Travel Stories - Nicaragua

Just before the fence and gate of the port we stop, pay the driver and walk up a concrete pier with a large fence on one side. We pay a tax of 10 C $ to go through the gate and see through the fence a wide beach with dozens of small beach bars with hundreds of people. Probably a party because of the holy week. The wind blows like crazy and we just miss the small boat that seems to be full. We see him throwing the bunches before getting stuck in the turbulent open waters. The waves crash on the shabby wooden boat and we hear him crack. People scream when the water picks up the puny boat and throws it down again. Maybe a good idea to go with the more expensive but also bigger and therefore heavier ferry. For the driveway for this boat there are about 30 cars waiting with a few hundred people. When we ask what time the ferry leaves (or arrives) the people call in unison: 10:30. Looking at our watch that is about an hour ago and it is apparently meant to be sarcastic. Just as we want to put our names on a pick-up list for the ferry, a small boat arrives and the ferry is not yet in sight. We decide to take the little one and find a place in the hold behind a jute separation. That at least stops the wind a bit. We see the ferry arriving that is immediately filling up. Just before our boat leaves, a second ferry arrives and then it’s time to pay our fare. We put our bags on a wooden platform in the middle of the boat together with some other bags and suitcases. Hopefully it will stay dry there.

At last the boat clusters are unloading and we see the quay getting smaller and smaller we are on our way. At least we are leaving earlier the big ferries, which can mean an advantage having a (good) spot in het bus and/or the hostel later on the island. But if the boat starts to really starts his motors, a big bang of water comes in which makes me wet and Nicole too, the girl  have met in the bus,  who is sitting next to me. The bags are a bit wet from it too. Our boat is now turning against the waves and it is sometimes frightening how high we are being pushed up the waves. What a force that water, and that on a lake of which we already see the island (Isla de Ometepe). We do not get such a big water rush as we do at the turn, occasionally we hear a gust of water against the jute. My pants get a little wet and the water enters the boat next to my shoes but immediately rinses backwards - a matter of lifting your feet and waiting. Along the way we occasionally take a piece of jute away to see what the view looks like - something that is getting better and better. We see volcano "Concepcion", one of the most symmetrical volcanoes in Latin America but also one of the most active and dangerous. It looks like it has a white cowboy hat on it, which is actually a white cloud that is constantly hanging over its crater. If we can distinguish things from the island, the wind decreases and with it the waves and agility and the jute sail is removed so that we have a beautiful picture of the second volcano of the island, which is a lot less impressive (Maderas). After more than an hour we arrive in the small harbor of "Moyogalpa" where we decide to take the bus directly to "Altragracia" knowing that today we have to take every opportunity in terms of transport that there is.

We drive in the bus over "Playa Santa Domingo", an ash-gray beach where the wind has free rein and some bars and cafes are without being too abundant. Balgue is an elongated community with the occasional cafe, shop and some houses, but I can not think why everyone (especially the classrooms) are so lyrical about this place. Together with a woman who has a restaurant here we get out and we start to follow her. The gravel path rises more steeply and turns into stone - we walk through a plantation and along some dry trees and bushes until we finally see some buildings after 1.5 kilometers. We arrived at the finca. A large wooden platform where tables and chairs stand up and people sit and eat and drink and we report to the reception whether there are any sleeping places. There are - what do we want? We look at options for dormitory and separate sleeping quarters and opt for the first. Sleeping in a tent on a wooden deck next to the restaurant or in a hammock which seems to us no suitable option. There are only three beds in our dormitory, and I do not think anyone will be there today. The time that is left to us today is spent hanging on the terrace and reading.