Granada

Masaya Volcano
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INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT NICARAGUA

1. Nicaragua is home to fresh-water sharks

Volcano´s, Lava and lakes

2. Isla de Ometepe (that I am visiting) is an active volcano with its last major eruption in 1957.

Masaya Volcano
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3. 70% of Nicaragua's population live below the poverty line making it the second poorest country in the southern hemisphere behind Haiti

Granada is a cute colonial town in Nicaragua. The houses are all brightly coloured and the people spend their evenings in rocking chairs watching the world go by.

I spent the day wondering around town. I saw the main plaza and the plaza de Independence. I also walked around looking at some of their churches. In the evening we had a tour to the Masaya volcano. Its last major eruption was in 1772 but it is still active and smoke spews from the crater. You get driven to the crater and peer into the top then you wait for just after 5pm and 50 or so green parakeets fly over the top onto the cliffs. We then hiked to the top of the hill where the locals erected a cross as they wanted to baptise the volcano to keep it at bay. We then went down to some caves filled with 20,000 bats, there was the otion to go in the cave but I am not crazy so declined. They were all around you and one touched my face which was quite enough for me. We then went right to the edge of the crater and peered over to see Molten lava it was amazing and so close. We had to wear gas masks because of the sulphurus fumes. Well worth the money it was a great trip!

San Fransisco Covent now a museum
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The next day I went for breakfast at a waffle house that did divine food! Banana pancakes, oatmeal and bananas and raisins mmm! I then went for my wax and hair done ha ha. It wasnt too painful! And super cheap. I then walked down to the markets and spotted a sensational bargain, stilletoes for 10 pounds! I couldnt resist (sorry mum). I then headed back to our hotel and sunbathed by the pool it was nice to just chill out for a change.

That night we did a sunset boat tour on the lake. There are something like 380 islets there which people own houses on. Some are fabulous looking houses. The lake is the second largest freshwater lake in the world and is home to the freshwater sharks unfortunately I didnt see any of them :-( The sunset was gorgeous and the tour was really nice, its good to see the mainland from a different perspective. We organised the boat ourselves at the dock which was much cheaper than through a tour agency.