The beginning of a new era...or at least a new blog.

January 11, 2009

Well it is nice to finally have a proper blog. Although I will give Dustin and Leighton credit for their efforts on the last website. I am not sure about when my last blog was posted, so I will just begin with Nicaragua.

We crossed “la frontera” and due to the late start we only made it to Leon. However, this was not a disappointment, as I had been told in a previous conversation that Cerro Negro is known for having entertaining sand boarding. A girl that we met in Lanquin, Guatemala had lived in Nicaragua for a long time and recommended this excursion. Therefore, we rented boards and sleds and hiked up to the summit of the sulphorous-smelling volcano. It proved to be exciting and I loved how our guide was jamming to Mana in the car (a CD that I bought Leighton last spring in preparation for this trip).

After Leon, we then headed to Laguna de Apoyo. We drove through Managua, where violent protests are a monthly occurrence. I mentioned to the others that we should not sleep there, although it is regarded as an interesting city. Just today, January 11, Leighton and I turned on the television to witness protests taking place in Managua. There was an unfair “democratic” election, which according to Nicaraguan residents was completely rigged to have Daniel Ortega as the winner. With the influence of socialism and a hand by Russia, Nicaragua is in a bit of a political turmoil state. Needless to say, we avoided all locations where demonstrations might occur. We arrived at Laguna de Apoyo and had the pleasure of spending a few days there (The other 3 continued on, without spending one day here). As New Years approached, we spent the days hiking, sailing, swimming, and smacking a piñata. For the first time on our trip, Leighton and I saw Howler Monkeys!!! I have a new fondness for monos. One might say it is a slight wildlife obsession. As we hiked up the trail, there was a sudden loud hollar, which sounded like rabid dogs. After having recently witnessed the ability of stray dogs to form a pack and threaten others, we were a bit timid of continuing on. However, after listening for a brief period of time, I realized that this was no pack of dogs—it was monkeys!

Side note: Leighton hit the piñata with such extreme force that half of it flew into the lagoon! (he would like everyone to know that he has an extreme hatred for all piñatas)

After departing Laguna de Apoyo, we headed south to San Juan del Sur. This is a tourist town on the Pacific beach near the border of Costa Rica. Although San Juan is not the most scenic of locations, the beaches nearby have beautiful coves, white sand, and caves. I highly recommend Playa Madera to those headed in this direction. I had the pleasure of splitting from the rest of the group, finding a $7 hostel, and meeting some genuine Canadians. I completed a canopy tour, received the worst massage of my life (the woman thought that it was proper to massage my intestines even though I insisted that she not), played some pool, and did a bit of NFL gambling.

After a few days in San Juan, I then headed to the Costa Rica border via autobus. Since splitting from the group, this allowed me the opportunity to experience the typical mode of travel in Central America. And I have to say, it was pretty nice to not be hassled at the border and only pay $2.00 rather than the exorbitant amounts that we had incurred upon our previous crossings. The chicken buses pack people on like sardines, but they get you where you need to go. All in all, I think that both personal car and bus have their pros and cons. However, I might personally be a bigger fan of the bus.

Anyways, I arrived in Monteverde, Costa Rica at about 6pm and headed straight for a backpackers hostel. The next morning I headed to Santa Elena and hiked in my first Cloud Forest of the trip. The lush vegetation was gorgeous and a small amount of wildlife was present. Leighton then met up with me that afternoon. It was so nice to have him back again. However entertaining and care-free it can be to travel on your own, it is also quite comforting to have a bit of companionship. We resided at Casa Tranquilo for a few nights, while spending our days exploring giant waterfalls and doing another canopy tour. The Extremo Canopy tour was definitely worth the $40 we each spent. With thousands of meters of ziplines, a tarzan swing, and a repel, this excursion was a blast. We had each completed a canopy tour at the beginning of the month, but we wanted to experience one together. We finally used a kitchen to cook up some gourmet meals and play Gin Rummy. (we have different rules on this game, such as if you have to hold the cards in your hand until the end or not, anyone?)

We then drove to Cahuita, Costa Rica, which is our current location. Here we have explored the land and waters of Parque Nacional Cahuita (the park extends across water boundaries). We had the opportunity to take a boat out to the coral reef and snorkel amongst some beautiful tropical fish. The coral itself proved to be muy linda. Today we hiked through the park and observed more White-faced and Howler Monkeys. They are very curious animals; you must not set your belongings down unless you expect them to be tampered with. Again, I was amazed to see monkeys and slowed down every time I saw a new one. Yet, I must mention that sometimes they are not fond of humans, and will show their sharp teeth while making a hissing sound—yes, we witnessed this one today. So, although I enjoy their presence, I will keep my distance.

Tomorrow we are headed to Bocas del Toro and plan on attending Spanish Language School for about a week or more. We could both use a refresher, and find this task necessary before continuing travel. Leighton is great at understanding and my speech is sufficient, but we need someone to teach us how to do both at once. Farewell for now. I hope everyone is having a great winter back in the US. Happy New Year and Inauguration Day!