Nicaragua

1998 - Central America (Part 2 - Nicaragua)

Wednesday 8 April 1998 - Saturday 11 April 1998
View 1998 Central America, Mexico, California on nzhamsta's travel map.

Wednesday 8 April - A day of travel. Firstly, a mini bus to Liberia. Then taxis to border with Nicaragua. Lots of third world bureaucracy with lots of queuing, inspections, stamps etc. We then rented a pick up truck to get to San Jorge ferry port. Next was a banana boat across Lake Nicaragua to Isla de Omatepe. There were problems with the taxis on island as all they tried to was fleece the tourists so Oli negotiated a ride on a cattle truck to town of Altagracia.

Kerron and Oli.

Jenny, Martin and one of our Nicaraguan friends.

The other boat leaving San Jorge for Omatepe.

Thursday 9 April - A sleep in. Some of us had an island tour, stopping at museum (lots of very old carvings etc on island) and the church. Very nice lunch on the beach. Others climbed Volcán Concepción, but there were dramas as Siggy (our Icelander) got horribly sun burnt and dehydrated.

Mayan god at the Omatepe Museum.

The church yard at Altagracia.

The new church in Altagracia.

Coconut break for Oli, Kerron, Martin and Robyn.

Friday 10 April - Way too early (04:30 start) for 06:00 ferry back to mainland. However it left at 08:15! A bus to Rivas once we got ashore. Then another bus ride to near Granada and finally a pickup truck into the city (very crowded with 13 of us, two more tourists and seven locals on the back). Very nice hotel. Dinner in main square. We ended up feeding two very hungry shoe shine boys. I don't think the restaurant was overly happy with us inviting them in (we were on the balcony by the footpath) but it is our money. I have never seen two plates of chicken and rice disappear so fast in my life.

The 6:30am boat back to San Jorge.

The local car wash at Omatepe.

The Cathedral and Plaza Centrale.

Our two shoe shine boys.

Saturday 11 April - A morning wandering the city. Very interesting colonial architecture, but a very grubby lake front. The afternoon bus to Managua. We did not venture out except for a shopping expedition and dinner across the road from the hotel. Not the safest part of town, but right next to the bus station.

Colonial architecture in Granada, a hotel if my memory serves me right.