Nicaragua

Already at the border Nicaragua looked different than Costa Rica. The poverty there was immediately apparent; the lack of emphasis on preservation of nature was also immediately evident, seen in the garbage strewn all over in corners, on sides of roads, in empty lots; even the people looked a little different, slightly darker and wearing different clothing (as in, no name brands). Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America with the exception of Haiti. The greatest positive difference: culture. While Costa Rica is geared to tourists, is populated by many expats, and has no real cultural history, Nicaragua´s history is full of civil war and revolutions and the continuing fight for a better life. The people are more reserved but when spoken to or smiled at are very friendly.

highlights:

- staying on Isla Ometepe, the largest lake island in the world, created by two volcanos that stand right next to each other.

- being charged by a large cow with very sharp long horns.

- Granada: an old picturesque colonial style town with many churches and much to see.

- the chocolate shop in Granada.

- tamales.

- fruit, every day.

- standing at the crater of volcano Masaya.

- staying Ponch in Managua!

- the 50th bday party of some guy that we never met before till Ponch took us along (and the chocolate cake we ate there!)

- Selva Negra: hearing (but alas, not seeing) howler monkeys; eating pink quail eggs; the absolutely romantic chapel practically growing out of the jungle that we found; wading through mud; the suicidal hitched ride back to town which ended with them taking us actually past town and to some work shop at the top of some hill at which point we really started to fear for our lives...but they brought us back to a point previously passed and dropped us off unharmed.

And I´ll stop there before this once again gets too long...