Reflections: March 2018

The first of March was also our last day in Estelí, Nicaragua, and we had one mission to accomplish before we left: buy some cigars. During the Cuban Revolution, many Cubans fled to Nicaragua and brought tobacco seeds with them, and it happens that the highlands of Nicaragua offer a perfect climate for growing tobacco. Estelí, in particular, has developed quite a reputation for producing some of the best cigars in the world. But we were mistaken thinking it would be easy to find cigars in the cigar capital of the country.

We left our hostel with our packs and figured we would stop by a store on our way to the bus terminal. We visited a shop that said “Cigars” on the front, but learned from the owner that the sign was from the previous business and that the current shop doesn’t sell cigars. We went to an address of a cigar factory we found online, only to turn up at an empty parking lot. Becoming exasperated, we asked locals where we could buy cigars and each one pointed us to a convenient store thinking we were looking for cigarettes. We came across an operating cigar factory, and when we tried to enter, we were turned away and told that they only sell cigars in the late afternoon. After more than an hour of wandering around town in the midday Nicaraguan heat with all of our bags, we became desperate. We’d committed to finding cigars, and we were determined to leave Estelí with at least one. Eventually, we were pointed to an unlabeled warehouse. We banged on the metal door, and a woman opened it a few inches. Finally, we’d found a cigar factory that was willing to sell us a few on the spot. With a couple of Estelí’s finest in our hands, we marched to the terminal and headed to Matagalpa. March 1 marked six months on the road for us, and we celebrated in style with some Flor de Caña rum and cigars that night.

Like Estelí, Matagalpa is in the highlands of Nicaragua. Mist hugs the mountains that surround the city, and for the first time in ages, we saw rain. It was refreshing to bundle up with a hot cup of coffee, and lucky for us, the region produces some of the best coffee in the world. We spent afternoons hopping from one café to another, sampling caffeinated beverages and indulging in sugary treats.

Up in the mountains around Matagalpa is a lodge called Selva Negra. It’s Germanic-style rooms and hiking trails attract locals and tourists alike. When we got off the chicken bus outside the entrance, we could smell the coffee plants growing. We spent the day walking the many trails on the property looking for monkeys, but with no luck. Still, it was a beautiful and relaxing afternoon away from city life.

Staring up at a giant matapalo tree. These trees consume other trees!

A woman from Luxemburg was renting the room right next to ours. She was living in Matagalpa for two years working on a public health project. She told us about the long history of women’s activism in Matagalpa and pointed us to a women’s collective down the street that hosted regular events. One night we decided to attend a feminist hip hop show that brought together women emcees and break dancers from around Central America. As hip hop lovers and feminists ourselves, it was so cool seeing this art form empower women here.

Since Jared’s birthday would be at the end of the month when we planned to arrive in Costa Rica, we decided to celebrate early and indulge in a country that wouldn’t break the bank. In addition to being notorious for their coffee, Matagalpa is also known for beef. Before even arriving in Matagalpa, we’d heard from other travelers that if we found ourselves in this town, we had to go to Toro Bravo. Though it’s rated as the best restaurant in town, our giant bacon-wrapped filet mignons set us back only $20. Juicy, flavorful, and so filling, it was a memorable way to end our time in the highlands.

From Matagalpa we went to Granada, the charming colonial town that sits right on the enormous Lake Nicaragua. Horse-drawn carriages trotted tourists past pastel facades, and people lounged on benches under mango trees in the park. We visited the city’s many beautiful churches and climbed the bell tower of Iglesia La Merced for the best views. Perfectly tiled roofs extended in every direction, and in the distance we could see the lake.

Strolling around the beautiful streets of Granada

The view from the bell tower at Iglesia La Merced

As a mini getaway from the city’s heat, we went to Laguna de Apoyo for a day. Just an hour outside of Granada, the nature reserve is home to a lake inside an extinct volcano caldera. A couple of hostels that offer day passes for purchase sit on its shore, but sticking to our do-it-yourself style, we decided to visit the public beach just a bit further. We were so glad we skipped the tourist-filled hostels. We practically had the entire public beach to ourselves! Plus a couple of hammocks and cheap beer at the bar, and we were in heaven.

Our last stop in Nicaragua was Ometepe Island. After a couple of chicken buses and a ferry ride, we made it to this volcanic island inside Lake Nicaragua. Having read about a permaculture farm and hostel on the island, we ventured to the tiny town of Balgüe and found El Zopilote. We were planning on camping there for 10 days, but didn’t know if we’d make it that long living out of a tent in a place as hot and humid as Nicaragua. But El Zopilote quickly turned out to be one of our favorite places we’ve stayed on this trip.

The land is covered in fruit trees and monkeys swing from the branches. We woke up every morning just after sunrise for yoga, which has since become a regular routine. We dined every meal at the little open-air restaurant and had delicious vegetarian food. But the best part was the community of travelers we met there. Some were volunteers, others were long-term backpackers, and a few were there for a short holiday. There were daily activities that kept us busy and in good company. Our favorite was the twice weekly pizza night that would turn into a big party complete with fire dancers and cheap rum. We were surrounded by beautiful nature with fellow travelers and felt right at home.

The sunsets from the permaculture farm were breathtaking

Sunset at Santo Domingo beach on Ometepe Island

Sunset cocktails on the permaculture farm

Never a dull moment on the farm. We loved laying in hammocks while watching these cuties swing around.

Ometepe, where the roads have more cattle than cars.

During our time on Ometepe, a friend of ours who we’d met back in Oaxaca, Mexico messaged us and told us he was in Nicaragua. He was on the coast taking Spanish classes, but we convinced him to make a weekend trip to the island to see us. It was so nice to see a familiar face from our travels and experience another place with him. We rented scooters and made a day of it riding around the island, stopping at little cafés and stores along the way for a drink or some ice cream. Driving in the warm breeze along the ocean with volcanoes in the horizon was the best way to see the island.

Riding across the air strip with Volcán Concepción in the distance

We’d grown attached to Ometepe, but unfortunately our visa for the C4 countries (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua) was about to expire and we had to head to Costa Rica at the end of the month.

Traveling from Ometepe to Costa Rica was an all day adventure that began before sunrise. After a ferry ride and a few chicken buses, we made it to the border. Once in Costa Rica, we both marveled at the quality of the buses. We had a reserved seat! Our bags slid securely underneath the bus! Though it was basically the equivalent of a public bus in any big American city, it felt like pure luxury after months of riding on chicken buses. A few transfers later, we’d made it to the beach town of Playa Sámara.

Rebecca traveled around Costa Rica ten years ago, but we both knew a lot could change in a decade. Costa Rica is the tourist gem of Central America, offering the economic and political stability its northern neighbors don’t have. It’s expensive by Latin American standards, and overrun in many parts with gringos. So it was with a bit of reservation that we entered Costa Rica. But to our elated surprise, Playa Sámara was a sleepy beach town that still had solid local roots. We easily settled into a daily routine of eating the juiciest mangos and pineapple, spending the entire day at the beach, and doing yoga on the sand at sunset. Some people thought we’d get bored after a few days of doing this, but we were happy to do it for weeks.

A couple days after we arrived, it was Jared’s birthday. We packed a picnic, a few bottles of Imperial beer, and snorkel gear in a bag and set off walking along the water. Horses galloped freely on the sand, and the number of people dwindled. We reached some rocks and decided to climb over them. On the other side was a beautiful, desolate cove with the prettiest water and soft white sand. We had the whole place to ourselves! It was the perfect way to celebrate another year around the sun.

Nicaragua, Costa Rica + Panama, ReflectionsRebecca Nieves-McGoldrickApril 11, 2018Estelí, Granada, Laguna de Apoyo, Ometepe, Volcano, Costa Rica, Playa SamaraComment