I had heard great things about Ometepe, the island in Lake Nicaragua that’s home to not one, but two, large volcanoes. Let’s just say it was not quite as expected and not among my favorite spots in Nicaragua. The gritty feel did make for some good photos, though. The poor weather we had added to the ambiance.
It looked sketchy before we even boarded the ferry, if the lone chicken bus under a clouded sky was any indication.
We stopped for a beer before our boat, in the lovely establishment at right. Once we arrived, the ads for BIG COLA were everywhere.
The entire city of Moyogalpa is colorful and crumbling. Like you can feel the dilapidation and desolation. Hardly the “laid back paradise” the hostel owner in SJDS gushed about.
Many facades were decorated with massive advertisements. Not to mention moss. And you know crumbling cement.
The wildlife even had nefarious undertones. This pig may look cute, but don’t be fooled. He was aggressive and displayed two “fangs” and made loud grunting noises while eating this mango!
A pretty sunset spot turned a little alarming fast, as it got dark and there was no way home except a 1-hour walk along a pitch black road which was ill-advised. Abject fear kind of detracted from the experience.
While trekking to a strange swimming hole, we discovered a few “stores” nestled in the jungle.
It felt like half the town was under construction, the muddy roads dug up really added to the …atmosphere. As did the casual feeling of being deserted.
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