Samana Santa

Samana Santa also known as Easter was awesome! I went to Isla Ometepe with two other volunteers and had a blast. We kind of did a trip where we played it by ear. We left on Sunday and went to Rives and stayed that night there. We hung out in the hostel that we randomly found and ate some bad pizza and watched a movie with some sparkling grape juice. It was quite the party! The next day we got on the boat that was rockier than a baby’s cradle. They were showing Karate Kid in Spanish with Chinese subtitles and the movie was dubbed over in Spanish with a Chinese accent so no one could understand. It was a long one hour ride luckily I did not get sick. We finally landed in a not so busy port town and looked for another random hostel. We ended up with a good one. It had a private bath and a bunk bed set up where the bottom bunk is a double bed and the top a single. There was a patio that had a bunch of hammocks to read in and an upstairs area with tables, sofas and chairs. There was really good wireless but I didn’t bring my computer and I didn’t really care but my friends had fun with it. The people who ran the hostel were fun to talk to and were always joking with us. That night we went out to look for something to do but the town was dead so we ended up eating in one of the other hostels and had a fun meal chatting with the waitress.

The next day we went to the beach and met up with another volunteer that lived on the Isla. We were not out that long but we all got burned really badly. The sun here is really strong. I don’t burn easily so you know it must be strong. We swam around some and brought our own food to save on money and some amazing cheese sandwiches. That night we went to this hamburger place I got an amazing grilled cheese sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and grilled vegetables in it and for dessert we had hot brownies with whipped cream on top I was in heaven but that was before I knew what was to come.

The next day we traveled to the other side of the Isla and stayed at another hostel that was a 1k walk up the side of the volcano. It was absolutely gorgeous to see with beautiful flower everywhere and trails to walk through the woods and up to the top of the volcano. The accommodations were nothing to write home about but it was for the most part clean and comfortable. The day we went to a natural spring swimming hole name Ojo de Aqua. It is said to be the cleanest swimming water found in Nicaragua. It was cool but nothing that you couldn’t find in other countries. There was nothing very unique about but it was a great place to relax after traveling. We met up with other volunteers at a local restaurant which had the best food I have eaten in Nicaragua. I had a vegetable stir fry what had a wide variety of vegetables over the right amount of rice and rich flavorful sauce that was not too thick or strong. Heaven! It was so good that we went there the next day again. We chit chatted the night way before returning to the hostel for a nice night sleep.

We were planning to go Kayaking the next day only to be told that it would cause 50 US dollars. There was no busses running because of the Samana Santa and we ended up walked the 6+k to the beach before being told of the price. We stayed on the beach for a little bit before walking another 3k to the tourist part of town to eat turned around and walked halfway back before my feet died and we hitchhiked but to the hostel. By the time we got back my legs were numb and shaking I collapsed into bed after freezing my butt off in a ‘nice’ ice cold shower.

We went horseback riding the last day at the finca (farm) we thought it would be a two hour ride that turned into 6hrs. We rode to a path up the side of the volcano that led to a one hour hike up to a waterfall that the water was so pure you could drink. WE had to risk it since we ran out of water and were very thirsty with a whole ride back a head of us. Apparently he was right because I have yet to get sick and parasites and bacteria tend to show up pretty quickly. The ride up was on trails that were extremely rocky and I was scared that the horse would trip and hurt its leg. She did slip a few times be nothing bad happened. I was an amazing trip and one of my favorite parts of my vacation. We were told that there would be no hostels with room that day so we quickly went to catch one of the last boats out to the main land and stayed in Rives all over again. There we met up with a dad and his daughter that too were trapped they lived in Costa Rica and the boarders were closed. We had a lovely dinner with them and talked some of the night.

That Saturday we went to Granada to celebrate one of the other volunteers birthday we ate a ridiculously expensive lunch that was worth the end of the vacation party. Talked and caught up. WE had a blast but I was more than ready to head home and most of us were becoming grumpy and snappy. Unfortunately I could still not go home the busses were running but packed full and no reliable. I ended up staying with my only training host family.

There was a really interesting tradition in the town on celebrating the Samana Santa. Every day the week there was parades with a part of the death and resurrection of Jesus. On a huge detailed statue that they carried through the street. On one day those who want to repent their sins in a way would walk on the knees blindfolded from one part of town to the church with two people helping them. It was a big event and the town was packed. I never have seen that town like that even during the Independence Day parade. It was a very unique cultural experience one that only that town does. I am very glad that I stayed the night with them and even had some good conversation with my family which almost never happens. It is late and I must wake up early tomorrow. I will write more tomorrow I have an interesting idea of a blog to do for you all. Love you all and miss you. XOXO