are donated by Wuppertal.

Once i was finised my food, a kid walked in and asked for c$1 for her and her brother. The restaurant keeper scared them away, propably not the first time they walked in. Then again; it is almost Christmas. So I decide to buy them both a taco. The restaurant-keeper agrees. Somewhat surprised the kids start smiling and call some others. In the end there are six. This means 3 'orden' of taco's so they each have one. For just Euro 2 you can get smiley-faces from six kids.

.

At least this is going straight to their stomach. The money probably would have endup with a daddy; drinking rum or smoking cigarettes.
11.59

Matagalpa - Nicaragua

Yesterday went to 'Selva Negra'. However, i got up too late and i ended up at a pool table playing some nicaraguaan pool (almost the same as honduran). Therefore i took the bus too late and when i finally got there it started drizzling. I did not walk through the 'Schwarzwald'.

The bus to Selva Negra was easy, but how to get back? The bus to Jinotega from Matagalpa went every half hour. But i do not know if the bus the other way around has the same schedule. It is still drizzling. Even before i thought of hitching a truck stopped and i hopped on in the back to Matagalpa. He did not accept the money i offered him for giving me a ride.
11.44

Matagalpa - Nicaragua

That was a bit off a rough night. I did not go to bed that late, but so did my neighbours. They started banging and they made more sound then my walkman can. Also the metal door from the baño opposite my bunk is making to much noise. Decided to take a beer in the bar. How come this place is called 'Descanso'?

What ever happens you will be awake at about 6 o'clock (sunrises at 5:30 and people get active). I stayed in bed for some hours and wanted some breakfast. Well, they do have a menu in this place but you can not get anything. All the stores are open (so i am fine), even if it is sunday. Wonder what christmas will be like ?

The shower consists of pooring water over yourself. And finally i have forgotten my shampoo somewhere, so the hemp-soap from the body shop (in a tin can) brings the solution.

Next to this the house next door is trying to smoke me out of my bunk. At least this keeps the mosquitos away... On Isla Ometepe I slept in the smoke of the dock-fire voluntarily, so why complain now.
11.55

Matagalpa - Nicaragua

Tomorrow take the bus to Jinotega and hop off at the military tank. After a 1.5km walk there should be the entrance of 'Selva Negra', Schwartzwald. This will probably be the last wandering about i will do in Nicaragua. Final destination is Leon, although i noticed that i fly out off Nicaragua Dec 28 at 12:25. This might mean i have to stay one night in Managua, i will have to sort this out.
14.45

Matagalpa - Nicaragua

Yesterday, i wanted to go to the concert of 'The Loners', close to my 'hospedaje'. After dinner i decided to listen to some music and i fell a sleep. Waking up to late, i did not go to the gratis concert.

Got up at the normal time to start my trip to Matagalpa. I am not sure what the best way is, but i will find my way. On my way to busstation i pass a 'collectivo'-stand. Since i have to get to Managua in any case, i take the collectivo, which is stopping less then the chicken-bus. I agree on paying c$10. Almost there i have to pay c$20, since my backpack is also taking up space for one person. I tell him he should have told me, and negotiate down to c$15 with my 'muy poco español'.

In Managua i could walk to the bus-station, but i have no map of Managua (did not make a copy since i am not going to stay here). So i do not know where i am and do not know where to go. This is the moment where taxi's come in handy. Immediately once the 'collectivo' stops several taxi's are closeby and i hop on to a taxi. I am glad i did not decie to go walking, because it seems to me the bus-station for Matagalpa is on the other end of Managua then where i stopped.

The 'chicken-bus' to Matagalpa only cost c$20. You get a 'boleta' for the amount you pay. I thought it would be a nice souvenir, but at the end i had to return the ticket to the same guy who gave it to me (Enron ?).

Along the way several salesmen and -women hop on and off the bus and try to sell you water, chicken with tortilla's, gaseosa's, apples, etc. They work there way through the already packed bus. Several people (including me) are standing in the walkway.

I found a bunk in 'Hospedaje descansco'. Again i am the only one. I wonder where all the other tourist have gone. On the streets i do not see any, like in Masaya.
14.36

Masaya - Nicaragua

The local market at the busstation is nothing really special. It could easily have been in any place on the world. Everthing is sold here; christmas decoration, chickens (dead or alive), soap, toy's, pineapple, bicycle-parts, meat (including pig's head), bubble gum, socks.

For the quiz i run the third prize is going to be a small 'gaudy' nicaraguan painting. Maybe one more price, for someone who gives the funniest answers ...

11.06

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Walked to 'El Fortillo Coyotepe' close to Masaya. You have to pay an entrance-fee off c$5, but i wonder what they do with it. Graffiti all over the place. The fortress was last used in the 1979 revolution.

Now it is just a nice place to have some panoramic views of the region.

- vincent
- Sunday 22-Dec-2002 12.53

Masaya - Nicaragua

The fiesta at Mercado Viejo (Jueves de Verbana) was of course in Christmas style. The folkdancing still had the nicaraguan style dresses and music. At the end all the christmas figures showed up : Jozef, Maria, Three kings, angels end so on. This gave a nice ending to the evening to the approx. 1000 people joining the 'fiesta'.
10.59

Masaya - Nicaragua

It is just 45 minutes to Masaya, but it looks like a different world. I found a place to stay at 'Hospedaje Masayita' for c$50 per night, totally different than the Bearded Monkey in Granada. I am the only one staying there for the moment. The bearded monkey was 'packed' with other backpackers.

Then again Masaya still has some 110.000 people living there. The bus station is close to the market, but i had to look for a sleeping place first. This evening visit the 'fiesta' at Mercado Viejo.

I only found 'Hospedaje Masayita' because Maria saw a desperate traveller looking at a map. I some how mixed two plaza's up and ended up in an area where no hostels/hospedajes are present. Just before flagging down a taxi, Maria came up and showed me the way and we chatted about the normal things when two strangers meet: Where are you from, Where are you going and What is your name ? (I will spare you the spanish version of this)
14.14

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I would not recommend this place to anyone, the shabbiest place i have been in two months. The only 'pre' it has is that you can come in late and just knock on the door, so you can visit the 'fiesta'

- vincent
- Friday 20-Dec-2002 12.17

Granada - Nicaragua

Since I have been dancing yesterday i decided my second price for the quiz is going to be some dance music from Nicaragua. Just met a ´copy-cat´ and bought a CD with some music.
14.44

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Disse keer was't iets deens, moar dat telt toch ok as dansen ?

- vincent
- Thursday 19-Dec-2002 15.20

Dansen ? Dan had iej vast te völle gezoapen, of niet ? Of kent ze in Nigaraguaa ok de poo-loo-nea-ze ?

- Maurice
- Thursday 19-Dec-2002 07.23

Granada - Nicaragua

Today noticed that i no longer was in the possesion of my bible (Lonely Planet for Central Amerika). Probably i left it somewhere yesterday or would somebody have needed it?

Just week and a half to go so i will be fine without it. Decided to make some copies of the places i plan to go to the coming time : Masaya, Matagalpa/esteli, Leon and finally Managua (will not stay there).
14.41

Granada - Nicaragua

Yesterday went to the bank as well and got some 'monopoly-money' as a souvenir since i am collecting paper money from all the countries i travel. I now have biljet's from 1, 5 and 25 centavos. 25 centavos is a quarter of 1 cordoba. You can pay with this money.

11.14

Granada - Nicaragua

I am running a quiz with folks back home (in dutch) while i travel. It has got questions like, What is 'Gallo Pinto con Huevos' ?´ (I try to avoid this local food as much as possible, since i have aten enough of it already)

Yesterday i decided to make a bottle of 'Flor de Caña' from Nicaragua one of the prices. It will be the 7 year old ron. Please do not mix it up with something like Coca Cola (Nica Libre) or anything else. It is to good and smooth to mix it up with anything.

10.36

Granada - Nicaragua

Next to just wandering about town, i also send my christmas cards. I think they are going to be late though; it will take between 8 and 10 day's to get to Europe. And since it is christmas time, mine will not be the only ones sent.

I wondered why the fireworks where here. Last week they had a festival, which normally is accompanied with fireworks. This is just a remainder, but it seems that all year round fireworks go off. On a street market I just bought myself some home-made fire-crackers. They have the chinese stuf as well, but of course i want the real nicaraguan ones. They used La Prensa to make this.

I will be home between christmas and new year... Somehow I do not feel like Christmas, temperature here is like hot+. I think i will spend Christmas in Leon. Just checked with another traveller (by e-mail) if Leon is nice place to celebrate Christmas. Luckily Nicaragua does not have a lot off Christmas decorations up yet, as Costa Rica had too much, too 'gaudy'.
08.33

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The nicaraguan version of LaPrensa can be found on http://www.laprensa.com.ni

- Vincent
- Tuesday 17-Dec-2002 12.01

Granada - Nicaragua

Today just wander about town and get my blogging up to date.

14.57

Granada - Nicaragua

Yesterday I arrived in Granada after some bussing and boating from Isla Ometepe. The bus from Hacienda Maderas left at 7:30 to Moyogalpa, took two and a half hour and cost c$12, the boat from Moyogalpa to San Jorge took about an hour and cost c$15. The bus from San Jorge to Rivas took 5 minutes and cost c$3. From Rivas the bus to Granada was split in two sections with a change of bus at Nandiema and took about an hour and a half; cost c$10 to Nandiema and c$4 to the final destination for today Granada.

Found a bunk-bed for the night in Granada at 'The bearded monkey'.

Just send an email to Hanwag about the test location for their shoes. Curious about their reaction.
14.50

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if you want to see what the bearded monkey is all about, just go to http://www.thebeardedmonkey.com

- Vincent
- Tuesday 17-Dec-2002 11.10

Granada - Nicaragua

The other days i stayed on the island i did not do much, next to 'hammocking'.

I realized that my right boot is in the 'cambodia'-mood again. This means i will have to fix it locally at a zapateria. I will also send hanwag an e-mail with two test locations (Angkor Wat - Cambodia and Volcano Maderas - Nicaragua) for their boots ...

The boat-ride to the sun-set was nice. One day i hired a mountain-bike to get to the entrance of the park with the San Ramon waterfall. I started late (listening to my music i forgot about time) so I was a bit in a hurry. I even wonder if they let me to hike up to the waterfall. After paying 20 cordobas (with no change from 100 i had to buy a 'gaseosa' at a local 'tienda') i almost ran up to the waterfall, but had to be careful because the rocks are slippery.

Going down from the fall it started to get dark and it began to rain. Lucky i brought my costa rican umbrella. Although it was raining still butterflies and frogs could be spotted. Back at the entrance the sun had set and it was dark. Meaning i have a bit of a problem, since the mountain bike has no light neither are there street lights on the rocky-road. Carefully i try to find my way back and when i have to climb or go down i just get off, since i do not want to fall.

I get back in time to get in the queue for the buffet-style dinner.
14.33

Granada - Nicaragua

Next day we go climb the maderas volcano. It is dorment for lots of years now, but you never know ...

We decide to go up on the maderas route and go back the same way. The route to finca Magdalena requires the reservation of a truck-trip back to Merida and we did not arrange this. The Magdalena-route seems to be the easy way.

We get up early cause the trip up and down takes 7 to 8 hours. It is quite a climb, since we start of at sea-level and endup at around 1400 meters. The walk starts on a dirt road, but soon we walk alongside coffee-plants and start climbing.

The climb leads us through cloud-forest and at about 1100 meters we are working our way below/on/between the branches and roots of the trees which grow in this cloud forest. The views are not good, since there are clouds around. Still it is better then yesterday, when it seemed to have been raining.

Everybody has his-her own pace, so we split up in two small groups. The first one (with the local guide) stopping every now and then, otherwise we would soon be lost. The path is not really clearly marked, but that is not a problem with a local guide.

Reaching the top (1384m) we peak through the treetops, but there is no view because of the clouds. We descend to the crater-lake, still working our way through the branches and roots. Now we also endup in the mud and after some time we reach a part where we have to 'rappel' down for a few meters. We get hooked up to a rope and descend about 20 meters. After a few minutes we reach the crater lake, but we are not lucky. Clouds are blocking the view at the lake. Since the wind is blowing we quickly eat our packed lunches and head back. The wind makes the wet-to-the-thread clothes cold. It is not a problem once you start walking again.

The walk back is more difficult then i thought, because now we slip and slide more then the way we got here. Finally my Hanwag's get wet inside, probably cause water and mud are entering from above into my shoes. On the way down, the sun finally got rid of some clouds and we have some nice views of the istmus between both volcanoes (Isla de Ometepe consists of Volcano Concepcion and Volcano Maderas).

On the way down, we also see a coral snake (10cm). After seeing a congo-monkey close by. Our guide takes his machete and kills the snake. Later on we here that researchers come here to study this species. The guide told a story where one snake killed a hole family, because it's venom was still running through an animal the family ate.

Just before dark we reach the hacienda again and have a closer look at our clothes. The hike/climb up was hard and we are dirty and wet allover from the mud we struggled through. But nothing a cold shower (or actually two cold showers), a lavanderia and one or two beers can't make disappear.
14.18

Granada - Nicaragua

Waking up was not that easy. Today time for some kayaking to 'monkey island'. The sun is burning, so i will probably get some sunburn. On the nearby islands a few monkey's are present; spider monkeys and congo monkey's. Do not get to close, because they are quite aggresive. The monkey's used to be pets from locals on the island, but have been placed there. They are probably aggressive since they can not go anywhere. They would probably not survive in the wild anyway. The hacienda-keeper every now and then feeds them.

13.50

Granada - Nicaragua

Hacienda Merida started off with a few people today, but by now there are about 40. Not a problem, since there is a lot to do. In the evening it only takes an ex-peruvian (now US) guy, a dutch guy (me), a guy from Uruguay to start a nice fire at the dock. Add an israelian guy with a guitar and two giggling spanish girls and you will have the feeling the night could never stop.

On the dock the real star-gazing starts after the moon has set at about the same place the sun did hours ago. Since there are no lights around, you can see the stars perfectly. Orion is always easy to find with it 's three stars in the belt and three stars in the dagger.
I started counting falling stars, but lost track. Some are just small ones, but I have seen several big stripes in the sky.
At 3 o'clock i decide to go to my bunk. Maybe sleep on the dock tomorrow.
13.44

Granada - Nicaragua

On to Nicaragua and try to cross the border. Take the bus to Penas Blancas, which only has a few tourist, but lots of locals. They are getting on and of the bus, along the way.

Reaching the border, the hussling begins. Moneychangers want your last colones and change them in what ever you want. I decide to first get my stamp out of Costa Rica. This seems to cost 200 colones, so i was right not directly change. Then get rid of my colones and try to get some Nicaraguan cordobas. On the internet i checked the official rate (14.5), so i should get something close to it. After asking around 14.3 seems to be the rate everybody can get. But changing US$20 means you would get 286 cordobas. After giving my money the guy says he has no coins, so i end up with 280, which gives a rate of 14. Bad luck this time but it is only US$20.

Walking to the Nicaraguan side of the border is a bit strange, several buildings are there and you do not really know which one to take. After asking around we end up in the right queue. We have to pay US$9 to get in to Nicaragua. I have heard this is changing every day.

Then try to get to Rivas and on to Finca Magdalena Isla Ometepe. I met up with a US couple and we decided to take a taxi, straight to the ferry. We arrived in time to get on to the one o´clock ´lancha´.

On the island lots of people want to bring you to all places on the island, but no one is going to Finca Magdalena. So i decide to get in a ´taxi´ to Hacienda Merida with a swedish girl and an ex-peruvian guy. The taxi should be faster then the bus, but the road is really bad and the taxi is even worse. It brakes down several times, almost runs out off petrol and smoke is coming from everywhere. The driver is cursing the road, but i think it would not have mattered if it was any better.

Finally we reach our destination and we get settled in a ´to be build-dormitory´.
08.17