anyway, we all hung out at the hostel for a bit, went swimming in the lake, and ate some food. they actually had soy vegetarian options, which was really exciting. i felt like i had found my way to a remote, nearly unreachable oasis.after a while pedro and i decided to make the trek to the waterfall at san ramon. it took about half an hour to walk down the road to the biodiversity preserve, then another hour and a half to begin the hike up the volcano to get to the water. the first couple kilometers were not much more than i was expecting, but the last was phenomenal. its was just a tiny little footpath through the rainforest.
distant forlorn screams of howler monkeys and the songs of exotic birds created a constant, melodious rhythm that helped us keep pace as we trudged along. walking through countless spiderwebs that enlaced the path, we were accompanied by a myriad of some of the most interesting insects ive ever seen. enormous termite nests clung tight to the trees high above the heads of the thousands, if not millions, of ants that carried leafs single file in a line that must have reached nearly two hundred yards. we felt like explorers. adventurous, sweaty explorers.
we had some trouble finding the waterfall. at points we thought we may have missed it. or gone too far. or lost the path. but we marched on until we could go no farther. and we found it. it was alright. i mean, sure it was beautiful; tall, smooth, elegant, mystic. but, as you may know, i have lived quite close to some fantastic waterfalls nearly my entire life and it just didnt compare. at the very least, it was worth it just to have the opportunity to hike through the jungle.
it was nearly darkwhen we finally got back and the entire hostel property and surrounding hospedajes had all lost power. luckily we were able to refresh in the warm waters of the gigantic lake and eat dinner prepared by candlelight. throughout dinner we were entertained (and entertained) a couple of local young boys. they had initially stopped by to try to sell their handmade bracelets but soon gave up and just sat down with us. we helped them with their english homework and then took turns showing off what magic tricks, jokes, etc. that we new.after being eaten alive throughout the night, i awoke eagerly with the raucus crowing of the nearby roosters before my alarm went off and walked immediately to the docks. unfortunately it was still overcast, but the warm, choppy water of the lake was invigorating and abandoned. i ate breakfast from the hostel buffet, filling my belly with enough rice, beans, eggs, fruit, bread, and coffee for a few. afterwards pedro and i packed up our stuff and waited around for the bus to the other side of the island. i was planning on hiking the volcano Madera that day but changed my mind after i found out that i wouldnt be able to descend the other side and end up at Finca Magdalena, the place which drew me to the island in the first place.
after hearing the honking horn of the bus, we grabbed our bags and headed out to the road, surprised that a Nicaraguan bus could have actually arrived 15 minutes earlier than scheduled. and quite early indeed, as it had already come and gone by the time we got there. we ran after it for a few minutes but soon gave up and just decided to walk the long, rocky road to the other side of the island. we met a local on the way and our conversation made the two hours pass a little more quickly.
arriving tired, sweaty, and smelly, the natural beauty of the Finca Magdalena immediately extinguished any negative thoughts that may have been crossing through my mind. the old, enormous farm and barn turned hostel was nearly empty and ours for exploration. it was literally a huge old barn that they had converted into a hostel; the beds were just cots suspended a few feet off the ground; hammocks abound on the wide-open porch; fresh, cheap food and beer served from the old stables. we had some food, spoke for a while with a couple french ladies that are traveling the world together, and then headed our separate ways: pedro to the porch to read and i went off exploring. the gardens were filled with tons of beautiful, colorful plants that id never seen before.
and the permaculture institute was just through the woods and down the hill. i started off trudging through the mud in the direction that someone had pointed out, but soon encountered another gringo hiking the opposite direction, squeezing himself through a barbed wire fence and greeting me with a friendly, 'howdy.' i was really quite lucky to bump into chris, the director of the Project Bona Fide, the permaculture institute, as i would have honestly never have found it on my own.it started to pour just as we were arriving back at the kitchen/classroom where a group of students from UVM as well as a few regulars were finishing up work for the day and making some food. i was introduced and quickly welcomed into the small community, making myself at home underneath the straw roof that was doing such a great job of keep us all warm and dry. i was invited to eat with them and got to share their bread and fruit with fresh jam and chocolate, which they had just made from cacao grown there on the farm. it was amazing.
after the rain stopped and i had gotten a chance to speak to nearly everyone, a few of the girls were nice enough to give me a tour of Zone 1 of the farm. it was beautiful. there were so many different species of plants grouped so densely together, all placed strategically in certain places in order to most effectively and efficiently benefit and cooperate with their neighbors.pedro and i hung out with a few of the girls from the farm after they walked back with me to the farm, then had an early dinner and passed out. we were pretty limited in terms of buses in the morning because most of ometepe shuts down on sundays. so we woke up at 4 this morning and walked down the long, dark, rocky slope to the town of Balgue to catch the 4:45 bus back to the other side of the island.
although i was bumbed about not getting the chance to hike one of the two gorgeous volanoes, i had an amazing time and had the chance to see some of the most beautiful things ive seen here, if not in my life. while im sure the view from the top of the volcano would have been fantastic, i was happy enough looking at it from afar. these pictures dont do it justice, but the cloud formations that almost always surround the top of Concepción are one of the most beautiful things ive ever seen. they're so incredibly smooth. it looks as if the ancient volcano is wearing a slick, puffy little toupee. or perhaps a grand, icing-covered muffin top. its fantastic.
well, i think thats all folks. i doubt that ill be posting again this trip as ill be heading home friday. thanks for reading and keeping in touch. love and peace to all you wonderful people. until next time...
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