Ometepe: Land of Two Mountains

When we awoke in Masaya, we aimed our golden chariot south and headed for one of Nicarauga's most recognizable landmarks. We targeted the twin volcano island in the middle of Lake Nicarauga called Ometepe. On the way we nighted in Rivas at a cheap but spacious hostel, enjoyed a round of street tacos and desserts in San Juan de Sur, and explored some secluded beaches like Playa Marsella.

Ometepe

Our original plan for Ometepe was to find a tour guide and try to climb one of the intimidating volcanos. Plans changed when Andrew determined that he was feeling a little bit under the weather and we didn't make it to the base of the volcano until 10am (a relatively late time to start the acsent). Instead we decided to rent a stick shift jeep and explore the 20 km island on our own terms. WE. MISSED. RANDAL. FAST.

The jeep was a relic, likely washed up on Ometepe from Jeep's original 1941 series. The clutch was all art, no science. The brakes acted more as a right turn than a stopping mechanism. Cruising at a speed of 15 mph sounded like an avalanche of pots and pans not a road worthy automobile. We sputtered, stalled, and relied heavily on gravity during our tour around the island.

Missing Randal

The stops were considerably more successful. We managed to find a french toast breakfast that will be remembered fondly. We swam around some natural mineral springs using a nearby rope swing liberally. We ended the day with a 6 mile hike around the island's isthmus and pennisula. Chanelling my inner Nathan Mishler, I even finished the hike in a run, wearing the same shoes that made the trek up the falls near Morogoro in February. The hike was similar to that one in that local primates lined the trees to cheer us on.