Blog | My day with the gods... |
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| Written by Keith Rhoades | |
| Tuesday, 30 September 2008 | |
After i wrote last night...i just relaxed and it was very nice. i woke up and had breakfast which is included where i am staying. I left at 9 am for my day with the gods! I love volcanoes...there is something so primeval, new earth being created, and the power and force it contains. A driver took me to the base of the volcano mambacho where i went to see butterflies. I then got on an old Sandanista millitary bus that was converted for public use. it still had the gun turret on it. It took me up the volcano part way higher into the tropical rainforest...so lush and green. The road was terrorizingly steep and winding and eventually we reach the cloud forest. The rains began. The next few hours i was one with nature. A storm rolled in....it was raining and there was lightning so close it blinded me and the roar of the thunder was deafening. I continued to climb up to the crater. The volcano is active but sleeping for 700 years was the last major explosion but it is alive and well and can blow at any time. Unfortunately there was lava flows...but there were the volcano vents which emit super hot air and steam and sulfur. The foilage was beautiful and along the hike i saw a sloth and some howler monkeys. It was not very conducive to picture taking...but it was incredible to stand on top of an active volcano enveloped by the heat and sulfur from the vents with rain pouring down, ligthening streaking across the sky and thunder rummbling overhead with the sounds of monkeys and birds and insects calling in the background. it was one of those moments where i felt connected to the whole world. I hired a guide Alejandro who explained some of the stuff on the trail.  AFter the hike i stopped at a lodge on the volcano because i was drenched and believe or not i was cold and had some coffee that is grown on the volcano...excellent and i saw the coffee plants and beans. while having coffee i met a local who stuides history named Eduardo. We struck up a conversation and he explained to me in great detail about the revolution and the war in the 1980s the sandanistas, the communists, the contras, and the US involvement and explained that Costa Rica is so US friendly because Costa Rica allowed the us to send arms and weapons through them. At any rate it was fascinating to hear about the war and how it affected the people here. Ironically, the current President is Ortega...the same one that was the leader of the San Danistas in the 1980s he was reelected in 2006 but he does no have the following he had back then...however, there are sandanistas still around. The current president is tightly involved with Chavez in Venezuela. The expect there will at some time be another revolution here. Of course....i enjoyed the conversation as I always enjoying and getting others perspectives on history and culture and the state of politics. I got back to granada and was hungry, tired, and wet. I had lunch from a stall (I know..not wise)...it was Yucca and Chicharones...which tasted good and was only $1 What i really want to try is fritos which is deep fried cheese, plantains, and chorizo!!  i then went to the market to buy some snack food...i have fell in love with Zambos which are like potato chips but made out of bananas. 10 bags for 50 cents! i also got adventuresome in the market and bought some fruit, chocolate, empenadas and some other treats. I went to the social service center and Jose (my 12 year old friend was waiting for me and gave me a hug) I gave him some fruit which he devoured right away and i asked him if he liked Chocolate and of course he said yes..so i gave him some. Some of his friends came over and i gave them all chocolate too. i want to find out what neccessities Jose needs...books, pen, socks, etc. and give them to him on my last day. Lately with work and life in general i have felt very cold and uncaring and was wondering if i was losing my humanitarian side...but Jose has reminded me that it is not gone...it was only asleep and he has awaken my caring for the unfortunate. i can´t explain it. I then went back to the hotel to dry off, take a warm shower, and chatted with some of the other guests about politics etc. So now it is 7:30 and i am catching up on emails and updating http://rhoadeslesstraveled.com and then go to dinner. Tomorrow I am going to Masaya..a very active volcanoe with lava and the artisen market. I am hear until Friday when I will move on to Leon. I am in a quandry though because i found out it is a 12 hour bus ride to Tegucigalpa, Honduras and i am not up for it..but a flight is $300. So I may break the bus ride up into 2 segments..stop in some town and rest. Whatever I do..i know I will splurge for the express Air Condition bus. I am not doing a chicken bus for 12 hours...I will not and cannot. Well, my family and friends...until tomorrow...with Paz |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 14 October 2008 ) |
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