Isla de Ometepe

In the middle of Nicaragua lie 2 volcanoes on an island surrounded by fresh water. Volcan Concepcion remains active with clouds of smoke billowing at the top while Volcan Maderas is now extinct and the crater filled with a lagoon. Island life is simple and the people friendly. Fresh water breeding sharks are a rare species that inhabit the waters, but due to hunting, these animals are almost extinct. Over the last couple days, I hiked, biked, and swam. Although, a slow pace life, I spent much of my time on an exercisathon.


A bike served my transport needs for most of the time. I rented one and cruised along the bumpy dirt roads to all the scenic locations. Along the way, I passed wandering pigs, meandering cows, grazing horses and the locals walking or biking their way home. At one point, I raced kids on a bike along the road although 3 kids sitting on just one bike managed to beat me; a sad moment in time.

A grueling hike up Volcan Maderas led to a gorgeous cascading waterfal, Cascada San Ramon. I enjoyed the idyllic moments resting under the spraying water drops. Earlier, I kayaked to Rio Istian to see crocks, howler monkeys and tons of birds occupying a tranquil river. On another trek, I biked to a wonderful refreshing pool formed from cold springs and visited old ruins of the Nahutils. A nice diversion from my cluttered head.