Ometepe Volcano

Ferry Ride

Over the weekend we went to the volcanic island of Ometepe.  It is located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua and contains 2 volcanoes, one active and one inactive.  We took a ferry over which was an hour ride (only one of my friends got sick on it)!  When we got there we had to find a ride to the base of the volcano where the hostel was.  We found a taxi guy to take us.  He was talking to a friend so we got some glass bottle sodas to go, then he told us we have to finish them before we go.  This is because here, they reuse all bottles and they can't buy new ones unless they bring back the old ones (without huge inflation prices).  So we finished and then piled in.  We drove about 3 minutes and he stopped to pick up a pizza for his family.  We continue on 5 more minutes and he stops to chat with his friends and pick up an empty gasoline container.  Then he fills it up at the gas station down the road.  We drive on, thinking that's the last of it when he stops at a house to drop off the full gasoline container.  This all happened along the main road so we never even went off track.  At this point he asked us where we were from then turned off his music and put in his American CD which consisted of Celine Dion titantic songs and other slow jams.  We also had him make a stop for us to do  sunset hike.

After this we made it to our hostel which was called Finca Magdelena, a co-op which has they own farm of vegetables, herbs and coffee beans.  It is the best coffee I have had since being here!

The next day, we got up early to hike the inactive volcano.  We started off on a nice path and our guide pointed out the different types of monkeys, trees, and flowers.  We made a few water stops and then things changed.  The path ended, it started sprinkling, and the real hike began.  At the first viewpoint 2 of my friends turned around because of the rough terrain so only 2 of us remained.  We had to hike up boulders and at one point we were hike through clay mud puddles!  Our shoes and legs were completely mud covered.  We made it to the top but no great view because of the clouds.  We then hiked into the crater which was the most difficult part and ended at a lagoon where we ate lunch.  The way down was different than up but so slippery we kept falling into mud puddles.  We were cracking up because you could always hear when someone fell because of the mud sucking you in...then the guide would laugh at us too.  Also, my legs were like jelly on the way down which made it hard.  After such a hike I felt accomplished after making it and it brought me back to my swimming days of intense physical workouts, it also made me remember how much I love these activities!  Since the hike took all day that's all we had time for before leaving Sunday morning because the last ferry is at 11 am.   We made it back to Las Salinas just in time for a surf competition.

Monkey!

This is our path

And our shoes!

Made it to the lagoon in the crater with our guide!