Well, it may not always be that idyllic, but it can get pretty close.
Actually, I don't often like to spend a lot of time in beach towns, but once in awhile, it sure is relaxing.
I've covered a bit of ground since the last posting.
Granada - an old Colonial City (5 days)
Pretty touristy, but this town kind of grew on me after a couple days. Good restaurants, nice Colonial Architecture especially in the warm light of the setting sun.
Did a short bike ride to the beach area, but it's really too hot to do anything too active
We had a nice hotel with a swimming pool to cool off in the steaming hot afternoons
Apoyo Laguna - a huge Crater Lake (3 days)
A relaxing 2 days, doing some swimming is a huge lake in the middle of a volcano. Clean and cool. One day we did a 6am kayak trip along the shores of the lake to see the wildlife, birds, and monkeys. The echoes of hundreds of Howlers Monkeys off the jungle walls as the sun rose above the Crater Rim was pretty amazing.
Cold beers at happy hour, played some chess, and relaxed with lots of hammock time.
I said goodbye to Francois, as he flies back to Cancun and then Quebec to cool off in the -20c temps. It was great to have a travel companion for 3 weeks. We shared similar traveling styles, and it's seldom I've found someone close to my age to travel with. The only thing I hated is that he always beat me at chess.
Ometepe - a amazing island formed by two volcanoes rising from Lake Nicaragua (4 days)
Wow!! This is a pretty special place. Stunning views of the 2 volcanoes with their 'cloud hats' rising out of the lake.
The journey here involved a chicken bus, a taxi, a chicken boat(ferry), and another rural chicken bus on the island to get to my hotel.
But it was well worth it. The hostel-hotel was pretty basic, but what a stunning location. The views from the waterfront bar-restaurant looked right at the largest volcano, only a couple km away. The swimming in the lake was nice to cool off after sweating up the jungle trail to a viewpoint about half way up one of the volcanoes. I did not opt for the trip to the summit, which would have been about 12 hours, 5000' elevation gain, and 30c of baking sun.
I also did a relaxed guided day trips which toured the island in a new Air Conditioned Van. Now that's comfort compared with sweating it out on the rural school buses in the steaming heat.
San Juan del Sur - the premier Surfing Town in Nicaragua (5 days)
After a bit of searching, I found a really nice hotel right on the beach.
My favorite activity was sitting in the wicker rocking chairs of the front porch, watching the sunset on the sun, and enjoying 'happy hour' with other travelers. It's basically way to hot to do anything active. I thought of renting a bike, but that's as far as it went.
Rode in the back of a truck on wooden benches to a remote beach to spend the day. It was baking hot and I manage to find a shade tree, but still needed lots of sunblock. Fun watching the Surfers, and playing in the crashing waves
Lots of diving Pelicans, Vultures circling, and large Frigate Birds. Next time I'll bring my mini-binoculars for birdwatching.
Shared stories with lots of other long term travelers in this beach town.
Typical Prices in Nicaragua or Guatemala
1. Basic hotel, private single room with bath - $15
2. Cold beer - 75c
3. 30 minute shared taxi ride(collectivo) - $2
4. 4 hour chicken bus ride - $1.50
5. 8 hours on a Pullman bus(like a Greyhound), only run between major cities - $25
San Jose, Costa Rica - Border Crossings and taxi rides from hell
Arrived yesterday afternoon, after 8 hours on a Tica Bus(large and comfy), and 2 hours of chaos crossing the border.
Actually, the border crossing didn't really bother me this time. I think I just getting used to it. The border crossing was slow and chaotic, but not too insane. I think I'm almost getting used to these disorganized borders now. This time, I had my "fake onward ticket" printed out, which the Costa Rica customs did ask for. The Nicaraguan side was a bit bizarre, as we had to give our passports to the ticket guy on the bus, who takes them all to the Customs office, we then stand outside and wait for an hour. The Customs guy come back with the stack of 60 passports, and reads out each name to the crowd and handing each passport back. They never know how to pronounce my non-Latino name, so when they look puzzled I put my hand up, and say 'Aqui(here)'. It seems to work, but not sure how many people get the wrong passport back. I'm sure it happens. The key to border crossing is to make sure you get an exit stamp, and an entrance stamp at each side, and keep your cool.
In San Jose, I immediately got lost leaving the bus station, and slowly came to the realization that the Lonely Planet Map was totally wrong. I talked with a really helpful woman at a roadside cafe, who spoke really good English and pointed me in the right direction. I grabbed a taxi, and quickly realized the driver was totally incompetent. He was about 60, and kept trying to use his Mobile phone to dial the number of the hotel I had entered for him, which he had no success with, he kept putting his reading glasses on and off, all while swerving in and out of rush hour traffic at ballistic speeds. After I realized he could not read a map, could not use a phone, and had no idea where my hotel was, I finally got to what I thought was the right district and just jumped out. I payed him, as he still kept trying to make his phone work. Fortunately I asked directions on the street and found my hotel only 3 blocks away, just as dark fell.
Turns out my hotel is part of a Social Rights Activist center run by the Quakers. It's very clean, well run and friendly, with classical music playing. Each room is named after a famous Social Rights Activist. I'm in the 'Oscar Romero' room. He is considered a hero and martyr to the cause of Social Rights and Justice throughout Central America.
The walls of my room are full of quotes from him. This is the one above my bed.
"Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all. Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity. It is right and it is duty."
It's kind of nice to wake up to classical music playing in such a peaceful place
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