He walked on the bus with a machete...
...his name was German (pronounced "Erman"), and he also had a few coconuts for sale. He tried to sell me one but I had just purchased a bag of chicken parts from another vendor. I was also riding in a traditional Bluebird school bus that was pimped out with chrome bumpers, neon lights, and iconic business decals such as Bose, Apple, and Nike. This experience is common while traveling on local buses throughout Central America. Be prepared to be woo'ed by a plethora of middle aged men trying to entice you to take their particular school bus. Some days this situation may seem daunting, but other days it makes you feel like the prettiest girl at the ball. The ball, of course, being a crowded bus station.
After I left Leon I headed south towards the popular ex-pat town of San Juan Del Sur. I originally had no intention of visiting this small surfer town as it seemed that it was merely a party place known exclusively for its "Sunday Funday" festivities. In fact, other travelers tried to convince me this was the original location for such activities, but I made sure to let them know that folks in Iowa have been drinking on Sundays for decades.
To be sure, that's pretty much all that exists in this town - westernized bars and an affinity for the American dollar as opposed to the Nicaraguan cordoba. That is not to say the natural beauty of this location does not amaze as the town sits in a small cove protected from the waves with hills on all sides. However, if you're looking for more than a party then it's probably time to move on after a few days. My advice would be to stay in one of the smaller beach towns up the coast or the Naked Tiger Hostal just outside of town.
San Juan was the furthest south I planned to go, which was only a few miles from the border of Costa Rica. After a few nights and some photos next to the Jesus statue, I hopped a bus and headed back north to San Jorge, a small town with ferries to the island of Omotepe in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, however some maps call it Lago Cocibolca. Made up of two active volcanoes - Volcan Maderas and the larger Volcan Concepcion - Omotepe has only a few small roads surrounding both peaks and although it is fresh water, sharks have been known to enter the lake from the outlets connected to the surrounding oceans. Good thing I found this out after four days of swimming, huh?
The crown jewel of activities for travelers to embark on while visiting the island is to hike one of the two volcano peaks. To clarify, some would not refer to these volcanoes as "active." However, like most of the volcanoes in Nicaragua, previous eruptions have occurred only within the last few decades, and this geologist will call any volcano that has erupted within the last century as "active." That being said, I hiked up Volcan Maderas which happened to be the less active by comparison.
Most guides recommend you allow 8-10 hours for a round trip hike, and depending on your hiking ability, group size, and fitness level I would agree with that estimate. My guide and now friend, Sergio, had different intentions, however. Once he discovered that I had hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, he took it upon himself to use me as a training partner. Every year there is a marathon on the island where runners will summit both peaks over the course of the race and Sergio had the goal of completing the race the following year.
As we double timed the pace, we passed howler monkeys and beautiful flora that glistened in the mist of the previous two days of rainfall. We made it to the caldera (the specific name given to craters formed after volcano eruptions) in just under three hours. What makes Maderas a little more appealing than Concepcion is the small lake that sits in the crater, and as soon as I saw that body of water I shed my clothes and went for a swim.
The rest of my time on the island was spent relaxing at the Tiki Bar, a small hostal that won't pop up on any Google search, a place I only found because my first shuttle driver happened to know the family. Pigs, chickens, dogs, turtles, and giant toads all seemed to call this place home. The family - Evelyn, Louis, and Christian - were a wonderful group and if you're on the island I suggest finding this place which is located along Playa Santa Cruz between the two peaks.
There are plenty of places to stay throughout the island, and though it may be tempting to just stay in the port town of Moyogapla because of the high prices of cabs and shuttles, I highly recommend staying in one of the smaller towns (If you're up for a bus ride it helps decrease the cost). Once you're settled, you can rent a scooter or motorcycle and explore the island more freely on your own. Make sure to take photos, however, as many people have been forced to pay erroneous fees and charges by the rental places upon returning the vehicles.
Sergio and I continue to exchange small messages even though I am back in the States. I hope someday to make it back so we can tackle Concepcion. Until then, I suppose I'll have to keep my hiking legs in shape. Thanks for reading! I'll be back again with the some more of my time in Central America. Cheers!
-Dustin
