We started the day off with a boat tour of Las Isletas, a group of about 365 islands that formed after Volcán Mombacho erupted about 20,000 years ago. Some are inhabited by wealthy Nicaraguans or foreigners, some were developed into hotel/resort properties, one island was an old fort, and another island is inhabited by monkeys, which were left on the small island by scientists who abandoned an experiment (see picture below). With a cooler of Toñas in hand, off we were to see the the various islands.
Las Isletas Boat Tour
mombocho
We had walked around the crater of Volcán Mombacho the day before. (Tip of the leftside of the volcano) It was too bad we weren’t able to see Las Isletas from that point, since the clouds were hanging low (like they are sort of doing here).
monkeys
These were the monkeys mentioned previously. They actually depend on people to feed them since there is no food on the small island and they cannot swim. Our driver didn’t pull the boat too close to the monkeys because once they heard the boat approaching, they tried to get close. The drivers used to let people feed them, but probably for precaution, they don’t allow it anymore.
After Las Isletas, we went back to Granada to see more of the central park area.
The Beginning...
They say the Rum in Nicaragua makes you crazy..boy were they right...
This was the beginning of a long night (especially for Christy!). Now, I know I haven’t written about nights in Nicaragua at all, but what it comes down to is, if you’re with good company, you can have fun anywhere….and thank god my friends are f—in great! And this, is definitely a night that all of us would remember. You really had to be there.
The night started off at El Tercer Ojos, a restuarant in Granada that Chris and Oliver frequented. It was off to quite a slow start because all of us had awoken from our naps and were not in the mood to be really doing much. But, it was Joy’s last night out, and we had yet to have a true Granada night, so we sucked it up and order a couple pitchers of Sangria. Unfortunately, that didn’t do much for us, since the fruit sucks up the alcohol. So someone decided to order us rounds of rum. How many? I really think I had 5 shots. That is insane if you know how I drink.
THE Australian...Full Circle!
There is a hilarious story behind this…
You must have heard the phrase “the dingo took my baby,” right? Well, when we were in San Juan del Sur, we caught the movie A Cry in the Dark with Meryl Streep (1988), explored the case of whether a dingo had taken the baby or of the mother was guilty of murder. The case had intense press coverage, so the movie was focusing on how that skewed the case. Anyways, it was a really long and slow movie, but for whatever reason, none of us could take our eyes off the tv….we wanted to know! The case has been closed, but of course it’s been open for debate.
But to make this all relevant, the restuarant owner wanted us to meet some other travelers, and what do you know, she was Australian!Oliver’s eyes grew wide as he shouted, “Full circle!” Being the drunks we were, it was such a riot! We started asking her if she REALLY thought the dingo took the baby and what she thought about it (a 20 year case, pretty much!). I think she got scared of us because she just politely stated her opinion and left. Wait, come to think of it, I don’t think she had an opinion. She just nodded and smiled…one of those things.
Tica Tica!
Our new Costa Rican friend, via Canada, Ryan, joined in our hammock of happiness. Christy looks like she’s in pain.
The restuarant owner, Glenda, also introduced us to a group from Costa Rica. They were on holiday so they came up to Nicaraga. When they came over, Ryan was so excited to meet us because we spoke English. He didn’t speak much Spanish, so he was getting frustrated with his travel buddies because even though they know English, they were mainly conversing in Spanish. Anyways, he moved down to Costa Rica from Alberta, Canada and is currently teaching pilates at a resort. He was super fun to talk to; just hearing about his experiences of Canada and how he is currently transistioning into Central America was interesting.
Designerds!
I don’t even think this was halfway into the night yet...too bad my camera battery died shortly after this shot because Oliver breakdanced at El Club.
We left El Tercer Ojos to go to El Club, a bar/restuarant/hotel, just down the street, and boy, it was SO MUCH FUN. The music was good, the company was excellent, and the crowd was awesome. You know you’ve gone out a lot when you start recognizing songs, even if you don’t know the language! I was done drinking for the night, but everyone else kept it going. Through out the night, we were dancing on tables, Joy got up on the bar, and Oliver did a breakdance battle with a friend of his (the floor was tiny too!). We met some new people at the bar who live in Granada, so after El Club closed, we all hopped into taxis and went down to the Kayakes for some after hour partying.
The place was literally right on Lake Nicaragua, with all outdoor seating and several hammocks, which I pretty much ran straight to. I was feeling pretty out of it and just had to lay down somewhere. I ended up passing out on the hammock for maybe half an hour, but was awakened with at least 5 mosquito bites all on my shoulder! At that point, I was ready to go. Joy had gotten attacked by mosquitos as well, so we managed to rally up our crew to grab a taxi. Oliver and Christy ended up staying while the rest of us went to Asia Latina, Oliver’s friend’s restaurant to sleep for the night. Yes. At a restaurant. The funny thing is, people who own businesses in these towns also live in the same building.
Sometime in the morning, I hear some shouting and loud pounding against the windows...turns out it was Oliver and Christy. They JUST got back. I could see daylight, but I knew it was still to early, so I went back to bed.
Probably and hour or so later, Joy comes in and tries to wake everyone up, because she had a plane to catch that morning, but we still had to drive to Masaya to pick up her luggage. Christy was passed out on this hard wooden bench, and man did she look dead! Oliver told us that they had stayed at the Kayakes until sunrise. Christy had apparently spent her time there just talking to the locals we had met at El Club, while Oliver had passed out on a hammock. Christy eventually woke him up because the sun was rising over the lake. But the funny thing was, Oliver said he had a beer in her hand! She asked him if he wanted a drink too, as she was waking him up...oh Christy!
In the end, we all made it back to Masaya ok, and Joy made her flight...but that was definitely a night to remember.
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