Ascending Mt. Dagobah

La Isla de Ometepe (see map) is a dumbbell shaped volcanic island in the Lago de Nicaragua (Colibolca, or ¨The Sweet Sea¨ in the original Nauhautl)bookended by to volcanos: Concepcion -larger and active- and Maderas- smaller and inactive. I had heard nothing but great things about it, but I neglected to initially make much of a oplan for getting there, as it was barely 70 km away from Granada. Even by Central American time standards, that should be an easily surmountable distance, right? As I am not a good enough writer to ¨show not tell,¨I will come right out and tell you that I am foreshadowing travel misery to come...

OK, misery is a strong word. Perhaps exasperation would be more appropriate. I just wanted you to keep reading. Is that so wrong? Nobody wants to read about the trip where everything went according to plan. Chicken Bus from Granada to Rivas left on time, but I got there late and had to stand in the aisle for most of the 1.5 hour ride. After an hour a seat cleared up, but over the wheelwell (the bus being your typical appropriated 1970s era schoolbus)which ended up being even more uncomfortable. Picture me with my knees forced up to around my chest and you can start to get the picture...

At Rivas hopped right on a shuttle to San Jorge where you catch ferries out to Ometepe. Upon arrival, found out the next ferry left in an hour. Bought a ticket and settled down to wait in the not unpleasant ferry office. Started reading more in depth about Ometepe, and found out that Merida, where I had hoped to make it that day, was another 2.5 hrs away by sporadic bus service. Like I said, not really miserable, but certainly exasperating.

There are two classes of boats that run passengers to Ometepe: ferries like you would imagine that are capable of carrying cars, and then launches, considerably less seaworthy-seeming, and much more succeptable to the waves that the lake was capable of generating. As departure time approached, the wind picked up and whitecaps could be seen offshore. It also became evident that I had not, in fact, purchased a ferry ticket, but rather a ticket for a launch.

We were all shuttled into the lower level, while luggage was strapped to the upper deck. There were reasonably comfortable benches below (actually, they had clearly been removed from a schoolbus)and I settled down for the ride. Two people behind me, Joe and Iliza (not a typo), who I had brainstormed island destinations with back in the ferry office, immediately began to look queasy. Iliza put her head between her legs where it remained for the rest of the trip, but Joe soldiered on stoically at first. As we moved into open water, the launch really started to move up and down as it forced its way through the waves. Despite the tarp strapped over the windows next to me, every third wave or so found its way through and got me soaked, including one that landed perfectly in my crotch, but nowhere else...After 15 minutes or so Joe asked me if I wanted to switch seats with him. He was next to Iliza and out of the range of the incoming waves. I thought he was offering to bear the brunt of the water, and as he was a virtual stranger at the time, I felt very awkward accepting and tried to thank him but decline. He said, "Actually I think I´m going to throw up," and I switched seats immediately. The poor guy spent the rest of the hour-long ride with his head hanging over the side.

It should be said, however, that Joe and Iliza were awesome people who I spent a fair amount of time with over the next several days, and that is the last that I will embarass them in this particular forum.

When we actually made it to the island, we hopped one the first bus pulling out of town. There are very few direct buses from the larger, more developed side of the island to the smaller less developed side where most of us were headed. This bus stopped in Altagracia on the northwestern side, and we ended up waiting there for over an hour for the next bus to arrive. The roads on the other side of the island are unpaved, and going was maddeningly slow at times. At Santa Cruz, Joe, Iliza, and a bunch of others got off and headed to the Finca Magdelena (more on that later) whereas I continued on to Merida.

Finally, around 5, I arrived at the lovely Hacienda Merida, almost 9 hours after I had initially set off from Granada. Booked myself a room, and made it down to the dock (built by the Somozas apparently) just in time to see the sun set over Concepcion.
The HM is a beautiful and secluded place that I wish I had had more time to experience. Unfortunately, I´m on a kind of HURRY UP AND RELAX!! whilwind tour, so I get nervous spending too much time in any one place. However, I highly recomend it for anyone looking for pleasant Nicaraguan destinations. I booked a tour to climb the Volcan Maderas, had a delicous dinner, and then went to bed as I had a long day of climbing ahead of me tomorrow.

Started up the mountain around 7:30. My plan was to leave from Merida, climb the mountain

, but to descend down the other side into the Finca Magdelena where I would maybe see Iliza, Joe and some other people from the bus the previous day. Initially km was a gradual ascent through banana groves and grazing land, but always Maderas loomed ahead of me, its summit shrouded in clouds. It should be said that although Maderas is only about 1390 m tall, we started from the shores of the lake, aka exactly sea level, so we climbed every single one of those vertical meters.

As we started to make our way into the forest that covers Maderas all the way to its summit (as its inactive, nature has long since reclaimed every inch of it)the path became steeper and steeper. As we continued to ascend, we moved out of the lower tropical forests and into the cloud forests, in this case so-named because we where literally hiking through clouds. The weather turned and became incredibly windy and wet (not really raining, but misting to the point that we were all pretty soaked.) At this point the trail became even steeper, and very very muddy. At times (and by "at times" I mean the last 25% of the ascent)we were reduced to crawling upwards, pulling ourselves along by the surprisingly strong roots of trees along the trail. On several occasions I found myself wiggling under, or crawling over a warren of tangled roots and fallen limbs like where Luke failed in his intitial training with Yoda that lead to the title of this post.



Eventually, soaking wet, exhausted, and buffeted by typhoonesque winds, we reached the highest point of the crater´s rim. Since Maderas is so lushly blanketed in vegetation, and since we were inside a cloud, the view was less than spectacular. We then began a slow and slippery descent to the crater lake. It took a while (and a few falls,) but we made it back down to the lake where we enjoyed a much deserved lunch. Well, everyone else did. My sandwich was slightly moldy, so I elected to pass.

Going down, the trail was even muddier, and keeping your balance was nearly impossible. At one point, the soles of my shoes were so coated, that they hight as well have been pats of warm butter for all the traction they were affording me. Suffice to say, after 8 long hours of hiking, I made it to the Finca Magdelena muddier and more tired than I´ve been in a long time.

The Finca Magdelena is another amazing Ometepe locale that I would highly recommend to anyone. It is a working 100% cooperative and organic farm that is completely self-sufficient. They also offer clean and basic rooms and incredible ambiance overlooking the lake. It was the perfect place to relax after the exertion of Maderas. It took about 4 showers for me to get completely clean, and I thought I was going to have to throw my shoes away until I had the bright idea to take them in the shower with me. Thanks to elbow grease and the hippie magic of Dr. Bronners hemp/almond soap, I was able to salvage them. At least until I do my last hikes in Leon later this week. Spent another lazy day at Magdelena the next day
A typical Nicaraguan Breakfast: Gallo Pinto, Eggs, Fried Cheese aka Heaven...


which was good considering I was probably too sore to travel anyway. Lots of hammock lying and book reading.

Coming back we managed to make it onto the actual ferry (Much to Joe and Iliza´s relief) and for the entire time we were shown videos by my new favorite band, Oro Solido (Solid Gold). I dare you to watch the entire video for their classic "Maria, Se Fue." (Maria, She Left.)



In front of Ometepe, note Concepcion and Maderas in the background

One more brief travel thing: back in Rivas to transfer back to Granada, there was a guy who walked around touching everyone, local and gringo alike, on the shoulder. It wasn´t to get their attention, apparently it was just some compulsive need he had. I thought he did everyone once, perhaps counting them, but then I started to notice him doubling up. As I had already been touched once, I began to try to put myself in his path, but he seemed to be deliberately swerving out of my way at the last second. When he tapped my shoulder a second time right before I got on the bus, I was bizarely relieved

One last night in Granada. While eating dinner, we were approached by some kids who said they were going to do a presentacion de breakdance (I don´t need to translate that one, do I?). While there moves actually weren´t half-bad, they needed serious lessons in hypemanship. While one would dance they others would arythmically and half-heartedly clap, while occasionally calling out a particularly desulatory "whoah." after a nice move. Afterwards they were overjoyed to to be given the leftovers from our dinner and didn´t even ask for money.


Left Granada this morning for Masaya, reputed to be Nicaragua´s finest market town. Spent the afternoon shopping, and did come up with some interesting purchases, but was overwhelmed overall. There was, however, erotic frog art, and literally a hammock district, which was pretty awesome. Tomorrow, I push on to Leon, and then amazingly I have less than a week left.