Isla de Ometepe - an island with two 'mountains'

I don't know if Jim Knopf's story takes place in Ometepe, but there are definitely many adventures to be had here. This becomes clear on the first day at our accommodation, 'El Zopilote'. Arriving in the dark, we make our way to our dormitories with our visitors from Germany. Yes, it's a journey. Because this hostel is located in a permaculture site surrounded by jungle, where various fruits and vegetables are cultivated. That means a short walk through deep, currently very dark green. We encounter the first inhabitants, including giant toads and bats.

Once we reach the reception, we treat ourselves to dinner and a beer, and then we head to our dorms with our backpacks. It's hard to believe - a platform with three bunk beds, two hammocks, and a bamboo roof, that's it. No one told us ^^ Some uneasiness is definitely felt, but I also enjoy the silence of nature and not having the breeze blown into my ears by four fans. Goodnight, Ometepe, sleep well, Jim Knopf.

The next morning, we get to explore everything in the daylight, and it looks especially beautiful in the sunshine, as the plants are colorful and diverse. On the way to the viewpoint tower, I chat with a European 'worker', or you could say volunteer. Together with locals, he takes care of the plants and processes them further. He tells me that they work five hours a day and that the work is very diverse. They also produce juices here and can bake bread with the residents. As we chat, he carefully picks the salad that we had for dinner yesterday :).

Later in the day, we walk to a spring in San Domingo. The hike there is nice, we discover monkeys and I even see a parrot, in the wild! After three hours, we finally arrive at the 'Fuerta'. Much later than expected and at a different kind of spring than expected. It's more like a swimming pool with spring water, which is very popular. But no worries, we are looking forward to the cool water and enjoy the day.

The next day, we continue our journey to Moyogalpa, a small cozy town in the west of Isla Ometepe. We arrive late at the 'Coco's' hostel. The family who runs the hostel is very kind and we immediately feel comfortable in their rocking chairs. Francis and I enjoy the sunset by the lake and go to bed.

Good morning, today we are going to the viewpoint 'Jesus Maria'. The peninsula, about 15 tuktuk minutes away from Moyogalpa, offers a great view of the two volcanoes behind it. From the sandbank, which can be up to a kilometer long during the dry season, we watch the sunset. The water surrounding us creates a particularly beautiful atmosphere. Fantastic. Afterwards, we make our way back to the hostel and end the day with a game of Yahtzee :)