Ometepe Island for a day

Waking to the sound of the waves gently breaking on the shore was wonderful except that I did it multiple times during the night and just when I was starting to settle the kids next door put paid to that. 

The price you pay for having a room that looks on to the shore and the pool. Once I gave up and made coffee at 6:30am they put music on loud enough to wake the entire place. So they woke me proper. Then all went quiet just when it was too late for me to go back to sleep. Murphy’s Law. 

Both phone and wifi were very much hit and miss but sitting staring into a void and the lake was a tranquil way to spend a few hours. 

I was looking forward to the hike this morning but it keeps raining in spurts and I was worried about slipping and sliding in the mud with my dicky knee so I am just going to do the pools later. 

Hanging with the others before they left I enjoyed an omelet like never before. It wouldn’t have passed muster in a kiwi kitchen as it was overcooked but here it tasted like heaven. Eggs, bacon, the plastic stuff they call “American Cheese” and tomatoes. Yum. 

I bade bye to the others and am hanging out waiting for my ride to the pools. In the meantime I’m sitting on my deck doing Spanish lessons and watching the waves lap the shore. If it wasn’t for the loud booming noise coming from the room next door I could say it was tranquil but it aint. 

The weather is weird, pleasantly warm and still then for a few minutes every half hour or so the wind blows the trees sideways, the heavens open up and the skies go grey. In a flash it passes. Weird but not unpleasant. 

A tuk tuk collected me and took me to Ojo de Agua, the natural spring pools with perfect timing I arrived just as the ones from the hike did. 

The pools were beautiful but very over crowded. Luckily we found a table and made ourselves at home. Some swam, some tried out the tarzan swing and I took a dip and then watched, laughed and took photos of those on the swing. 

The pools are fed from a subterranean spring and the water crystal clear and a perfect temperature, coolish but not cold. They have created a man made pool but the natural flora and fauna makes it feel as though you are deep in the forest. 

The birds chirp and fly between the branches a yellow naped parrot comes close. They are endemic to the island and quite rare so that was a thrill. 

https://phys.org/news/2018-06-island-yellow-naped-parrot.amp

Further over we heard a couple of howler monkeys having a discussion and got a murky glimpse of one of them. 

https://www.nicaragua.com/blog/howler-monkeys-loud-mouths-of-nicaragua/

Most of the others left to go kayaking so there were just two of us left to relax, people watch and then have lunch. Both of us chose the Ceviche Mixto. A mix of fish, shrimp and octopus accompanied by finely chopped onion, capsicum, coriander all ‘cooked’ in lime juice. On the side was a pile of crisp plantain chips, perfect for scooping up the delectable mouthfuls. 

I think for the first time on this trip I swooned. The first ceviche I’ve had this trip where the seafood had not been largely pre-cooked and where the flavours were so subtle and refreshing I was still begging for more when my giant bowl was replete. The seafood was so fresh and tender but without having lost its plumpness or moisture. I could have sat for ages just savouring it. 
The only thing missing was a glass of Pinot Gris. Almost perfection. 
Back at the hotel we were joined by the brave lot that did the hike up the mountain. They were shattered but said it was great. We whittled away the night doing quizzes until late. 
Today seemed like a total waste of a day I could be in a community hanging with the locals.