Today we first drive by car to about halfway up Volcán Mombacho. The upper part with its very steep, single-lane road must be traversed in a Toyota pickup from the park administration; we are lucky to be able to sit inside the car instead of having to climb in the back.

Mombacho is 1,345 meters high and an active stratovolcano, but it has not erupted since 1570. Smoking fumaroles in some areas indicate that volcanic activity is still ongoing below. Previous eruptions, evidenced by geological studies, have caused the volcanic flanks to collapse at least twice, creating the small islands

Today, two destinations west of Granada are on the agenda: first, we go to the crater lake “Laguna de Apoyo.” From the viewpoint “Mirador de Catarina,” there is a beautiful overview of the lake and towards Granada as well as the Volcán Mombacho. Here, we also encounter a music group that plays the xylophone-like marimbas, which are very common in Central America, with great skill. The sound bodies are made of wood, which gives the marimbas a darker and fuller sound compared to a European standard xylophone with metal sound bars. It is also notable that both players are working with three mallets each.

Now we head down a steep road to the “Laguna Beach Club,” right by the crater lake.

The lake is situated in a caldera that was formed about 23,000 years ago by a volcanic explosion. It has a diameter of about 4 km and an area of 20.92 km². The water is slightly salty and is kept pleasantly warm throughout the year (about 27–29 °C) due to underground geothermal activity.

With a depth of up to 200 meters, it is considered the deepest crater lake in Central America and has neither inflow nor outflow on the surface.

Laguna de Apoyo was declared a state nature reserve in 1991.

We spend a few hours in our rented “Private Cabin” – it offers a great view of the lake and drinks and food are also served. Of course, we also go all the way down and test the truly pleasantly warm water while swimming.

The second destination is the Volcán Masaya – here the local expertise of our guide Huascar is required, as there are a few peculiarities to consider for access. The national park only opens to visitors at 5:00 PM, but we arrive quite a bit earlier and join the – still relatively short – line of waiting cars, which later extends much longer onto the main road. Then we are allowed to drive a little, but only up to the Comalito Trail, where the cars are stopped again. However, we have already been assigned to the first group that will later be able to drive up to the actual crater.

This side volcano Comalito seems to be inactive; however, there are some fumaroles on the tour we take to bridge the waiting time, from which hot gases escape that are not easily visible but are much stronger in smell – and foul smelling.

Back at the parking lot, general hustle and bustle ensues, and soon we are allowed to drive all the way up in the first group. This first group has the unique advantage of seeing the crater in daylight and then witnessing the quite spectacular sunset behind the rising vapors and gases. The twilight here is very short, and in the dark, one can see the spectacular red glow at the crater bottom. Due to some earthquakes and rockfalls in recent years – the crater access was also closed for an extended period until last year – it is no longer possible to see the liquid lava directly, but the sight is still very impressive. The stay at the viewpoint is limited to 10 minutes for later groups, but we were able to stay significantly longer. This visit was certainly one of the highlights of our trip!

On our way back to the city, we once again pass one of the many “Trees of Life” (“Chayopalos”), now illuminated.

The Chayopalos were erected in 2013 under Ortega's government by Vice President Rosario Murillo (the wife of Daniel Ortega) as part of a national beautification program.

Although the tree is a universal symbol, the specific design of these metal structures is inspired by Gustav Klimt's work “The Tree of Life.” Characteristic are the organically twisted branches that symbolize growth and spiritual connection.

For the government, they represent “victories of the people,” peace, life, hope, and happiness; according to our guide, they also represent friendship with Venezuela and are in honor of Hugo Chavez.

For critics and opponents, they became a symbol of the power of the presidential family and state expenditures. During the protests in 2018, many of these trees were cut down by demonstrators as a symbolic act of rejection of the government, but were later rebuilt by them.

Granada was founded in 1524 by the Spanish conqueror Francisco Hernández de Córdoba.

During the colonial period, Granada was one of the most significant ports in Central America. The shipping route went via Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan River to the Caribbean. Important goods included cocoa and tobacco.

As a result of the growing wealth and the conflicts of the Spaniards with England, Holland, and France, the city was repeatedly attacked, looted, and partially destroyed by European pirates.

Granada was considered a stronghold of the Conservatives in the conflict with the Liberals. The center of the Liberals was the city of León, which often served as the capital. Between 1846 and 1852, Granada was the capital; since then, Managua has been the metropolis of Nicaragua.

In November 1856, the city was burned down during the Nicaraguan Civil War by the American mercenaries of the infamous adventurer and self-proclaimed short-term president William Walker.

We begin our city tour opposite our hotel at the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Las Mercedes, built from 1782 to 1783. The façade features a baroque architectural style, while the floor plan can be classified as colonial style. The name refers to Maria de la Merced, “the Merciful”. This church also caught fire in 1856. We will also climb the bell tower, where there is a beautiful view of the city and the nearby Mombacho volcano. Furthermore, we will walk through the rather narrow streets to the Plaza Mayor with the Parque Central and the cathedral. The church, first built in 1529, is considered one of the most important colonial buildings in Central America. The original structure was destroyed in the great fire of 1856. The current building dates from 1880 and was last renewed in 1905. During the day and in the evening, there is a lively activity on the Plaza and the surrounding streets – partly pedestrian zone – and open-air events take place regularly.

We continue our walk to the Iglesia San Francisco de Asis; this church was first erected in 1524, burned down in 1685, rebuilt, and then again destroyed in 1856 by Walker's mercenaries, or rather marauders. Reconstruction began again in 1868.

Here, a horse-drawn carriage is already waiting for us, which will take us on a comfortable city tour. The first stop is at the former Hospital San Juan de Dios, now a ruin. The once magnificent building was erected in 1905 and abandoned only about 20 years ago, left to rampant looting – which explains its current catastrophic state. Our guide Huascar tells us that there have been discussions and plans for reconstruction in the city government for many years, but nothing is happening.

We pass by the Fortaleza de la Pólvora – a fortress built in the 1740s to defend against pirates and to store gunpowder. Today it is only a historical site.

The next stop is at the church María Auxiliadora (Mary Help) next to the Salesian school, which our guide Huascar attended as a child. Its neo-Gothic style is unique in the city, and it is one of the few remaining buildings in the country that follows this architectural style.

The church was built in 1921/22 to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the independence of Nicaragua and Central America, dedicated to the Mother of God and the veneration of Don Bosco. It is historically significant as it represents the first Salesian work in Nicaragua.

Our next destination is the Cementerio de Granada. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Central America, founded in 1830. It is known for its Neoclassical, Gothic, and Baroque styles, reflected in the many marble sculptures and mausoleums.

The cemetery was declared a historical and artistic heritage of the nation in 2012 and serves as a kind of open-air museum.

Here lie many important figures of Nicaragua, including nine former presidents as well as artists, poets, and musicians.

In the evening, we enjoy the colorful hustle and bustle at and around the Plaza Mayor and dine once again – as so often in Nicaragua – deliciously at the restaurant “Pita Pita” accompanied by local music.

We really enjoy Granada and its vibrant life and feel much more comfortable here than in Managua.

Today, the itinerary includes traveling from Leon to Granada. The main highlight is visiting the capital, Managua. We will start with the 'mandatory practice' of visiting the sites and monuments of the Sandinistas, and then head to the Boutique of the world-famous rum producer 'Flor de Caña'.

As previously mentioned in an earlier blog, here follows a brief overview of Nicaragua's turbulent history after the 'daily description' – it's so tumultuous that even a 'summary' becomes quite lengthy…

In Managua, we begin at the large square 'Plaza de la Fe – San Juan Pablo II'. Pope John Paul II visited Nicaragua twice, in 1983 during the Contra War, where he emphasized the contrast between the Sandinistas and the 'people's church' with Ernesto Cardenal. Ernesto Cardenal was only rehabilitated by Pope Francis in 2014, with his suspension lifted. His second visit in 1996 was more relaxed, as the Sandinistas were no longer in power. There is a certain irony in the fact that at this plaza, where John Paul held masses, symbols of Sandino and Hugo Chavez, as well as the monument for the freedom hero Simon Bolivar, are placed.

Right next door, at the shore of Lake Xolotlán (Lake Managua), is the Salvador Allende Recreation Park, with monuments for its namesake and revolutionaries from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, etc. Beyond the political message, it is a very beautiful facility, frequented by the people of Managua in the evenings and on weekends – there are also restaurants and bars there.

Not far away is our next stop - the Plaza de la Revolución. The first eye-catcher is the cathedral destroyed in the 1972 earthquake. In addition to the many bullet holes in the plaster (Revolution 1979), the clock that stopped at 00:35 during the earthquake on December 23, 1972, is remarkable. About 10,000 people died in the earthquake, and Managua was 80 to 90% destroyed. As if the quake and its aftermath were not bad enough, the then dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle and his National Guard embezzled a large part of the international aid funds and goods.

On the west side of the vast square is the Palacio Nacional, now a 'revolutionary' museum, which thankfully we can skip.

On the east side, there is a monument for Sandino and (probably?) President Ortega in front of the Casa de los Pueblos – erected after the earthquake, it used to be the president's office, and today it is used by Ortega for receptions, etc.

The north side is closed off by Parque Central, featuring remarkable monuments to Sandinista revolutionary heroes.

We continue to the viewpoint Loma de Tiscapa on a hill, where the presidential palace of the Somozas used to stand - until the earthquake - where Sandino and his comrades were also murdered.

One has a beautiful view of the city and the lake, and notably, the former 'Bank of America Tower', which is one of the few buildings in the city to have survived the massive earthquake largely unscathed. In the other direction, one sees the new cathedral - a concrete structure that appears quite peculiar to us - resembling a mosque.

After a refreshment in an excellent restaurant, we now head to the 'Flor de Caña Boutique'. Actually, we would have liked to visit the production site, but it is located somewhat off the beaten path, north of Leon, and tours are only available on Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, there is not much to see, as the actual production is 'strictly secret.' So we have our tour in Managua, we see the same video presentations and then can mix cocktails in the 'Rum Lab', try various ways of drinking rum, and finally, as 'Maestro del Ron', we can bottle our own rum blend (and take it with us...).

All in all, an interesting day, of course with a bit of 'Sandinista bias'

Nicaragua's History:

Many more detailed information can be found on the internet at:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geschichte_Nicaraguas

Wikipedia also has detailed information on the key figures involved; for example, the adventurous or crazy life of William Walker is certainly worth reading.

A brief overview of the very turbulent history of Nicaragua:

Nicaragua was settled about 3000 years ago by wandering hunters and gatherers from Mexico.

In 1502, Christopher Columbus became the first European to set foot in the land on the Caribbean coast. At that time, the cacique (chieftain) Nicarao was said to be the indigenous leader in the central area – from his name, 'Nicaragua' is thought to be derived.

Between 1522 -1524, the region was annexed for the Spanish crown, and the cities of León and Granada were founded. Their rivalry shaped the history of Nicaragua for a long time, as it repeatedly led to civil war-like conflicts.

Until 1821, Nicaragua was a Spanish colony. After that, Nicaragua declared its independence from Spain and initially joined Mexico briefly and then the Central American Federation. In 1839, Nicaragua became an independent republic.

After Nicaragua became one of the most important east-west transit routes during the gold rush in the USA in the 1850s, the USA - i.e., a company financed by US billionaire Cornelius Vanderbilt - was granted exclusive rights to build a canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This project, among other reasons due to the high risk of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, was ultimately never realized – the Panama Canal was built later instead.

During this time, the episode 'William Walker' occurred:

The contrasts between the liberal elite from León and the conservative elite from Granada characterized the politics of the young country. When the divisions within the Nicaraguan oligarchy escalated into a civil war in 1856, the 'Liberals' called upon the North American adventurer William Walker with a small private army to help them against their conservative opponents. However, Walker aimed for the subjugation of all Central America, declared himself president of Nicaragua, and reintroduced the slavery that had been abolished in 1824. It wasn't until 1857 that he was defeated by the united army of Central American states and fled to the USA. Later in 1857 and then in 1860, he attempted further raids into Central America; he was initially captured by the British - in whose sphere of influence he had now penetrated - and then handed over to the Honduran government and executed on September 12, 1860. Today, William Walker remains a negative symbol of the 'US Conquistador' for Nicaraguans.

Multiple times, the United States and European powers (England, Germany, Spain) demonstrated in the 19th century how little the sovereignty of the state mattered to them; for instance, the rule of Walker, evidently the result of the unlawful takeover of power by a foreign mercenary troop, was directly recognized by the USA. Obviously, Mr. Trump has 'shining examples' in US history!

Between 1909 and 1933, Nicaragua was occupied multiple times by US troops, and puppet governments were established, against which General Augusto Sandino waged a guerrilla war with his 'El pequeño ejército loco' – 'the little crazy army' – from 1926 to 1933. In early 1933, the Americans officially withdrew from Nicaragua – mainly due to the economic crisis – after they had established the National Guard (Guardia Nacional) and appointed General Anastasio Somoza as its leader, installing another puppet government. Sandino had signed a peace agreement with this government – however, he was murdered along with his closest officers at a banquet organized by Somoza on February 21, 1934, in the old National Palace by the National Guard.

This marked the beginning of the decades-long rule of the Somoza clan – Anastasio Somoza ruled as president and dictator until his assassination in 1956. After that, his eldest son Luis Somoza Debayle took over until 1963. Another son, Anastasio Somoza Debayle, followed. His rule was characterized by extreme corruption and violence. He had undesired opposition figures thrown alive from helicopters into volcanic craters or into the open sea.

It is worth mentioning that the clan received strong military and financial support from US governments over all those years due to its staunchly anti-communist stance.

The widespread embezzlement of aid funds after the severe earthquake of 1972 in Managua, which caused about 10,000 deaths, turned large parts of society, including the economy, against him and the clan. However, the USA continued to support the regime.

When the Somozas had opposition leader Pedro Chamorro murdered in January 1978, protests, strikes, and street fighting ensued, escalating into a brutal civil war fought on both sides. At this point, US President Jimmy Carter limited military and economic aid and soon stopped it altogether.

On July 17, 1979, Somoza fled.

The liberation struggle against the Somoza dictatorship cost the lives of 50,000 Nicaraguans and left a destroyed country.

The Sandinistas took power and initially launched a large-scale educational campaign in the country.

The US government under Ronald Reagan viewed the Sandinistas, classified as communist, as a thorn in its side. However, the US Congress rejected any aid for the 'Contras' (opponents of the Sandinistas, mainly former members of the notorious National Guard). Through secret arms sales from the USA to Iran (!), the support was now secretly financed (the 'Iran-Contra Affair').

The Contras also acted extremely brutally against civilians; the Contra war caused over 30,000 more deaths in the country until 1990.

Moreover, Nicaragua was economically bled dry due to the war and the US trade embargo. The decisive factors for the coming peace were probably the end of the Cold War and the exposure of the Iran-Contra Affair. Support for the Contras by the USA and for the Sandinistas by the Soviet Union was halted.

In 1990, free elections were held, and the Sandinistas under Daniel Ortega lost the election to the united Nicaraguan opposition. Peace was agreed upon, and both Contras and Sandinistas laid down their arms.

The transition of power from Ortega to Violeta Chamorro was peaceful.

From 1990 to 2007, liberal governments were in power, whose struggle against corruption was probably not very successful, so in 2007, Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas regained the presidency.

Ortega was reelected in the presidential elections of 2011 and 2016. The country remains the second poorest in Latin America, just ahead of Haiti, and under Ortega's rule, the personalized and authoritarian traits of politics have increased again. Family members of Ortega have taken on key positions in the government, and publically, his wife, Rosario Murillo, who has been vice president since 2017, has taken command.

In April 2018, protests against a planned pension reform led to bloody suppression by police and pro-government paramilitaries (about 350 dead).

In the run-up to the 2021 election, the government arrested numerous opposition politicians, and Daniel Ortega was reelected without serious competition for a fourth term, which would actually not have been constitutionally possible. Since 2018, almost a million Nicaraguans are said to have fled the country.

In conclusion, one can only hope that the suffering population may yet have a chance for a peaceful future.

Now the tourism industry, which had completely collapsed in the meantime, is being promoted again. Of course, as visitors, one sees only the surface, but Nicaragua has shown itself to us as a beautiful, peaceful country, without any noticeable police or military presence.

Nicaragua also has nature to offer. Today, we’re heading about 25 km west of Leon to the Pacific coast. Near the village of Las Peñitas, we embark – once again wading through water – into a small motorboat to explore the Juan Venado Nature Reserve along a canal through the mangrove landscape.

The so-called barrier island lies directly off the coast and is practically nothing more than a narrow, long strip of sand and mangrove swamp.

The reserve, with a length of 22 km, provides tropical rainforests and mangrove forests that serve as a habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna. Various bird species (106 different species have been recorded) and crocodiles can be seen here. The island also serves as a nesting site for the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle, although now is not the right season for that.

The boat ride with a leisurely puttering and moderately oil-smelling outboard motor is interesting; we also see some – partly well-camouflaged – crocodiles and a number of birds. The howler monkeys make themselves known primarily through sound…

We might be a bit too early for wildlife observation in the afternoon; however, on our return, we do encounter a few other tourist boats, which ends the idyllic experience.

The day concludes with a visit to the beach – the Pacific waves are indeed impressive – and at the restaurant “SUA – Grill & Chill”. The food there with a view of the sea is very good – they also serve excellent fish and shrimp. The “politically correct” cocktail “Nica Libre” (cola with rum) is original from Florida and referred to by Gringos and exiled Cubans as “Cuba Libre”.

León has about 200,000 inhabitants and is located not far from the Pacific Ocean. It is also a center for peanut and sugar cultivation. Cotton, which was grown in a dominating manner until the 1980s with enormous damage to the environment, is no longer produced.

León is considered the heart and the 'cradle' of the Sandinista Revolution (FSLN – “Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional”) in Nicaragua. The Sandinistas fought against the dictatorship of the Somoza clan since the 1960s. The city was a center of revolutionary struggles in 1978/79, marked by intense street fighting, and was the first city liberated by the Sandinistas in 1979. Today, many monuments and murals commemorate the struggles and the many Sandinistas who died in them. Additionally, the black-red flag of the FSLN is seen everywhere alongside the blue-white-blue national flag.

Even today, León is seen as an intellectual metropolis of Nicaragua and traditionally represents the liberal element of the country.

More about the bloody and turbulent history of Nicaragua follows in the blog about Managua.

But there is not only Sandinista culture to see; churches and the Mercado Central are also very attractive.

The Church La Merced is the consecrated place for León's patron saint, the Virgen de la Merced. The statue originally comes from Spain and was erected in 1528 in the old town – León Viejo – in the church of the same name. When the Momotombo volcano erupted in 1609, the church and town were destroyed – but the statue remained unharmed and was transferred to the new church in the new city of León.

The Parque Central with its monuments is dominated by the Cathedral of León “Basilica de la Asunción”, completed around 1860 after over 100 years of construction. From the roof of the church, there’s a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding volcanoes.

In front of the town hall, two traditional giant puppets stand that play a central role in Nicaraguan folklore. The figures are part of the celebrations around the 'Purísima' (Feast of the Immaculate Conception). “La Gigantona” represents a colonial Spanish woman, while “El Chinchinte” symbolizes an indigenous man who is hopelessly in love with the Spanish lady.

The Mercado Central is full of goods and crowded with people; you can buy just about everything to eat and live – all presented in a very small space. The local cuisine is also well represented – however, we are not brave enough to eat something here.

León is also a city of churches – there are more than twenty of them.

A short walk – one looks for the shady side of the street when it’s around 30 degrees – leads to the Red Church: “Iglesia El Calvario - Dulce Nombre de Jesús” on “Hasenhügel”.

The church, designed in neoclassical colonial style, was built from 1810 in place of the hermitage destroyed by an earthquake in 1764.

Inside the church, three life-size representations of the three crucified from Calvary catch the eye, as well as sculptures of biblical figures that are highly revered by the congregation of León. An ornately decorated silver altar piece contains the image of the Holy Name of Jesus from Calvary, the patron saint of this church, and forms the centerpiece of the main altar.

During the Somoza dictatorship, on February 15, 1979, five young members of the United People's Movement were murdered by the National Guard in the northern bell tower of the Church El Calvario while they were protesting against the injustices there. Their bodies were dragged from the bell tower to the church steps, which reaffirmed El Calvario as a place of martyrdom; a memorial plaque on the church facade commemorates this event.

Opposite the Church El Calvario is the recently renovated Fray Antonio de Valdivieso Park, a homage to Bishop Valdivieso (1495–1550), a martyr for the human rights of Nicaragua's indigenous population and for the defense of the unity of Hispanic-American peoples against injustice and the neo-feudalism of the “Encomenderos” in the 16th century. The Encomenderos were Spanish colonists who were granted the right by the Spanish crown to demand labor and tribute from the indigenous population. In return, they were supposed to protect and, above all, Christianize the indigenous people. However, in practice, this often led to brutal exploitation and slavery.

Today we have to wake up early, at 5:00 AM – shortly after midnight – we will be picked up in the cold, rain, and fog at the Volcano Lodge. We quickly head down to the valley, where the sun is “naturally” shining again. We are ahead of schedule. Check-in, departure, and security control go very smoothly. The Copa Lounge is allegedly overcrowded, so we have to wait about half an hour on the waiting list. The lounge is at most 2/3 full, but at least it's manageable.

The flight is short and painless – a last look at the Poás Volcano shows us that it is again tucked under clouds today. On the descent into Managua, we have a beautiful view of the huge Lake Xolotlán and the Momombo Volcano – probably the most famous in Nicaragua.

At the “Aeroporto Internacional Augusto Sandino” there isn’t much happening; besides our COPA Boeing 737, there are only two Antonov-26 aircraft of Soviet origin on the tarmac – this aircraft was already very old about 35 years ago during Gerhard's Russia times – I made a few legendary flights with it: Perm – Moscow or Magnitogorsk – Ufa – Kazan; but those are other stories.

The immigration and customs clearance are rather relaxed; every foreigner has to pay a tourist fee of 10 US-$ in cash. During the obligatory baggage inspection, my carry-on backpack attracts attention – I am asked to step aside by an official. At the destination, at a simple table, the official there tells me to pick my form from the stack of entry papers that everyone had to fill out – fortunately, mine was near the top, the required opening of the backpack revealed the corpus delicti – our Swarovski Habicht binoculars. I had to write it on the slip, which then landed back in the stack. I never heard anything more on this topic, even upon departure. Probably a job creation in the Sandinista system.

Our pickup goes perfectly; our guide Huascar and driver Alan with his Toyota are ready.

We head straight to the city of Leon - we will also visit the capital, Managua, later after our stay in Leon. The traffic is surprisingly heavy, many US-built trucks and also Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cars. We quickly get to know three specialties of Nicaragua:

Firstly, the maximum speed has been limited to generally 50 km/h for several months – even on rural roads. The Sandinista government wants to reduce the number of traffic accidents with this measure.

The second new thing for us are the so-called “Trees of Life” – oversized steel flower monuments – practically at every roundabout. These are meant to commemorate the “salvation” of Nicaragua from the energy crisis after 2005 by the then President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez. After the electoral victory of Daniel Ortega – a leftist Sandinista – in 2007, Venezuela supplied oil at “friendship prices” and Chávez financed the construction of several oil-fired power plants to alleviate the chronic power outages in Nicaragua at that time.

And thirdly, the frequent statues – often as silhouettes – of Augusto Sandino are hard to miss.

More about the history and current situation of Nicaragua will be found in the blog about Managua.

During the roughly two-hour journey – that's how long it takes in Nicaragua for about 100 km – we not only stop at a viewpoint with a beautiful view of Lake Xolotlán and the Momombo Volcano, but we also stop at one of the numerous “brick factories” at Gerhard's request. Here, craftsmanship is still valued...

In Leon, we find the hotel 'La Perla 1858' with a beautiful, typical courtyard; dinner is romantic and quite enjoyable. It is clearly noticeable that Nicaragua is by far not as touristically developed as Costa Rica; the staff is sometimes a bit “clumsy,” and it would help if we spoke Spanish. But the people are friendly and eager, and we feel quite comfortable.

Matagalpa is the last stop on my journey before I travel to the capital this weekend to fly back home.
Contrary to my expectations, I am not enjoying it here. Unfortunately, I am also experiencing in Matagalpa that tours to nearby nature reserves or coffee farms are only offered for two or more people, and once again, I am the only interested person.

I don't feel comfortable walking through the broken, dirty, and hilly streets. In other cities, the streets are broken, dirty, and chaotic, but here it feels somehow different. Nowhere else have I seen so many begging children sent by their parents through cafés and restaurants with a basket full of trinkets to sell. 

Throughout my whole journey, I have not felt unsafe anywhere else. I am generally not an anxious person, but here in Matagalpa and its surroundings, I have already had an uneasy feeling twice while walking alone under the gaze of the locals. My guidebook states that Matagalpa is safe. Interestingly, no such statement regarding safety is found for any other city.

Yesterday, I walked up the hill to the nearest viewpoint. The guidebook suggested taking a taxi for that. I went on foot because Google Maps showed only 40 minutes. The path led me through a (or the) impoverished neighborhood of the city. It was shocking to see the conditions in which some people live here. It reminded me of Europe during the Industrial Revolution. I saw shelters hastily constructed from corrugated iron, plastic tarps, and a few bricks, on ground beaten into clay. Inside, more corrugated metal sheets served as partitions, supplemented by fabric curtains, creating small dark

I spent the last two days in Miraflor, a nature reserve in the mountains northeast of Estelí. The region is situated at about 1,500 meters above sea level and is heavily agricultural. The roads are unpaved, and apart from small farms and homesteads, there is little infrastructure. The people there live in great poverty. Agricultural machinery is absent; plowing is still done with a wooden plow drawn by two oxen.

Three times a day, a bus travels to the nearest town. It takes about three hours to cover the 42 kilometers over bumpy gravel roads. It not only transports passengers but also supplies residents along the route with essential goods from the city—a logistical process that was truly fascinating to observe. Goods were unloaded at each farm and received by waiting locals. Conversely, agricultural products were also loaded onto the bus to be sold or distributed in the city.

I stayed in an ecolodge that, due to the lack of infrastructure, only offered full board accommodations. There was a hot meal three times a day: Gallo Pinto (rice and beans) either with an egg or some chicken. The lodge was very simply furnished, and due to the consistently high humidity, everything—the room and the bedding—smelled musty and damp.

The lodge also had four large, flea-infested guard dogs that were generally friendly but completely untrained. They terrorized not only cattle and neighborhood dogs but were also intrusive towards the few guests staying at the lodge.

The owner of the lodge, Isabel, is German. She lives there alone (I suspect her marriage failed; at least she has a son who does not live with her) and is somewhat eccentric. Perhaps understandable when living in such seclusion. Against this backdrop, I can also understand why she does not regulate the dogs’ behavior more strictly.

I must admit that I felt somewhat relieved when I walked to the bus stop this morning in the fog to continue my travels. The living conditions were too stark for me and thus somewhat oppressive. I couldn't easily turn my back on the European standard of living and live in seclusion at the end of the world. Isabel has been doing this for 15 years!

Yesterday, I joined the four travelers I had met on the canyon tour to visit a coffee finca. Such plantations are typically hard to reach without a booked tour and shuttle, as they are usually not connected to the public bus network. What started as a purely functional community to save costs turned into a wonderful day that we spent together.

We rented a car for a day for the five of us (cost per person: $11) and headed to the Selva Negra coffee farm. The farm is run by a second-generation German expatriate family and is entirely dedicated to sustainability and ecotourism. While the cultivation and export of coffee beans continue to be the economic focus, there is now also a tourism resort with private rooms, a restaurant, farm tours, and several hiking trails.

Approximately 250 workers live permanently on the farm; during the coffee harvest, there are significantly more. For the permanent laborers, there are small accommodations with gardens, a small shop, and a school that offers after-school care for the children.

No pesticides are used on the farm; instead, only ecological fertilization and pest control methods are employed. The meat offered in the restaurant comes from their own livestock and slaughtering, and there is extensive vegetable cultivation. Coffee cultivation, as well as the harvesting and further processing, undergo strict quality controls. We gained insights into almost all production steps, making it an exciting and educational experience.

I have since traveled to Estelí. The city is located in the northwest of Nicaragua at an altitude of about 800 meters, giving it a wonderfully pleasant climate. In the evenings, I even need a long sleeve shirt because it noticeably cools down after sunset. And there are no mosquitoes – a dream!

I am staying with a family that rents out a guest room; I share all other spaces with them. Luckily, the son speaks good English, having attended an English-speaking school in Managua for three years. The mother is very warm but speaks only Spanish.

Estelí is known for its cigar production, so today I visited a small cigar factory in the city center.

Von der Insel Ometepe bin ich nach León weitergereist, einer tropisch heißen Stadt nordwestlich der Hauptstadt Managua.
Es ist erstaunlich, wie oft meine Erwartungen oder Hoffnungen, wie ein Ort sein würde, sich nicht erfüllen. Obwohl ich nun seit drei Wochen in Nicaragua bin, ertappe ich mich immer noch dabei, in westlichen Maßstäben zu denken.

So ging ich zum Beispiel ganz selbstverständlich davon aus, an der Pazifikküste bei León eine belebte Strandpromenade mit vielen Cafés, Bars und Badegästen zu finden. Entsprechend ausgerüstet mit Buch, Strandtuch und Bikini fuhr ich am Vormittag mit dem Bus nach Peñitas, dem kleinen Ort direkt am Meer. Dort angekommen, lief ich etwa drei Kilometer den Strand entlang, es bot sich mir jedoch überall dasselbe Bild: ein menschenleerer Sandstrand, verrammelte Strandbuden und keinerlei Schatten, den man bei dieser Hitze so dringend bräuchte. Das von meinem Reiseführer empfohlene Hotel samt Restaurant hatte zwar geöffnet, aber selbst dort waren kaum Gäste.

Ich bin einmal kurz ins Wasser gegangen, um mich abzukühlen. Doch der starke Wellengang – für Surfer sicher ideal – machte Schwimmen oder entspanntes Planschen nahezu unmöglich.

Solchen eher ernüchternden Erlebnissen stehen Begegnungen gegenüber, die mich wirklich berühren: die Italienerin aus Mailand zum Beispiel, die während einer dreiwöchigen Nicaragua-Reise mit Rückflugticket in der Tasche spontan beschloss zu bleiben und nun seit zwei Jahren mit ihrem Mann ein kleines italienisches Restaurant auf Ometepe betreibt. Sie erzählte, sie habe hier alles, was sie brauche, sei aber seither nicht mehr nach Italien zurückgereist, aus Angst, dann vielleicht nicht erneut den Mut zu finden, hierher zurückzukehren. Oder die angehende Lehrerin aus Bayern, die nach dem Studium ein zehnmonatiges Praktikum an der Deutschen Schule in Managua begonnen hat und nun in einer nicaraguanischen Gastfamilie lebt und hier unterrichtet.

Nicaraguas Städte bieten im Vergleich zu Europa wenig Reizvolles. Man reist nach Nicaragua, um Landschaft und Natur zu erleben. Und das, das habe ich inzwischen eingesehen, ist auf eigene Faust und ohne Auto gar nicht so einfach. Öffentliche Busse halten mit Glück am Eingang der Nationalparks, oft aber sind die schönsten Naturorte mit lokalen Bussen gar nicht erreichbar. Deshalb werde ich nun häufiger Touren buchen, um die besonderen Plätze dieses Landes wirklich sehen und genießen zu können.

Ich muss leider feststellen, dass individuelles Reisen in Nicaragua, wie zuvor schon in Costa Rica, ohne eigenes Fahrzeug gar nicht so einfach ist. Dummerweise habe ich meinen Führerschein zu Hause gelassen, weil ich zum Zeitpunkt meines Reiseantritts aufgrund meines Bänderrisses nicht fahren konnte und die Option eines Mietwagens auch aus Kostengründen verworfen hatte. Inzwischen bereue ich diese vorschnelle Entscheidung, denn ein Auto würde vieles erleichtern.

Erschwerend kommt hinzu, dass hier in Nicaragua noch Nebensaison ist. Viele Touranbieter starten ihre Touren erst ab zwei Teilnehmenden, und meist bin ich die einzige Interessentin.

So kam es, dass ich an meinem letzten Tag in Granada versuchte, mit dem öffentlichen Bus die Sehenswürdigkeiten in der Umgebung zu besuchen, die auch der Touranbieter im Programm gehabt hätte, zu der Tour es jedoch mangels Teilnehmer nicht gekommen war.

Den Aussichtspunkt mit Blick auf die Laguna Apoyo konnte ich relativ problemlos erreichen. Gerne wäre ich anschließend auch in der Lagune schwimmen gegangen, doch ein Zugang zum Wasser besteht fast nur über die privaten Hotels und Hostels direkt am Ufer. Der größte Teil des Ufers ist zu stark bewachsen und somit nicht zum Baden geeignet. Ein Bus zu den entsprechenden Unterkünften fuhr nicht, und mit dem Taxi dorthin zu fahren, war mir der Aufwand und auch die Kosten nicht wert.

Am Abend wollte ich dann den Vulkan Masaya besuchen, in dessen Krater noch glühende Lava zu sehen sein soll. Wie so oft fuhr der öffentliche Bus bis zum Eingang des Nationalparks, und die Anreise verlief problemlos. Ich plante, gegen 17 Uhr, also mit Einsetzen der Dämmerung, vor Ort zu sein, um im Dunkeln einen möglichst guten Blick auf die leuchtende Lava zu haben. Schon an der Zufahrt stauten sich zahlreiche Autos mit Touristen, die dasselbe Spektakel sehen wollten.

Am Tickethäuschen erklärte mir der Parkwächter jedoch, dass eine Besichtigung zu Fuß nicht möglich sei, man müsse mit einem Fahrzeug zum Krater fahren. Während ich noch überlegte, ob ich die Wartenden in ihren Autos um eine Mitfahrgelegenheit bitten sollte, bot der Parkwächter an, mir einen Shuttle zu organisieren. Kurz darauf wurde ich im Pickup zur Zwischenstation gefahren, an der sich auch ein kleines Museum befindet. Dort erfuhr ich, dass in präkolumbianischer Zeit am Krater Kinder und jungfräuliche Mädchen geopfert wurden, um den Vulkan zu besänftigen.

Vom Museum aus ging es nach einiger Wartezeit weiter zum Krater. Aufgrund der giftigen Gase darf man sich dort nur 20–30 Minuten aufhalten; die Dämpfe reizen zudem sofort die Schleimhäute. Das Erlebnis war dennoch einzigartig.

Zurück am Parkausgang begann das zweite Abenteuer: die Rückfahrt nach Granada. Das bedeutete, im Dunkeln an einer kaum beleuchteten Landstraße zu warten und darauf zu hoffen, dass noch ein Bus fuhr – ein Szenario, vor dem jeder Reiseführer ausdrücklich warnt. Nach kurzer Zeit hielt tatsächlich ein Minibus, der allerdings so voll war, dass ich die ersten Kilometer auf dem Trittbrett der ersten Stufe bei offener Tür mitfahren musste. Was bei uns in Deutschland undenkbar wäre, ist hier alltäglich  

Inzwischen bin ich auf der Insel Ometepe angekommen. Die Insel hat die Form einer Acht, und sowohl im Norden als auch im Süden erhebt sich jeweils ein Vulkan.

Auch hier gestaltet sich das individuelle Erkunden schwierig. Es gibt zwar einen Bus, der etwa stündlich über die Insel fährt, doch einen verlässlichen Fahrplan gibt es nicht.  Der Bus kommt, wenn er kommt. Und manchmal kommt er eben auch nicht.

Die Einheimischen fahren fast alle Motorrad, und auch Touristen können an jeder Ecke eines mieten, aber das ist für mich erst recht keine Option. Heute habe ich zweimal rund 40 Minuten auf den Bus warten müssen. Zwischendurch hatte ein Lieferwagenfahrer Mitleid mit mir und hat mich ein Stück mitgenommen. Auf diese Weise werde ich wohl auch in den nächsten Tagen die Insel erkunden.

Heute habe ich einen großartigen Ausflug zum nahegelegenen Vulkan Mombacho gemacht – und diese Eindrücke haben mich ein Stück weit mit Granada versöhnt. Zunächst bin ich mit dem örtlichen Bus bis zur Abzweigung, die zum Nationalpark führt, gefahren. Die Fahrt kostete umgerechnet 35 Cent. Inzwischen frage ich gar nicht mehr nach dem Preis, sondern gebe dem Busfahrer einfach einen Betrag, der mir angemessen erscheint, und bin jedes Mal erstaunt, wie viel Wechselgeld ich zurückbekomme.

Von der Abzweigung aus musste ich etwa 30 Minuten bis zum Eingang des Nationalparks laufen. Dort erfuhr ich, dass ich den Shuttle zur Berg- und Forschungsstation gerade verpasst hatte und der nächste erst in zwei Stunden fahren würde. Während ich noch in Erwägung zog, die sieben Kilometer zur Bergstation zu Fuß zurückzulegen, teilte mir die Frau am Tickethäuschen mit, dass doch noch ein früherer Shuttle fahre, da sich weitere Besucher angekündigt hätten. Das war mein Glück!

Die Straße hinauf zur Bergstation war steil, und erst dort wollte ich mit der eigentlichen Wanderung beginnen. Ich saß eingeklemmt zwischen weitere Besucher, hauptsächlich in den USA lebende Hispanics, auf der Ladefläche eines Pickups und hatte meine liebe Not, mich während der Fahrt festzuhalten, sodass ich nicht bei jedem Schlagloch das Gleichgewicht verlor. 

Die Ausblicke und die gesamte Umgebung des Vulkans waren jedoch einzigartig. Seht selbst!

Two days ago, I crossed the border into Nicaragua. On foot. The bus stopped at the bus terminal in Peñas Blancas right at the Costa Rican border. Costa Rica is not only expensive as a travel destination; I also had to pay another 12 US dollars for exiting the country. After that, I walked about 800 meters through no man's land, passing waiting trucks, until I reached the Nicaraguan customs and immigration office. Customs officers sat in the shade at regular intervals, and I had to show them my passport. However, they seemed little interested and quickly waved me on. The entry into Nicaragua cost another 13 US dollars, and the officer at the counter tried to shortchange me by 2 dollars by claiming he couldn't change a 5-dollar bill.

Hardly had I left the building on the Nicaraguan side when I found myself unexpectedly in a colorful hustle and bustle: countless street vendors offering everything that the hearts of ordinary people desire, along with taxi drivers, bus operators, and middlemen – a dense, lively mess. People and sales stalls crowded along both sides of the road, while trucks continued to stack up in the middle, waiting for clearance at the border. It was challenging to make any progress. I wasn't prepared for this chaos; everything had gone much more orderly and quietly in Costa Rica. Eventually, I fell

After 8 dives and 8 nights (the plan was four dives and 3 to 4 nights), I have to say goodbye to the little Corn Island. I find it a bit hard to leave. My host Grace took excellent care of me, providing delicious coffee every morning, mending my bag, and grilling tasty fish for me. However, she, along with the entire island, faces an uncertain future.

Big Corn Islands is the right place if you want more beach; however, I don't like it here so much, which may also be due to the weather, which has become noticeably more changeable. Everything is more sprawling and not as nice as over there. Therefore, my highlight was also my visit to the hairdresser. In a small shed by the roadside, I tried to explain to my counterpart what I wanted. So far, so good. The machine initially worked reliably until it started acting up; at first, a screwdriver helped, but when that no longer worked, they generously sprayed some WD40 on the cutting head, and afterward, the machine ran perfectly again! The scissors, which would more likely be found in our kitchen than at the hairdresser's, were quickly sharpened with a glass bottle (I have no idea how that worked). Since the handling with comb and scissors did not look very professional, I became a bit nervous when the colleague inserted the razor blade into the holder. But what can I say, I made it through without injury, albeit with a somewhat unconventional haircut, and for that, a decent splash of Eau de WD40!
I'm too old for a dorm room. While two of my roommates and I went to bed relatively early around 11 PM, we had not seen the fourth person all evening. Until I woke up at night because my bed was shaking and I heard a bang. Apparently, the person beneath me fell into bed drunk. When the performance repeated itself half an hour later, he ran against the bathroom door multiple times and had to gag. I expected the worst. Eventually, he found the door, and at the same time, you could hear the splashing. I didn't smell anything; at least he made it to the bathroom. Accordingly, I had a bad night’s sleep because the noise from below didn't really cease. In the morning, I went straight to a shared bathroom to brush my teeth; I met the other two from my room in the hall, who also just laughed and didn't want to look at the mess in the toilet. Well, it's off for 5 hours by bus to the next hostel in San Juan del Sur; hopefully, I'll have better luck there. I'm already looking forward to the time with Lippe and afterward with Fina without a dormitory :)
A cool little town, especially if you like to party. Since I prefer riding a scooter and exploring the area, I rented one of course. You shouldn't expect picture-perfect beaches here, but you can spend your day alone on very secluded beaches. In San Pedro itself, the beach was full of trash, but from up at the Christ statue, you can't see it.

I will not be able to describe or explain even remotely how I felt these past few days. You just have to experience it, the tranquility, the connection with nature, and above all, the beauty of the jungle. The diversity of animals, the climate, the plants, it's incredible!

Well, let's quickly go back to Ometepe. After my relaxing day in Balgüe, I went back to Moyogalpa for two more days. But I didn't do much, I had ice cream, went to the hairdresser, planned my route for Costa Rica, and cooked a delicious curry. On Sunday, April 21, 2024, I left Ometepe and went back to Granada. I checked back into the same hostel and took care of a few things. I had to find out what time the bus to San Carlos would leave (11:00 AM), buy some snacks, and withdraw some money.

On Monday, April 22, 2024, I went to San Carlos on the other side of the lake. Surprisingly, it was a pleasant bus ride, not a chicken bus but a proper coach that cost less than 6€ for a 7-hour trip. I arrived in San Carlos around 6 PM.

On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, I took the boat to El Castillo, but before that, I treated myself to some pastries, including a turtle-shaped bun😋 The boat ride was quite wet, but the temperatures are so high that it's not a problem. And then I arrived in El Castillo, checked in, and went straight to a tour operator because I wanted to explore the jungle here. It was a bit disappointing because all the tours are designed for two people, and it's just not affordable to go alone. But the tour operator mentioned that there was another tourist here and that a couple might arrive tomorrow. I have to mention that El Castillo is a small village with a few hundred inhabitants, only accessible by boat, and not well-known to tourists. But that's what makes it an adventure, right? I walked along the street (El Castillo actually has only two streets) and had lunch. I tried to find the other tourist but was unsuccessful, so I hoped to get more information about the couple from the tour operator.

On April 24, 2024, around noon, I was walking along the street again, and Paola approached me, the only other tourist here in town. She is Italian but speaks both fluent German and fluent Spanish, jackpot. She had a similar problem and thought that organizing a tour into the jungle would be easier together. She had already asked around and found something for herself. When we talked a bit, she asked her contact if it would be possible for me to join as well. Yes. So, as 'volunteers,' we headed into the jungle the next morning. Being volunteers implies doing some work and helping around the house. For a price of only 110€ for 4 days/3 nights, a jungle tour, and a night boat ride, it was super cheap! What a great deal. We had no idea what to expect, where it was, or what our tasks would be, but we were promised food, a toilet, a covered place to sleep, and towels. For the jungle, that sounded good.

The first day in the jungle...we met at 8 AM, Denis (the guide) arrived, and we went to the boat. His daughter Priscilla was already there, he bought some gasoline, and off we went. On the way to the accommodation, we made a few stops to observe animals. In the big Rio San Juan, we saw two crocodiles, and as we turned into Rio Bartola, we entered the jungle more and more. There, we saw a basilisk and many birds. After about 2 hours, we arrived at the accommodation, or more precisely, at their home. The accommodation is located before the actual jungle on a hill, so the view is fantastic, and the climate is much more pleasant. Their home is very simple, two huts, one with the kitchen, the other with the dining area, and above that, the bedroom for everyone. We set up our tents a bit further ahead on a plateau with a roof. They only had electricity from a small solar panel to power three light bulbs and one socket. The water came from stored rainwater. But it's the essentials, what else do you need? There was no reception there either. The family is super warm and kind. We were greeted with a fruit shake and shortly after that with spaghetti. Paola and I were already amazed by the place, and when we saw two beautiful red parrots, we were overjoyed. At around 2:30 PM, we went into the jungle with Denis and Priscilla. It was simply wow. Denis first explained a few basic things and advised us not to touch too much. Either it has thorns, ants walking along it (and onto you), or it might not even be a branch but a snake...well, alright. As a greeting, I had a few large ants on my boots, and one of them bit me, luckily not poisonous😅 So we went in, and Denis tried to show us and explain as much as possible, and there is a lot! About medicinal plants, different trees, and of course, all the animals. We saw the red Poison dart frog, green poison dart frogs, crabs, a bullet ant (a bite from which causes 24 hours of excruciating pain), and dozens of birds. In between, Denis showed us a plant used for anesthesia, we touched it with our tongues, and boom, we were anesthetized, unbelievable. Among the huge, sometimes 600-year-old mammoth trees were the 'Walking Trees'. They can actually move up to 1 meter per year to always have the best access to the sun. They simply produce new roots and let others die off to move from one place to another. It was getting more and more humid, and we were just soaking wet. We came to a small river where we could dip our feet. There we also saw a snake, although it was very high up in the trees. Then we continued towards the exit, but taking a different path than the one we came from, and I had to admit to myself that I had absolutely no sense of direction anymore. Up until the river, I at least still knew how to get back (probably an exaggeration of my navigational skills), but then I realized that we were completely dependent on Denis. It was already starting to get dark, and all the impressions and constant alertness were very exhausting. However, we still saw a few more birds, insects, and a coati. A beautiful excursion! Back at the accommodation, we were greeted with a lime juice with rum, and dinner was almost ready. By the way, due to the location, most families living there are self-sufficient. They grow everything themselves, from rice and beans to fruits/vegetables, coconuts, and spices. So everything is super fresh and from their own garden. The grandma, a few meters up the hill, makes fresh cheese and tortillas every day. This is how we all ate together, and by 8 PM, it was almost time to go to sleep.

The second day in the jungle started with a wonderful coffee and breakfast from the grandma. Around 9 AM, Priscilla and André (the son) took me to Sector 2, another community where André's school and a church are located. We passed by the houses of various aunts, the grandparents, and friends of the family. The school is a simple wooden hut, but all the children are really excited about going to school. The church was already decorated because today, 5 children were going to be baptized. Even though the people here are very poor and in the middle of nowhere, they dressed up nicely for this day. Okay, many of them wore rubber boots, but we're still in the jungle here, and it rains every day. Even though the pastor was 1.5 hours late, it was a very interesting service. After sitting in the church for a total of 3 hours, we headed back. The grandma had cooked for us again since Rosario and Denis were in El Castillo, they had something to do there. We rested for a bit, and around 3 PM, André's cousins came by and asked if we wanted to play in the river with them. Of course. So a few minutes later, we were in the middle of the jungle in a river playing tag with some children. And then it started pouring rain like crazy. I can't describe how I felt at that moment...it was pure adventure, authentic, magical, and simply incredible. Surrounded by beautiful animals and plants in a river with local children in heavy rain, absolutely amazing. We completely lost track of time, and after 5 PM, we climbed back up, all exhausted and at least Paola and I were extremely happy. Rosario had already prepared a delicious fresh meal for us, and we could recharge. Since the rain didn't stop, we had to forget about our night tour, so we had a Coco-Loco instead. A coconut with rum😋 But then I was super tired, and it was time to return to the tent. By the way, the temperature there was very pleasant, we always had a breeze, and overall, it was a good temperature.

The third day in the jungle was going to be our last full day. There was a French girl at the grandma's house who was doing the same thing as us; she had also been in the river with us the previous day. She had the idea of making pizza on Saturday. So Paola, Rosario, and I went up to the grandma's house, André went fishing with his cousins, and Denis was at school (every Saturday, he has to teach at the 'high school,' and the walk there takes 2 hours one way!). Everything was already in full swing there, the last cheese was being made in the kitchen, tortillas were being prepared, and the 'oven' outside was heating up. The 'oven' consisted of a fire pit with a large pot on top, and then a sheet of metal was laid on top of it. Paola and I were first shown how to make tortillas in the kitchen and then tried it ourselves. Afterwards, we could eat the ones with cheese, they were really tasty! Outside, we had already started to top the first pizza. The toppings consisted mostly of vegetables from the garden, and we rolled the pizzas with a beer bottle, and instead of baking paper, we used banana leaves. So we made lots of pizzas for the whole family, which took almost 4 hours but was a lot of fun. The grandma wasn't convinced at first that a meal without rice would be satisfying, but she was ultimately happy with the pizza. Afterwards, we went back down, and the kids convinced me to play baseball with them (the national sport here in Guatemala). Then I showed them my sport, and we did pull-ups, push-ups, and squats😁 At 2 PM, we went back to the river to continue playing. And then we also went to the field in front of the river to play soccer, more and more people joined, just coming from work or washing laundry in the river. It was really nice to see everyone together. After having dinner, it was already dark, and we got on the boat. Rosario and Denis navigated us through the river for almost 2 hours in the dark, most of the time using headlamps but sometimes in complete darkness. They know the river so well that they sometimes don't need light to maneuver. This time was very impressive, seeing all the stars above and hearing only insects around us. During the tour, we saw a snake, sleeping basilisks, a few spiders, toads, and a larger animal, but it was too far away. But it was the entire journey that was simply unique.

The next morning was calm, we said goodbye to everyone, and at 10 AM, I took the boat back to San Carlos. However, I ran into Denis again, who needed to go to a different place. He was supposed to take the boat at 6:30 AM, but it was full, and he had to wait. That's already a problem because there are about 5 boats per day, but they always have a different amount of space, yet everyone depends on these boats...Luckily, I managed to secure one of the last seats, and this time, Denis did too. I got off a few kilometers before San Carlos because I want to cross the border to Costa Rica. I originally wanted to take a bus, but I decided to take a taxi, so I went to the border. Everything went smoothly, I asked the bus driver where I had to change, and he told me the place where I had to get off (there was no information about this route on the internet). Well, and then I stood there in the city, but no bus came. I tried hitchhiking for over an hour, but somehow nobody wanted to pick me up. But a taxi driver gave me a ride for a few kilometers, and it was even free! Then I was only 8 km away from La Fortuna, and I got a ride from someone who ordered an Uber. Easy. Now I'm in Costa Rica...very Americanized, touristy, and expensive, quite beautiful, but the tour operators here have such expensive cabins...wow. La Fortuna is really not a big town, but you can tell that they make a lot of money from tourism. It doesn't look like any place I've been to before. And 200g of pasta costs 1.50€, and it's not even Barilla! Even though the nature here is beautiful, you can't do anything without a tour or guide, and unfortunately, that's not in my budget, so I will travel through Costa Rica fairly quickly.

The last few days in the jungle were simply beautiful and an absolute highlight of this trip! There was so much to see and learn, but above all, to experience how it is to live there. You can't just go to the supermarket or have a yogurt snack, they have to cook three times a day, otherwise, the family simply has nothing to eat! I found it really great how friendly and open the children were towards us tourists. And despite everything, the children are allowed to go to school every day, and I've seen other things in some cities. Oh, it was just a great time, thanks to Paola, who translated things for me from time to time, but with whom I could also share all these experiences.

Hello!

On the day after the volcano hike (12.04.24) there was nothing going on, I treated myself to a big pizza and relaxed in the hammock for a while.

On 13.04.24, it was another travel day, and this time to the island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua. The bus to the port was in no hurry, I waited for a solid 1.5 hours on the bus because the bus driver didn't want to leave with half the capacity. Just before the city, we were practically kicked out and told to get on another bus that went directly to the ferry instead of just to the town with the port. So, okay, another 15 minutes on the other bus and then we were at the port. There, I had to pay 1€ to enter the port as a tourist?! What nonsense... but only about 1.25€ for the one-hour ferry ride. I was surprised to find such high waves on a lake, but it was a fun crossing.

Ometepe is a nearly 40-50km long and up to 10km wide island, but the special thing about the island are the volcanoes. The shape of the island resembles an 8, and there is a volcano in each 'circle.' The inactive volcano Maderas, with a height of ~1300m, has a crater lake. The Concepción volcano, at almost 1600m, is still active.

The main port on Ometepe is located in Moyogalpa, where I spent the first 2 nights. I had a very cool hostel with an incredible view of both volcanoes and the lake.

On 14.04.24, I rented a bike to ride around the Concepción volcano, about 45km. However, the evening before, the couple I had last chatted with in Léon arrived. Since they are cycling through Central America, they decided to accompany me for a bit and then cycle to their next accommodation halfway. The ride was fun, but finding food was harder than expected since it was Sunday. Around 2:00 PM, we finally found a comedor that was becoming more and more suspicious, but okay. The food was also twice as expensive as in all other comedores, but they didn't negotiate, so we were glad to be back on the bike. We said goodbye, and I continued cycling around the volcano. Around 4:30 PM, I arrived at a beach famous for its sunset. So, I treated myself to a beer and waited for the sunset. It was indeed very beautiful.

On 15.04.24, I headed to the next town, Santa Cruz. It is located approximately in the middle of the island and has a beautiful beach. I took a walk to a food truck that offers falafel pita. It was very good to be able to eat something similar to kebab after such a long time😋 On the way back, I made a stop at a cafe that had delicious cinnamon buns.

The next morning (16.04.24), I packed my things again and decided to walk to the next town. Balgüe is only 5km away, and buses here are very irregular, but I knew I had time, so I had a coffee at the cafe from the day before. Unfortunately, the cinnamon buns were not ready yet... A few minutes later, I met a couple from France with whom I had hiked in Guatemala at Lake Atitlán. It's always fascinating when you meet someone somewhere again after such a long time. We chatted a bit, and maybe we'll see each other again in Colombia, as we will both be there in June. Then, unfortunately, I continued without a break, which resulted in a good sweat. Oh well. I arrived at Finca Magdalena around noon and checked into my private room for 4€ per night (probably a mistake by the reception, but I kept quiet; I should have slept in a 10-bed dormitory😁). The finca itself is huge and is located on the slope of the Maderas volcano, where cocoa, coffee, bananas, and much more are grown. A beautiful place.

On 17.04.24, I had made plans to climb the Maderas volcano with the two cyclists. They arrived here at 09:15 (they still had to take the bus around the volcano), and we set off. It is a 5km hike and 1000m uphill to the viewpoint. It was sweaty. And the higher we got, the more jungle-like it became, the path became muddier and narrower. It was more like a muddy climbing trip, but it was fun. The crater was also beautiful to look at, potentially you can descend the 100m and swim in the crater lake. But since it is currently the dry season, it more resembles a pond. Since it was easier for the two of them to catch the bus, we decided to take a different descent to Santa Cruz instead of going back to the finca. Why did I decide to take this +7km detour? Good question. At least I could get the cinnamon buns again (although I suspect they sent me to the toilet several times that night). Then I wanted to hitchhike, but no car passed by, only scooters, which I didn't want to get on. So, I enjoyed a nice walk in the afternoon sun... When I fell asleep in the hammock around 9:00 PM, I went to bed.

Today, I don't feel particularly fit, the hike was more strenuous than I thought, and then there was the constant waking up at night. But well, I had nothing planned, so I spent the whole day being lazy and planning my trip a bit further.

During the rainy season, there is a ferry from Ometepe to San Carlos (where I want to go next), but currently, it's not running. So now I have to cruise around the entire lake in chicken buses, yay. But I think it will be worth it, not for San Carlos but for El Castillo, a place on the Rio San Juan where hopefully the jungle begins😋 I'm very excited.

Good morning,

what can I say, backpacking isn't always great. Some days it's just a pain and you just want to go home! Everything annoys you, you spend a lot of time on your phone and don't feel like getting up in the morning. That's how I've felt the last few days, to be honest it's been there subconsciously since the beginning of Nicaragua. This listlessness over and over again, the thoughts of home, friends, family and just thinking about not having to pack your backpack every few days and having to ride to the next hostel in an overcrowded and loud bus... Sometimes it just gets too much, even if traveling is one of the best things you can do. I just had to recognize this fact and deal with it. Now I've just taken it easy for a few days and just listened to myself and what's going on. Anyway, my little low is more or less over and it hasn't been that long now. But now to my experiences of the last few days.

On April 6, 2024, I was drawn to the sea again. Well, yes, the place was by the sea, but I wasn't really in the mood for the beach. I actually only wanted to go there to go kayaking. And it was only a 30-minute drive from Leon. I was only at the beach for 2 hours that day and did some research on where to rent kayaks. After I found a hotel with kayaks, I reserved one for 9:00 the next day.

I still have the German punctuality in me and so I was at the hotel at 8:50 the next day (07.04.24). For just under 11€ I had a kayak for 3 hours and was able to explore part of the "Reserva Natural Isla Juan Venado". This is a mangrove forest right by the sea but is divided by a river and can therefore be explored from there. Kayaking is just great fun for me, the isolation, the peace and just the way of getting around is just great. So I was almost alone on the river for 3 hours and was able to spot some birds, fish, crabs and even 2 lizards. After that I stayed on the beach for a while, treated myself to a cold Coke and went back to the hostel. In the evening I spontaneously went to the sea to watch the sunset.

And it continued again (08.04.24)...you see, I've been pretty restless lately and haven't stayed in one place for long, even though I have the time. Somehow, no place appealed to me enough to make me want to stay there for a few more days and I always thought that the next place would appeal to me more. A bit of a vicious circle. Then I took the bus back to Léon, then through the whole city to another bus terminal, from there to the capital Managua and then on to Granada. A fairly large but pretty city. I didn't do much other than get a little something to eat.

Before I continue, I must briefly explain the location of Granada. Granada is located on the largest lake in Central America and on it are the Granada Islands. This is an archipelago of 365 islands, some of which are inhabited, that were formed a few thousand years ago by the eruption of the Mombacho volcano.

Continuing on, I organized a kayak tour (yay!) for the next morning to explore some of these islands.

So we got out of bed at 5:00 (09.04.24) and were taken to the kayak at 6:00. And how could it be otherwise, the other participants were all German of course 😂. It's really bad at the moment, over a third of the travelers here are German, crazy! We saddled up the kayak and off we went through the islands in the largest lake in Central America. Our guide was cool, told us a lot about the different birds and plants. There are even howler monkeys living on the islands, they are the only monkeys living in Nicaragua that can swim. We were able to spot some of them too, but for once they were quiet. Some of these islands are for sale, some with houses, some without. On an island with an old fortress we took a break and munched on a melon. After 3 hours we were done and were taken back to the hostel. The rest of the day was not particularly eventful.

Yesterday (April 10, 2024) not much happened, I did a bit of shopping, sat around and thought about my further journey. In the evening I went to another hostel because there was a couple there who I got on well with in Miraflor. We chatted a bit and played pool (I was terrible at it). It was nice to talk to them a bit and hear what they had been up to in the last few days since I left Miraflor. And maybe in a few days we will climb a volcano on Ometepe together, that would be really cool.

Today (04/11/24) there was another volcano to climb. The Mombacho volcano, which was responsible for the 365 islands on the lake. After a 20-minute bus ride I was already close to the entrance. The climb was no picnic, however, it was almost 7km and 900m up. There is the option of booking a shuttle to the crater, but to be honest, you don't deserve the crater! So I hiked up, the path was even paved, which made it much easier than some other climbs. I was at the top after 1.5 hours, I could wring out my shirt but I was a little proud of the time 😅 At the top there are 4 paths that lead along/around the crater, but only one is allowed without a guide. I don't understand why they always have these guide regulations here, but that's fine. But you pay more the longer the path, plus the guide + tip. So I skipped it and only walked 1.5km around the crater without a guide. But it was still really beautiful and varied. After about an hour we went back down and going downhill is a whole different story... I had to go over the really steep parts backwards because it was just so exhausting to go forwards. I've never done that before but going backwards downhill can be very pleasant😂 Halfway there was a café, I had a coffee there and then we continued down. There were a lot of howler monkeys there again, which the people in the shuttles don't see at all, ha!😂 Then I waited on the road for the bus back to Granada. After lunch in a comedor we went back to the hostel.

To go back to the beginning... Of course I experienced cool stuff the whole time but the time in between is sometimes really exhausting. Never being able to sleep in your own bed, rarely being able to sleep through the night, even in a private room with earplugs I am rarely able to do that. And generally having to take responsibility for everything is exhausting. I have to make every decision: what do I want to do, how do I get there, where can I sleep, get food, keep having conversations with people who I will most likely never see again... Don't get me wrong, all of that is wonderful, having this freedom but sometimes it is just too much and that is what I have had in the last few days.

Well, I have understood it now and have gained new strength through the realization of it. I am really looking forward to the adventures that still lie ahead of me but also to a big falafel kebab when I get home 😁

Hello everyone,

My journey continues, albeit at a slow pace, but always further towards Colombia. Every place and every day is a gift, there is always so much to discover, day trips, interesting food or just a chilled hostel. This freedom to just go with the flow and decide the night before where you are going the next day is fantastic. Even if I don't have any strict plans for the individual countries, it always develops over time. Recommendations from other travelers, places mentioned by locals or guides, ideas that come to me during the sometimes long bus rides or from one or two travel blogs I have read.

The second day in Esteli (31.03.24) was actually supposed to be dedicated to a visit to a cigar factory, but smart people realize that it was a Sunday. So I wanted to go to a nearby waterfall, but here too I realized that the buses are less frequent on Sundays. So I decided to just go to Matagalpa, I have no idea what there is there but I've heard the name of the city before and there wasn't much to do in Esteli. 2 hours later I was in the city, on the way to the center I saw a mountain with a cross on top and that is always a sign of a viewpoint. Since I wasn't really interested in exploring the city next anyway, I went up there. Isolated and alone, it took 1.5 hours to go up there, the peace and quiet was lovely. On the way down I went to the supermarket for lunch and then got on an overcrowded hot bus, where I had to stand for 2 hours🥲

Then finally it was no longer the weekend and I could do the tour to the cigar factory. It started at 10:00 and I was the only one, which was nice. A little background information: Esteli is the cigar capital of Nicaragua and Nicaragua is still Cuba and the Dominican Republic is the third largest cigar exporter (information from the guide). In Esteli itself you can see cigar factories everywhere, from family businesses to large companies with up to 2,000 employees. In the whole city around 40,000 people work with tobacco, which is a good third of the population. Well, we were in a medium-sized company with just under 60 employees. Everything is done by hand there, leaves are checked and dried, rolled, tested, stored and labeled. Very interesting and something unique to see. This company exports all cigars to Canada, Mexico and the majority to Brazil where the cigars are sold for $10-$50. They produce about 6000-7000 cigars a day.

After a hearty portion of Gallo Pinto (rice with beans) we took the bus to Miraflor, the place was recommended to me in Somoto and sounded good. The journey took a long time even though it was only 30km but the "road" should really only have been driven on with a 4x4 and not an old school bus... well, I got there. In nature. It was amazing how quiet and idyllic it was there, the finca was really beautiful, tons of hummingbirds, butterflies and all you could hear were the birds and the wind in the trees. 7 puppies were born in the finca a few weeks ago and yes, they are of course the absolute attraction.

On April 2, 2024, it was, as expected, pretty quiet. I read a lot and after lunch we hiked to a waterfall where you could swim and relax. The parents of the puppies and another dog accompanied us the whole way. The dogs were rather mediocrely trained, but they didn't stay in the finca when we left. On the way they probably killed a chicken, bullied cows and attacked dogs on their property... it must be said that our dogs probably weighed between 30-60kg, so they weren't small dogs. We found it very uncomfortable walking past fields and properties and the dogs just run in and chase the chickens or dogs there, but they just didn't listen and didn't stay in the finca. After some time and a half-attack by a bull who didn't want the dogs at all, we were back in the finca.

On April 3rd, 2024 we continued on to Léon, a very beautiful city with many opportunities for day trips. The only problem here is the heat...incredibly hot, sometimes up to 37°. After arriving and checking in, we went on a free walking tour. This was very exciting and there were many interesting facts about the city. And here, too, I met the person I hiked up the volcano with in La Union. It's always amazing when you meet again. During the tour, the guide mentioned a place, San Juan del Norte, he said that you can travel there but practically nobody does. That of course made me sit up and take notice, as I wasn't entirely happy with my current plan to visit two islands on the Caribbean side. After a bit of research and thinking, I'm trying to visit this place at the end of my time in Nicaragua. It is a village of 1,000 people in the southeast of the country and can only be reached by boat across a river that takes several hours. It is surrounded by a jungle that is almost untouched and is only home to a few indigenous people. That sounds like an adventure, let's see what happens😁

The next day was quiet despite all the possible day trips, I spent a lot of time exploring the city, eating good street food and relaxing.

Because I had to be fit for today (05.04.24). Get up early, have breakfast, walk to the bus terminal, drive and at 7:30 I was at the start of the hike to the Telica volcano. A hike of over 10km lay ahead of me and at this time it was already over 26°. The ground was pretty poor at first, then I got lost and got back to the path through the forest. It only took me 15 minutes, a lot of sweat and dirt on all my clothes and every part of my skin, from then on I looked like someone who had been living in the forest for days and I still had 7km to go 😂 The rest of the way was relaxed except for the heat. The first view of the crater was breathtaking... It just burst out of the ground and exploded, I don't know but the sight was amazing. Then when I got to the crater, it was just brutal, all alone with just the eerie noise, the steam and a huge hole in front of me. The noise that came out of the crater was like a highway in hell... really scary. I enjoyed the view and the power of this volcano and went back down after an hour. It was still hot and the locals thought it was time to burn the harvested fields, so there was still smoke in the air. After 2.5 hours I made it back to the village, drank a cold lemonade and drove back.

Been on the road for over 2.5 months, now in the fourth country and experienced so much... it's crazy. It's so fascinating how you keep running into people you met somewhere a few weeks before. How you learn to deal with problems but also be more willing to take risks or simply be more open about certain things.

After my quite stressful stay in San Salvador, I went all the way to the east of the country, La Union. There I grabbed a seat on a "Super Special" bus for $5.55 and then sat halfway across the country for almost 4 hours in an air-conditioned and super comfortable bus.

When I arrived in La Union it was the most intense heat I had ever experienced up to that point. I went to the hostel but somewhere they didn't have a reservation from me, Hmm. After a few minutes and a phone call it turned out that I was in the wrong hostel. But who comes up with the idea of naming two hostels “Santa Marta” in a city with 3 hostels?😂 Well then everything was sorted out. I checked into my single room and tried to cope with the heat.

On March 24th, 2024 I actually planned to climb the Conchagua volcano but my stomach said nope. Okay so another day of chilling.

On March 25, 2024 I felt a little better and since I had found out about camping on the volcano the day before, I went up with two others around 1:00 p.m. My big backpack stayed in the hostel and I only went up with the essentials. After hitchhiking twice, we were only 5.5km and 800m away from the top. Once at the top you could rent camping equipment, buy small things and enjoy the view. Unfortunately it was a bit foggy but you could still see the islands off the coast. The evening brought another unexpected event. A dude who recited some poem, one who played the violin surprisingly badly and one from Lithuania who danced to trance and techno. It was very interesting. Afterwards there was a campfire in front of an artificial temple.

Of course, we got up on time for sunrise (03/26/24) and saw the sun fighting its way through the blanket of fog. The descent was pretty quick and in La Union I and the other two parted ways and went to the beach. Whereas I had to wash my clothes by hand🙃 After everything was fairly fresh and hung up, I didn't do anything anymore😂

(03/27/24) There are three ways to get from El Salvador to Nicaragua: by shuttle, which is pretty boring, by boat, which is certainly cool, or the cheap option with public buses😁. The only problem is that El Salvador and Nicaragua do not have a common border, there is also Honduras between them, so there are a total of 4 borders to overcome. I knew that I would have to pay $15 to cross the border and otherwise still had $13 left over for transport. But I didn't want to go to the ATM again so I thought I had to take a bit of a risk. At 7:30 we started, after a bus and a TukTuk (since the bus somehow didn't come) I was at the first border, out of El Salvador. Then I took a short trip to Honduras, where I got a stamp, even though I wasn't going to spend a night there, paid the $3 and off I went. I had already spent $3 on transportation so I had to change $10 to pay for the next buses. After 2 buses, a colectivo and $7.50 less I got to the border to leave Honduras again. They suddenly wanted my fingerprints...well, you have to do it. Then we went to Nicaragua. The migration guy checked my passport and said he wanted $13, I told him I only had $12 left (that was the price that was everywhere on the internet). He wouldn't let me in if I couldn't give the dollar. So I looked for the remaining cents that were distributed in my wallet and backpack, luckily exactly 100c. So I put it in front of him and he looked at me like a car. If he doesn't accept, it's not a dollar. After a discussion about how that was a dollar, he didn't budge. So I packed up my stuff and ran all the way back to the Honduras side to find someone who could exchange 100c for $1...that's where the remaining $2.50 of Honduran currency was exchanged for Nicaraguan currency. Visibly annoyed and sweating, I slapped him with the $13 and waited to be able to leave. But no, I still have to fill out a piece of paper with all my data for the government... At around 4 p.m. I was able to continue. I then hitchhiked to my hostel, which was 7km from the border. And now I was sitting there with 2.50 in my pocket without Wi-Fi in the hostel and the information that the buses won't run for the next 2 days due to Easter and the nearest town of Somoto is 11km away. But it's not all that bad. In the evening I met a German couple in the hostel that I met in Xela (Guatemala), as well as a French couple and an Englishman. We were the only guests there and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the suburb.

On March 28th, 2024 we went to the Cañon de Somoto with the Germans, the Englishman and our guide. A 5 hour hiking/swimming/jumping and boating tour. A very cool experience and with beautiful nature... sometimes we swam in the canyon, sometimes we ran through the water or jumped from cliffs into the canyon (I probably did a somersault from ~9m😁) At the end we went a short distance by boat , really nice. Relaxed but also adventurous. Due to the location of the hostel we had to rely on their meals so we had lunch at 2:30 p.m. At around 3:30 p.m. I decided to hitchhike into town to finally get some money. 40 minutes later I finally got a ride and was in town. Get some money, go to the supermarket and back again because it was now 4:50 p.m. and it was starting to rain. So I went back up the road and stuck my thumb out... the rain was getting heavier and there was already lightning and thunder. But nobody cared that I was standing on the side of the road in the rain😂 Luckily, after the rain got heavier and the thunderstorm got closer, a taxi saw me and took me to the hostel. I think that was the most violent thunderstorm I have ever experienced. In the evening we all sat at the table again and thought about what we should do tomorrow, since no one could leave there even though everyone actually wanted to move on😂

The next day (03/29/24) we all got ready to check out the viewpoints of the canyon. But we didn't want to go back the same way, so we asked locals up there if there was a way down to the canyon and there actually was. Well there were two, one consisted of climbing and a rope on which you could climb down ~150m pretty steeply or just a normal route. After much thought and hesitation, we decided to take the easy route together. Past some cows and over overgrown trails we came back to the canyon. We came out about halfway through yesterday's tour. There we parted ways, the German, the Englishman and I decided to swim and jump through the canyon again and the French and the German went back across the road to the beginning. It was great fun again, this time we just didn't have a life jacket or a guide but the passages for swimming were never more than 50m and we knew the route. We even found a higher cliff where we chased ourselves down (~11-12m). At around 4 p.m. everyone was back at the hostel and we had our last evening together. They were very nice days and the group harmonized really well, like a small family. We always sat together at the table for dinner or explored the canyon😂

By the way, there was always the same typical food there: rice with beans, sheep's cheese and plantains. Sometimes there was egg instead of cheese but otherwise we had this meal 3 times a day...so it wasn't bad but just that?! Very monotonous, especially since the people at the hostel ALWAYS eat it themselves. That's pretty awesome.

Today (03/30/24) everyone continued, but the others left at 6:30 a.m. because they had a longer travel day ahead of them. I was able to sleep in and only had to drive about 2 hours to Esteli. It's a nice city and I'm in a cool hostel, but the hustle and bustle here is tiring after 3 days of complete peace and quiet 😅

Today we set off early in the morning by boat to Tortugero National Park.

Unfortunately, the chances of seeing a few animals are better before breakfast. So it was time to get up early again.

On the way we met a few birds, but unfortunately we couldn't remember all of their names...

We memorized the name of the crab buzzard until we could look up the German translation at the hotel.

Another special bird that is rarely seen is the kingfisher. Our guide spotted one of the small specimens near the shore.

In addition to numerous birds, there are three species of monkeys in Tortugero National Park (of the four species that live in Costa Rica).

We saw all three species on this boat tour.

There were also a few iguanas sitting up in the trees and barely moving.

After the trip we went to breakfast to refresh ourselves before the next item on the program began.

We walked with a guide through the village of Tortugero, which is right next to the entrance to the national park.

After a few stops with short explanations, we had the opportunity to explore the village or a hiking trail in the national park on our own.

We started on the “Jaguar Trail”, which runs through the rainforest.

But we didn't see a jaguar. This was not to be expected with these nocturnal animals.

In fact, 12 jaguars permanently reside in the area. When the sea turtles come to lay their eggs, there are a few more because they probably like to eat the turtles.

During the rest of the year, dog owners have to watch out for their four-legged friends, especially in the evening, as they otherwise roam freely around town...

The hiking trail was well developed and led through the rainforest and with detours to the sea.

On the way we saw numerous lizards that were initially sunning themselves on the path, but then quickly disappeared as we got closer.

We also discovered howler monkeys in some trees, but they lay motionless on the branches most of the time.

We saw another falcon close to the path, which wasn't bothered by the hikers who were taking photos of it.

We walked through the village back to the hotel, from where our second boat tour started in the afternoon.

A sloth was curled up in a tree on the bank - but apart from a ball of fur there wasn't much to see.

On this boat tour we saw some river turtles sunning themselves on the shore.

A few caimans lay just as motionless on the bank and let us photograph them.

We also saw a lot of bird life and also a few new specimens, such as several herons.

The great blue heron had just fled from the colder weather in its homeland like us, but unlike us it will probably stay here a little longer.

The arrival at the Flores family felt, although it's been here for a few years, anyway when I wasn't wearing it - in the best way. ❤️

The rooftops in Managua are loud, hot and strenuous. The road follows a canopy, and there are beautiful beaches around it. The Flores Family House is an oasis in this chaos. Jede Ecke is lovely laid out. But of course the family itself is the best. Although everyone has a very unlikely character, it is harmonized in the end anyway.

Other travelers always see me confused when I ask how long I was in Managua "What do you want in Managua?" Not obvious, to be honest, but that's exactly the right thing to do. Cook together, tan in the kitchen, watch movies, go out - oh, and quite a lot (I'll be gathered) and of course talk about God and the world. Simply enjoy the combination.

We have spent nights and silver here in the house too, with quite a lot of visiting, tons of laughter and playing music that comes out of boxes that are almost as great as I am. With Zirben- and Marillenschnapps, goulash and a Newjahrswalzer there was sometimes also a bit of oyster reach.

Thank you to this wonderful family who always make me feel welcome even though I am on the other end of the world.

Bussi Baba

///

The arrival of the Flores family, although five years have passed, somehow felt like I had never left, but in the best way. ❤️

Everyday life in Managua is noisy, hot and exhausting. The trails take an eternity and there is a dearth of beautiful corners. The Flores family home is an oasis in this chaos. Every nook is carefully decorated. The best, of course, is the family itself. Even though they all have very different personalities, in the end it somehow harmonizes.

Other travelers always look at me in surprise when I tell them how long I’ve been in Managua. "What are you doing in Managua?" Nothing exciting, to be honest, but it's exactly the right thing. Cooking together, dancing in the kitchen, watching movies, walking, oh, and eating a lot (they're making me fat) and, of course, talking about everything and nothing. Simply enjoy being together.

We also spent Christmas and New Years here at home, with lots of visiting, tons of food and loud music coming out of speakers almost as big as mine. With pine and apricot notes, goulash and a New Year’s waltz, there was also a bit of Austria this time.

Thank you to this wonderful family that always makes me feel like I belong, even when I am on the other side of the world.

Besitos y byebye

This race has unfortunately been very "turbulent". I am doing well in Managua, and the review for Ayeth is definitely good – they had no bright shimmer that I looked up. It was an incredibly nice feeling to be back in the arms after almost 5 years. Even the rest of their family has treated me super nicely - almost like a lost visiting grandchild.

As Trotz Anieths approached Lächeln, it was clear that something was wrong. She then also told me directly that your dog Kaisy hasn't been fried since days. The next day we took Kaisy to Tierarz, and at an ultrasound it was celebrated that her organs had been transplanted by tumors. Directly afterwards they were taken into custody, and we have caught them in the middle of the night on a sparkling countryside, which is something like an unofficial deadline. The mosquitoes have us completely destroyed.

Late this grateful night I learned next morning a scream from the house: "Christoph had an epileptic seizure and lay in the crankhouse." Holy fucking shit. Tonight it was clear that he wasn't busy living, but the uncertainty and worry were risky. I immediately wanted to jump into the next movie to be with him…

We decided, however, to wait first as the situation unfolded. That really wasn't exciting (I know not when I spent so much last time - thank you to everyone who phoned me for hours and cared for me – that really meant a lot to me! ❤️)

The affair was worth it though, as Christoph caught up relatively quickly. So after two weeks we decided to continue my journey here and there and we headed into Colombia later than planned (but still!).

With the new year, the assurance that Christoph is getting well again, I could then just leave my surroundings and so rightly start with the journey! And, so kitschy it may sound (left), I am very grateful every day that we are actually so healthy and happy.

Stay healthy and stay tuned (really!)

Bussi Baba

///

This trip started unfortunately in a very "turbulent" way. I landed safely in Managua, and the surprise for Anieth was definitely a success: she had not the slightest idea that he would appear. It was an incredibly beautiful feeling to hug her after exactly 5 years. The rest of her family also welcomed me very warmly, almost like a lost daughter.

Despite Anieth's beaming smile, it was clear something wasn't right. She told me outright that her dog Kaisy hadn’t eaten anything in days. The next day we took Kaisy to the vet, and an ultrasound revealed his organs were full of tumours. Immediately after, she was sacrificed, and we buried her in the middle of the night in a wasteland that was something like an unofficial dump. The mosquitos completely devoured us.

After this spooky night, I got a terrifying call the next morning from home: "Christoph had a seizure and is in the hospital." Holy heaven! Although it was clear he wasn’t in mortal danger, the uncertainty and worry were enormous. I wanted to get on the next flight immediately to be with him…

But we decided to wait and see how the situation developed. It really wasn’t relaxing (I don’t know when was the last time I cried so much. Thanks to everyone who talked to me for hours and reassured me, it really means a lot to me. ❤️)

However, the wait was worth it as Christoph recovered relatively quickly. So after two weeks of back and forth, we decided I would continue my trip and meet up in Colombia later than planned (but at least!).

With the new year and the certainty that Christoph is okay, I was finally able to immerse myself in my surroundings and really start the journey. And, for cursi it sounds (puaj), every day since then I have been very grateful that we are, on the other hand, healthy and happy.

Stay healthy and really take care of yourself.

Besitos bybye

From Isla de Ometepe we took the ferry back to San Jorge and then to Rivas. There's really something going on in Rivas, there are stalls everywhere that sell food, clothes, household utensils and so on. When you arrive at the bus station in Rivas you are immediately approached and asked where you want to go, everyone wants you to take a taxi instead of the bus and everyone gives you the best price. Admittedly a little tiring and Rivas is not necessarily a nice place to stay.

We persisted and took the chicken bus to Granada. No mistake, the trip is an experience 😅First of all, the bus only starts when it's completely full and completely full means the people are almost stacked on top of each other 😅Before you set off, the already overcrowded bus is constantly joined by vendors coming in and making their way through the aisle Squeeze, there's everything you can buy there. From drinks (Kaba in the plastic bag😃), any cookies, chicken/rice/tortilla also in the plastic bag to charging cables, headphones to medication (the medication is advertised as in the commercial 😅)

We spent one night in Granada and looked at the nice little town (colonial-style buildings, lakeside promenade...) and the Masaya volcano. When it is dark you can see the glowing lava. 🌋🌋

We spent two days on the beautiful island of Ometepe. This is located in the middle of the largest lake in Central America. It is the largest volcanic island in a freshwater lake. The two volcanoes are the still active Concepcion and the extinct Maderas volcano.

Our journey to Ometepe went from San Juan del Sur with the chicken bus (old American school buses) to Rivas/San Jorge and from there with the ferry. The view of the island from the ferry is impressive, with the two volcanoes 🌋 and the green landscape.

We only had one full day on the island, in which we rented a scooter and drove around the entire island. The landscape of Ometepe is truly impressive. Some of the streets were very adventurous 🙈 the streets themselves but also the animals that suddenly stood on the street or crossed it (horses, pigs, cows, dogs, chickens...)

We also dared to jump into Lake Nicaragua, although we had read in advance that bull sharks live in the lake. The only freshwater lake that is home to them.

According to a legend, the Indians who lived on Lake Nicaragua sank their dead in the lake and left them to the sharks 🦈. Because the sharks were sacred to the Indians. As a result (so the legend goes) the sharks could no longer distinguish between buried and living people and became dangerous man-eaters. In fact, bull sharks are among the most dangerous shark species. Well we survived 😌

That's why we had an involuntary encounter with the police in the evening 👮🏽🙈We wanted to go out for something to eat and since our hotel wasn't that far from the center and we still had a scooter, we came or rather Benny (he didn't want to destroy his hairstyle 😜). ) to the glorious idea of not wearing a helmet. No, fun, I didn't want to walk, I wanted to take the scooter and then Benny was like, "But then only without a helmet!! 😉" You have to say that almost nobody wears a helmet here, except the tourists 😃

And we were promptly stopped right in front of the restaurant where we wanted to eat anyway. We hatched a plan to get past the police after dinner. Benny had a helmet in his scooter and I just walked a little further. Nothing came of it because our scooter was gone 🙈 we asked the restaurant and they said it was definitely with the police. So we went to the Ometepe police headquarters. On the way there, someone suddenly called Benny's name, the woman from the scooter rental company. She saw the police taking her scooter away. Blessing in disguise. She paid the ticket (driving without a helmet: $25), we were able to give her the money and had the scooter back.

At 4:30 a.m. our bus left San Jose for San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua. The pace is moderate, it just takes a long time to cover a short distance. Shortly after 7 a.m. we checked which route we had covered using Google maps. We were shocked to realize that it wasn't even 100km. The Costa Rica/Nicaragua border crossing in Peñas Blanca is adventurous but thank God we had enough support from the bus company who told us what to do. First of all, leaving Costa Rica (which costs $8 🤷🏻‍♀️) it is important to get a stamp as proof of departure. 1 kilometer further then enter Nicaragua, entry into the building costs $1 per person. Entry costs another $13 per person. Then we did it and our first stop in Nicaragua is the surfer's paradise of San Juan del Sur.

Our hostel was a little out of town, so we decided to rent a scooter. That was very adventurous 🙈some of the roads are not particularly well developed. (Some forest paths in Germany are better) The path led past a garbage dump where garbage was burned 24/7. At night the entire area was lit up in red 🫤

Over the next few days we drove to various beaches, and we liked Playa del Coco best. Surprisingly, two other people were there alone 😍 we looked at the world's second largest statue of Christ the Redeemer at sunset and had a drinking day in the hostel 😅

Since the waves in San Juan del Sur are perfect for surfing, we took our first surfing lesson 🏄🏽‍♂️ It was a lot of fun but also extremely tiring, abrasions and bruises were inevitable.

We came by bus from Costa Rica across the border into Nicaragua and immediately made our way to Ometepe. An island consisting of two volcanoes in the largest lake in Central America. It's a magical place, secluded and idyllic, exactly what we needed right now. Our friend Mike, who we visited, lives on the island in a small town called Balgue at the foot of the Madera volcano. He lives in a little bamboo hut right by the water and we had a nice little house right behind his. We had a small garden with a large terrace, we felt very comfortable there and stayed for a month.

We used the time to find peace and recharge our batteries. We also spent a lot of time with Mike. It was particularly nice to sit on his yoga deck right by the water, listen to nature and watch the sunset over the large Conception volcano. As soon as it got dark, thousands of fireflies came and the whole coast sparkled like the starry sky.

We had a really good time on Ometepe, Mike provided us with all kinds of things, like homemade kombucha and cacao every day. He also had two kayaks that we often borrowed and paddled out onto the lake at sunset or along the green coast to a nice restaurant (El Pital) right on the water.

The island consisted of two volcanoes rising out of the lake and around the volcanoes there are small villages, all very rural, which had a very special charm. The animals ran around freely everywhere, it was like a big farm. You met horses, pigs and also herds of cows that kept crossing the streets very comfortably.

There is a road that runs along the coast around both volcanoes, sometimes paved and sometimes just a gravel road that goes up and down and through many streams.

The means of transport of choice was the motorcycle. Good thing for us that Mike had a 150 Yamaha that we could have at any time. Gerald hasn't driven with gears for 12 years, but it worked really well and was great fun exploring the island this way.

Every day a dog visited us in our house, she waited very well and patiently to see if there was anything left for her. Of course we couldn't resist her and so she practically lived with us. We had already taken her close to our hearts and would have loved to take her with us.

Once a week there was a market where the islanders offered various things and delicacies. All tourists and locals met here. Another meeting point was the weekly pizza party at a hostel (Zopilote - run by two Italians) followed by a fire show.

So the days passed on Ometepe and after a good month we headed north again, rested and with new energy, Mexico was our big destination.

From San Jose we headed straight to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. We were fed up with big cities and wanted to get to the sea as quickly as possible. Surprisingly, everything went smoothly with the bus; we arrived in Purto Viejo at around 8:30 p.m. But we didn't have any accommodation yet 🙈 With the help of a nice German-speaking local who gave us his WiFi password, we were able to look for places to stay overnight. We found a nice accommodation not far from the sea and the center. A great bungalow with a kitchen (only when we wanted to smoke shisha did we notice the kitchen was without a stove 🤷🏽‍♀️🫣) We enjoyed the days in Puerto Viejo, we particularly liked the cool vibes, chilled reggae music coming from everywhere, cool beach bars and restaurants , perfect attitude to life and exactly what we were looking for at the moment. Another highlight was the Cahuita National Park, which runs along a beautiful stretch of coast. Right at the beginning we saw the first animals: monkeys.😍

Later there were sloths (finding them between the trees is like looking for a needle in a haystack) but with the help of other visitors we discovered these too 😅. The path was adventurous and at times went through swamp/water with signs “Beware of crocodiles” 🙈. The path was really beautiful 😍after almost 10 km of walking we reached the end.

In Punta Uva (beach section near Puerto Viejo) we discovered 2 sloths, one was hanging on a lily and drinking from the river. It was funny to watch 😃

From Puerto Viejo via San Jose we took the bus to Dominical - the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. 🏞️🏞️