Day 11 - Rincon Vieja

Although there was plenty of time to trek amongst the surrounding scenery we chose to 'chill out' around the pool.  From the stories related by the rest of the group it was probably the best choice in the sultry heat.

Laurie updates the website

Kairen cools off in the pool

beer!

Ganes, Hilary and Peter check out this website

Happy hour!

The wind had blown up very strong during the night and we had a very restless night, concerned that at some point the roof was going to come off!

The next morning the hotel was showing the effects of the wind which was still quite strong (and hot)

electric cables down
(bad smell of burning rubber!)

Nicaragua

Crossing the border into Nicaragua this
morning a short drive brings us to pretty Rivas a small town close to San Jorge,the departure point for ferries to Ometepe Island.

 We find a bar

handy cycle shop

Ometepe is made up of two volcanoes connected by an isthmus, indeed its name comes from the Nahuati language and means ‘two hills’. The perfect cone of Concepción volcano soars from the depths of Lake Nicaragua to 1610m, only just dwarfing the neighbouring Maderas volcano at 1394m.

unloading for the ferry

the wind is still blowing and the water spraying over us

it's going to be a rough crossing on a heavily laden ferry

Kairen puts on a brave face

We all have a go at Titanic

map of Ometepe

Our scheduled hotel is full so we have to take an alternative at Moyo Galpa where the ferry lands at Omotepe .  It looks OK from outside

...but the rooms are grim, full of bugs and that window is onto the main street

the shower is interesting

Laurie resorts to rum

The morning finds us weary from benefiting from an all-night karaoke party that took place opposite our room.

Daniel Ortega was successful in the recent elections, much to the annoyance of the USA

local chemist

sign at the ferry terminal

ladies washing clothes in the lake (it's fresh water)

we find a friendly taxi driver to take us to the hotel we should be in.

the volcano's looking good today

Charco Verde is where we should be and it's paradise

Rosie and Kairen check out the restaurant

cows bathing in the lake

hey we've booked a room !

The forests echo with the sounds of howler monkeys and parrots and the canopy hides sloths and hawks amongst its lush foliage.

We make friends with Corky the puppy

'now this looks more like it....'

fishermen on the beach

The beach is black volcanic ash

collecting fresh water for the local villages

sunset from our room

rum and coke on the veranda