The Masaya Region

After departing from San Juan del Sur, we made for a few small towns
out of the way. The Masaya region is rich with Nica culture,
practicing artisans, and natural beauty. We spent two days
experiencing the areas around Laguna de Apoyo, which is an extinct
volcano crater filled with fresh water. The lake is a few hundred
meters above sea level and filled with crystal clear, blue water.
Having the chance to swim and kayak through the lagoon was a
refreshing experience, and I got to practice my Spanish with some
like-minded Nicas at the lake lodge.

San Juan del Sur - Surfer's Paradise

If youre ever in the mood for cheap surf lessons and killer waves,
this is the place to be. This gringo-run beach town on the
South-Pacific coast of Nicaragua is full of sandy beaches and coastal
bars, not unlike the previously-visited Bocas del Toro. We only spent
one night in this paradise, however. While the beach is nice, I didn't
intend on doing much more in this town than dunk myself in the Pacific
for the first time. I was quite eager to visit the less touristy
places in Nicaragua, where we've spent our last nearly two weeks.

Five weeks is not enough...

As I enter into my fourth week in Central America, I cannot imagine
all the beautiful and interesting places that I am failing to visit.
Three weeks seem to have flown by already. Three jam-packed weeks,
from the first seven days in Panama to the next seven days in Costa
Rica, to now. We are rounding off a week in Nicaragua and I can't bear
to leave without seeing more.

Forty days seems long at first. Yet when the days start to get
shorter, the bus trips get longer, all of the sudden, it's
two-days-here, two-days-there. There are seven individual countries in
Central America (excluding Mexico and including Belize, even though
Guatemala has yet to acknowledge their existence). Yet it seems that
we will only get the chance to really see four. Two weeks in Panama
and Costa Rica were well spent, but now I feel it's time to slow down.

Today we arrived in a beautiful hostel on the Laguna de Apoyo. It is
an inactive volcanic crater, filled with crystal clear water. This
area of Nicaragua is rich with natural wonders and cultural delights.

Isla de Ometepe

This shot is from the balcony of our farm. We stayed three nights on a
coffee plantation in a large furnished barn. The farm is on the side
of the smaller volcano, Madera, which we hiked. What you see here is
the larger, active volcano called La Concepcion.

An Intesting Beginning in Nicaragua

The past few days we have been occupied in the beautiful, complicated country of Nicaragua. Noticeably less touristy and much more impoverished than our previous destinations, the towns we have stayed in offer a unique indigenous charm. Since last Wednesday, the two of us have traveled to the colonial city of Granada and through the volcanic island of Ometepe. With limited running water, shotty electricity, and the rocky, unpaved roads, I have felt humbled and blessed to appreciate these things so coveted within remote pueblos throughout Nicaragua.

During our stay on Ometepe, I was thrilled to learn about the heavy presence of Peace Corps in the country, and fortunate to spend some time learning about a few of their lives. We met three volunteers coming to the end of their two year service term. They were all English teachers living in the areas surrounding the large lake. Gaining insight on the political corruption in Nicaragua, it seems many of us take peaceful fair elections for granted. In this country, much of a persons economic fate is dependent on their activity in the far leftist, currently-ruling political group, the Sandinistas. Walking around and seeing election propaganda and posters advocating peaceful elections shows a glimpse of the country's current events.

The lack of infrastructure in most pueblos also restricts wifi access. This is the first solid access to Internet in a few days. Photos of Nicaragua to come soon!

Rainbow Trunks

After an ecologically friendly day around San Jose and visiting Volcan Poas, I cannot contain my excitement over seeing a very exciting thing: rainbow eucalyptus trees!

For those of you who have maybe never heard of this amazing plant, you can read about it here! or google for yourself.

These amazing trees are very tall and so colorful! And we saw them on the bus ride to and from the volcano! Seeing these in person is such a treat as I never thought I'd be somewhere where they actually exist. However, not to trump the main event of today, which was climbing to the top of Volcan Poas and observing an active volcanic crater spew sulfuric gasses into the sky.

Updates to come. The group has split and Ryan and I now travel solo. Tomorrow we journey to Nicaragua. Stay tuned.

A Glimpse of the Tropics

In our last few days of Costa Rica, the beauty (and expense) of ecotourism has really caught up with us. After touring the cloud forestry in Monteverde, our group migrated to the lazy tourist town of La Fortuna, where the famed active volcano Arenal looms in the distance.

Below is a shot of the main area of our hostel. Thats right, hostel, not resort. With palm trees everywhere, beach cabana-style huts, and this crystal-clear pool, the place is pretty cozy for 14$ a night.

Along with the luxury of the establishments around town, the area also boasts some incredible wildlife. Geckos are everywhere, and we stumbled upon this little green guy:

Our journeys led us to hot springs, hikes around the volcano, and an 80 meter high waterfall, where we spent an afternoon swimming and trying to catch fish. The volcano, Volcan Arenal, is magnificent as it is currently active. Hardened lava trails down the mountain can be seen with the naked eye, and the volcano emits crystal clear water at a variety of temperatures. At the hot springs, while striking up conversations with locals, we discover the techniques used to harness the naturally heater water, channelling it into pools and tubs where one can relax for a day.

Below is a glimpse of the volcano in the early evening hours. Being the rainy season, clear views are often short-lived and sporadic, making photographic captures like this all the more precious.

Tomorrow the rest of our friends depart for the United States, and on Wednesday morning, Ryan and I plan on heading to Costa Rica, escaping both the incredible biodiversity and the quicksand in our wallets.