Land of Volcanos

Another low-key border crossing and we were into Nicaragua. It wasn’t long before volcanos started making an appearance on the skyline along with the ever present plastic rubbish on the road sides.

We decided to head somewhere cool for the night so headed for Isla de Ometepe, the twin volcanic island in the middle of the huge Lago Nicaragua.

While waiting for the ferry at San Jorge we meet an Italian restaurant owner who had written a book on his travels by bus from the bottom of South America to Alaska back in the early 80s. He invited us into his diner for a burger and a chat. Seems there are a lot of Italians living in this part of the world.

Then it was on the ferry and across to the island. One of the volcanos is still active so it was good to see it doing its smoking with no cloud hanging around the top as is usual.

There is only one paved road on the island, it covers only about half the main route and the rest is rough rock and sand with the rock being dumped where needed and that’s it. You have to travel over or around it as best you can so vehicle travel self packs it down, all of which made for an interesting off road ride trying to get to our accommodation for the night.

Looking out over the windy lake was like looking out to sea. This lake is so large that you can not see anything on the horizon, only water. A truly massive body of water that flows to the Caribbean coast.

Before the Panama Canal was built this was the area where produce and people were shipped up river from the Caribbean, across the lake, then overland for 20km to ships waiting on the Pacific coast. It was through here that the Americans wanted to put a lock before they took over the failed French project in Panama.

Back on the mainland we motored to the old city of Granada for a couple of days. A grand old city on the lake shore still in its original, undeveloped state. Markets, street stalls and the usual hawkers all added to the atmosphere. We are well used to having a street-side burger and beer in the evening and being accosted by hawkers selling everything from pirate DVDs to hammocks and socks. Kids selling cigarettes is usual but the authorities are at pain to tell tourists not to give them fast food, which they ask for, as they are usually well fed at home, just not with the western fast food which they crave.

A highlight was a visit to the active volcano in Masaya National Park. An interesting place tainted by the history of the civil war where government forces threw prisoners into the volcano. Nearby we walked underground into the volcanic caves where the locals hid from he air forces bombing campaign. As it was evening we witnessed hundreds of fruit and insect bats leaving the caves and heading out for their nightly feed. The high point was being on the crater rim in the dark looking down at the glow from the lava and hearing the explosions coming from within.

Nicaragua being famous for cigars, I had to visit the local cigar makers and try my hand at making a cigar.. Was great fun and an interesting place. Cuba my be famous for their cigars but 95% of their cigar leaf comes from Nicaragua as they grow a bigger plant of better quality. The number of cigars that get exported from Nicaragua to the US, Europe and China is staggering. It was like being on the farm again as the three year old leaf smelt like good quality baleage when it comes out of the plastic wrap. A heady smell.

North on the Pan Am we stopped in the country town of Estelí before heading to Honduras. A real Nicaraguan rural cowboy town and tobacco growing capital. Surrounded in the low hills it was a great place to wind down before the next border crossing.

Nicaragua is a lovely country with lovely people. Like all the Central American countries the war has left its scars but the people are moving on and hoping for a brighter future. North Americans that are finding Panama and Costa Rica too expensive are now moving into the country, buying land for holiday homes etc.

Hopefully the country will benefit.



PS Check out the bus and then the result when the load is not tied down correctly.