Boca Tapada - viewed from the river

From January 5th to 9th, we were in a beautiful lodge deep in the jungle, not far from Nicaragua. The journey there was an experience; however, the roads required our utmost attention as there were stretches with many deep potholes, making us swerve often. It took us about three hours to cover 120 km, and we were relieved when we arrived safely. A community member had recommended a four-wheel-drive vehicle, but fortunately, the community car sufficed. An SUV would have cost nearly 900 euros for four days.

Our lodge was right by the Rio San Carlos. Especially on the breakfast terrace, we could observe many colorful birds at the feeding stations, and it quickly became evident that there was a hierarchy among them.

The next day we took a four-hour boat ride, and the guide showed us many places where animals were likely to be seen. It was simply breathtakingly beautiful. In addition to various birds, we saw iguanas, monkeys, and finally crocodiles. The animals are often well-camouflaged, and one must look closely. We traveled all the way to the river mouth of Boca San Carlos, where Nicaragua begins. There was also a stop where we could have a drink in a small settlement and converse with the locals. There were also two French couples on the boat, one pair with a good camera. Naturally, we couldn't take as nice photos with our phones as they could with a camera having a telephoto lens. But we soaked in the many images in our minds. We were also able to observe iguanas from our balcony and listen to a frog concert at night. Otherwise, we greatly enjoyed the peace away from traffic noise and only heard the many birds and crickets. And once, also monkeys.

I realized there how exhausted and tense I was. The journeys are not trivial either. So it was good that we stayed four nights. We are happy and thankful that everything went well, as for example the nearest doctor is a 2-3 hour drive away. There is also no auto repair shop there. The older you get, the more insecure you feel.

This will probably be my last or second-to-last report. Our thoughts are already strongly oriented towards Germany.