Ometepe – Day 5 : patron saints

Today, we didn’t give up.

We took our time in the morning, because we felt a bit sore after all, and a bit down too, we made a few calls and hanged around. Also, the view from the common area didn’t help us to move, it’s so perfect, the volcano even has a cloudy angel halo.

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View from the small table where we enjoy having breakfast. You don’t say.

Since we’re on that subject, let’s tell you about the outside areas. Here is always hot, so even when it’s raining heavily, we live outside. The rooms are well aired (with movable angle blade windows and fans) and everywhere, everywhere, there are porches, roof overhangs and even roofs that are not even attached to a building, a bit like covered markets. And since rain here is so strong, the slopes are really steep, and for nice wooden buildings, the roof is often made out of dry leaves. The end results are somewhat impressive.

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On the foreground, the table where we like to have breakfast.

After a while, we hit the road (with the scooter) and went to the beach. THE Ometepe beach is Santo Domingo. It’s a nice black sand beach, and its width depends on the state of the lake, therefore on the season. Well, beginning of dry season is not the best moment, because, just like for Punta Jesus Maria, the sand strip was really narrow, like you can sit but then BOOM the lake is at your feet. We also avoided the water as not to ruin our brand new (and small) bandages.

On the road, we realized that we were not that much of a road hazard, compared with whatever you can find on this road : an incredible number of beasts (and children) are on the side of the road and in front of the houses. Crossed the road before our transfixed vehicle, for a route shorter than 20 km : a veal, two horses, 500 roosters and chickens (at least), pigs of every shape and size (but not that many, they got scared and turned around mid-crossing) and a few playful kids. At least, we didn’t fall on the main road.

Then, we went to eat in Altagracia, second town on the island. These days are holidays in the honor of San Diego de Alcala, so there is a big market and food stands. Sometimes, at the end of the day, we would cross trucks on the road with the backs filled with people and thought that they were going home from work. Nope, they were on their way to a hangover… Well we ate there in the middle of clothing, shoes and toys displays, hosted by crazy dudes with mikes shouting about their discounts like football commentators. It was funny.

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The kid next table, though, had a less funny honking toy…

At some point, we went back to rest and return the scooter. Of course, every paint particle was inspected, and it was good that we had taken pictures at the beginning in front of the renter. He conned us out of “reparations cost”, reparations that will probably never be done (like the gauge, the odometer and speedometer, the left headlight and footrest… that were never repaired before us and desperately needed it) and some “painting cost”, paint which will also probably never be applied. Well, that’s the risk we took, and all in all it’s not too bad (and we had him lower his price anyway).

After a last meal here, still with a lot of other travelers, we went to bed, because tomorrow morning, we are leaving for Granada !

See you soon, X