Well, I made it up Volcano Maderas, which is about 1400 meters high. About 45 minutes into the hike I was sure there was no way I was going to make it, but did not turn around because I was assured that the first two kilometers were the most difficult. It turns out the whole hike, more like climb, proved to be just as difficult as the beginning. Overall the hike took about 8 hours and consisted of rocks, mud, branches, stubbed toes, many stops, and more mud; at times I was on all fours. At the very top we could see little because of the cloud cover, but we then descended to the lagoon which was amazing. It was surrounded by trees and covered with mist. It was mystical as the clouds moved in and out to allow for small glimpses of the entire crater lake. The descent was more difficult than the ascent and by the end I was running to reach our hostel. My calves and thighs are still as sore as ever, and I have yet to clean off all the mud, but overall it was a memorable experience.
The following day, we said goodbye to Cyndi who had been studying in Nicaragua last semester and therefore served as our trusty tour guide. It was sad to see her go, and Hannah and I have been only a little clueless without her. We are learning. After splitting up, Michael, Hannah, Amanda, and I headed to San Juan del Sur where we caught a bus up to Playa Maderas, a gorgeous beach on the Nicaraguan Pacific coast. Upon arriving, we were unsure about fitting into the surfer scene, but we eventually found a hostel on the more secluded part of the beach. We swam in the ocean while watching a beautiful Pacific sunset and ate probably the best dinner since arriving in Nicaragua.
After being awoken by loud howler monkeys, we spent most of the day enjoying the sand, sun, and sea and then headed back to San Juan del Sur . We quickly made ourselves at home at Hostel Esperanza and then went off to explore the small town of San Juan. I bought three whole cantaloupes for 20 cords (about $1) and shared them with Amanda and Hannah as we watched another beautiful sunset.
Very early this morning we bid farewell to Amanda as she headed back up north to Matagalpa. Hannah and I are now slightly more lost, seeing as Amanda is fluent in Spanish. Again, we are learning.
I then went to pick up Hannah's and my laundry from a lady a few blocks away. It is nice to have some clean clothes, and she did a better job folding my t-shirts than I ever have. On the way back to the hostel, I picked up some croissants, which we ate with our last cantaloupe for breakfast. The rest of today has been spent exploring the town. We were touring a hotel much nicer than our hostel and were tempted to jump in the refreshing pool, but only dipped our feet in until we felt like the paying guests noticed our presence. So far living on a budget has been easy--Hannah and I ate lunch for 35 cents today. Bargain. Tonight we may have to splurge for dinner (around $4).
Tomorrow we head back to Costa Rica where everything is slightly more expensive but just as beautiful. Nicaragua has treated us very very well, and we hope to return soon again.
Sending you all some sun.
No comments:
Post a Comment