Birthday adventure trip!

Semana Santa: when all of Nicaragua goes to the beach… buying mangoes for the boat ride

Swimming in the Cocibolca Lake is a “full dress” affair…

We missed the ferry by a few minutes and rather than wait a couple of hours, we opt for a bumpy ride on this small boat, from St Jorge to the town of Moyogalpa on Ometepe

Long time no break, so this is a rare treat… no computers, no emails… Ometepe has the potential to be a closer version of Cuba, where we have gone on vacation in the past when in need of totally disconnecting from the demands of CO2 Bambu…

Riding the bumpy waves…

Volcano Concepcion ahoy!

Concepcion changes colors frequently, reflecting time of day, amount of clouds…

Landing at Moyogalpa… ready for a Peta Birthday week-end adventure

Transport on the island is easiest by motorcycle or scooter. The slower speed than cars allows for a fuller enjoyment of the Ometepe scene. First and always center: the bulls of Ometepe. Peta’s first series of paintings inspired by Nicaragua was called the Bulls of Ometepe

The isthmus that separates the two volcanos, can be submerged in the wet season (starts mid May). At times one only sees a faint sliver of a beach. But now we are in the dry season, the beach is wide — a perfect stop half way between Volcano Concepcion and Volcano Maderas. Peta does not miss an opportunity to take a dip.

Strip tease on Ometepe!

Santo Domingo beach — the istmus between the two volcanoes… Here, looking toward Volcano Maderas. Our destination: the village of Balgue

Balgue’s church

Traditional Balgue construction… the street is lined with small houses…

Gastronomic treat in the village of Balgue: healthy, delicious, organic food

Fresh wholewheat bread and home made fetuccini hanging above the bread table

One of our favorite spots on Ometepe…

This is where the newly paved road that goes all the way from the Ferry, across the island, through Balgue until the road suddenly stops and reverts to the dirt road that makes up still most of the island.

Organic greens grown by the owner of the local organic restaurant.

organic greens anyone?

The land is divided roughly equally into three segments — The top part, road side, is used for growing organic greens. The second part is a small forest, the third part is a rocky beach.

Some large ancestral trees, with wild orchids and when we were there, the home of 6 howler monkeys and three babies

Volcano salutation? Covered by clouds in this photo, at sun down the battery of our camera died, so no shots of the volcano dressed in pink by the sunset…

The waterfront is made up of volcanic black rocks

From the “forest” part, look left, and see Volcano Concepcion

Look right, and see flocks of wild egrets and all sorts of birdlife

Peta tries out the local rocks for stretching and yoga potential – it’s a thumbs up!

Time to go back to the beach at Santo Domingo. Seems like we are on time for their three times daily “water run” for the local cattle to drink the fresh water of Lake Cocibolca.

Bulls – one of our favorite animals… ubiquitous in our global travel, always different, yet providing a bull narrative that runs through our green global treck…

We expected just a few bulls. Suddenly, 3 “cowboys” emerge from the dry bush and push their herd to the water’s edge for a drink

up close and personal – Peta is sitting in the middle of the herd as they frolic in the water

Not just cattle, horses too… and cute ones at that…

If cattle and horses are not your thing fear not… Ometepe’s fauna is varied. Here the Touristus Humanus, in full display for the viewing pleasure of Ometepe cowboys…