Isla de Ometepe

From Granada we travelled to Ometepe, the world´s largest freshwater island. Located in Lake Nicaragua (Central America´s largest lake)it's made up of two volcanoes and the isthmus they´ve created. Getting to the island involved several different modes of transportation -- a "chicken bus" (old US school buses shipped down when they are deemed unsafe. Gringos call them chicken buses because they are usually stuffed with goods headed to market including live chickens), a short taxi ride, a boat (this one like a floating chicken bus carrying people, motorcycles, refigerators, mattresses & a turkey in a sack), and finally a pick-up truck on the island's incredibly rough roads. (We rode inside with the driver & 2 other people while 6 people sat in the back with all the luggage.) After all this, we arrived at Finca Magdalena, a coffee plantation on the slopes of Volcano Maderas, with rustic (i.e. a former barn) accommodations.

View from the Finca


We met a great group of people who we spent time with over the next few days -- two guys from NYC and three European women (2 working in Honduras and 1 working in Nicaragua). (There was also a large group from Bainbridge Island, WA representing a sister-city organization.) While staying at the Finca, we climbed Volcano Maderas with the aforementioned group and a local guide. Here are the before and after pictures of our nine-hour oddessy ascending and descending this natural beauty later. Before we climbed into the clouds, the views were lovely. We summited at a lake in the inactive crater and we saw (and heard) howler monkeys but the trails were insanely steep and muddy. Our muscles were still recovering days later!

Before


After


After this strenuous effort, we relaxed for a couple days at beautiful Playa (beach) Venecia swimming in the lake, swinging in the hammocks, and wandering in the surrounding hills to find different views of the omnipresent volcanoes.

Christmas in Nicaragua

We arrived in Granada, Nicaragua Dec. 20, in time to see a Christmas procession with kids carrying balloons dressed as gypsies, santas, the 3 kings and Mary and Joseph (on horseback) followed by a band (including a tuba and tambourines) as it headed to the Cathedral located on the Parque Central (main square). The Parque Central is full of X’mas with a large x’mas tree, lots of lights, and a blinking display on the city hall.

We’ve been staying with a family and taking Spanish classes for 2 hours every morning. This homestay has been quite different from our experience in Guatemala where students usually stay with families who are quite poor. This family of 4 lives in a rather large colonial (built around a central courtyard) house and has 3 regular employees plus someone who comes in to do the laundry (by hand). Today is a holiday which means the regular employees have the day off and different people are here cleaning, doing the dishes, answering the phone, etc.

The family invited us to share in their Christmas celebrations along with another student (Hal, from St. Louis) who’s staying here. They have a big x’mas tree and the halls are otherwise bedecked but most impressive is the giant (approx 12’ x 6’ x 5’) naciamente (nativity scene). On Dec. 23, the family held a rezo which as far as we can tell is a gathering of many people for the purpose of praying, singing and welcoming el nino dios (baby Jesus). One hundred fifty invitees and a couple guitar players gathered in the vicinity of the naciamente (also decorated with a ceiling of blue balloons), sang songs, and said many Hail Marys and other prayers for over an hour. About halfway through, sandwiches (we helped cut the crusts off), refresco (non-alcoholic beverage), fruit (WA state apples & CA grapes, very expensive here), and a small dessert were served. Afterwards, gifts were distributed. (Many of the guests are poor and hosting a rezo is a sort of offering to the Virgin.) Just before the guests left, Nica-made fireworks (bombas) were set off in the street in front of the house. These are big here from mid-December through New Years.

Jen serving drinks at the rezo


The main Christmas celebration takes place here on Christmas Eve. Festively attired folks sit out in front of their homes or walk around town dropping in on friends while kids shoot of firecrackers. We accompanied our host mother, Karla, as she dashed from house to house in her SUV delivering gifts to some of her 40 godchildren so we got to see all the festivities, as well as parts of town (poorer) we haven't made it to on foot.

Afterwards, at about 9pm, the whole family went to the lovely house of Karla's sister's family where we had dinner and "waited for Christmas." Even the little kids stay up until midnight when the city explodes with fireworks, everyone wishes each other a merry x-mas, and kids open a present or 2 (if they have any- many kids have been told that Santa is from Nicaragua and so has no money to buy presents). Some families continue hanging out for awhile and some people hit the bars/clubs (we danced until 3 am). Not sure what other people do on x-mas day but in granada, families go down to Lake Nicaragua.

With the tropical weather, palm trees, and lack of pecan crescent cookies, it was difficult to feel like we might see Santa's sleigh flying over the cathedral belltower but we enjoyed the holiday nonetheless. And of course with the country's population being 95% Roman Catholic, we have yet to see any lighting of any Nicaraguan Hanukah menorahs.

Happy Holidays to everyone! We think of all of you often and send our love.

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