Ate the local specialty called vigaron which is steamed yucca and cabbage salad topped with chicharron, which are like enormous pork scratchings.
Next stop was Managua to attend Spanish school. Stayed with a lovely 70 year old Nicaraguan lady whose family are all in the USA. Her youngest son was born the same year as me. She spoiled me rotten.
Once fluent, took a trip to La Isla de Ometepe. Quite a journey to the hostel from Managua - taxi, bus, taxi, boat, bus, bus, trek. Took all day. Worth it though. Amazing place formed by two volcanoes poking out of a lake, bridge of lava between. Climbed one of them.
Saw howler monkeys and white faced monkeys. They will not sit still for a photo though, uncooperative gits.
Back to Managua for a night before heading to Las Islas del Maiz (Corn Islands) in the Caribbean. Most people fly but thought I'd do it the old fashioned (cheaper) way which requires a seven hour chicken bus ride until the road runs out, a two hour panga (river boat) ride to the coast, then a night in a town called Bluefields, which the Lonely Planet describes thus:
"Bluefields... named after the 17th century Dutch pirate Blewfeldt... with its slow pace, ready smiles, decayed tropical charm and slightly sketchy underbelly... "
"Where do I sign?" I thought.
Up early the next morning for the six hour sea crossing to the islands.
My bunk was the bottom right in the photo. Views of the night sky and the Caribbean sea. Dead calm. Amazing.
Woke at dawn and we were already on the river.
Unfortunately, the captain stopped to do some salvage work so hailed a passing dugout and abseiled down a chain. Made the Managua bus with ten minutes to spare. Epic journey.
Honduras next...
