Somoza dynasty killed much of the
population, occasional sightings are
still reported by rural residents along
the San Juan river, which is their
passage of entry from sea. Rising out
of the seat of Lake Nicaragua, active
Volcano Concepcion looms large
and proud, crowned by a mythical
floating cloud forest. Foaming at the
mouth, Concepcion is smouldering.
Rising to 1610m, Nicaragua’s second
tallest volcano can be hiked. It’s an
intimidating sight, presiding over the
region and is one of several piercing
the country’s horizon like a pulse
reading. Whilst it’s a familiar sight, it
remains a menacing one, the visible
charcoal tracks of former eruptions
scarring the lengths of the cone;
a stark reminder of the frequent
volcanic eruptions in Nicaragua.
On the approach to Moyogalpa port,
an hour from San Jorge, the waters
are fringed by islanders washing
clothes in the waters whilst their
horses and goats roam the beach
beyond. Agriculture and tourism
are predominant economies. Nahua
Indians from Mexico first inhabited
twin-volcanic Ometepe as early as
300BC, their legacy engraved as
petroglyphs around truncated sister
volcano, Maderas. It’s summit houses
a crater lagoon, perfect for a posthike swim, alongside howler and
capuchin monkeys, birds, butterflies
and orchids. For these reasons, much
of Ometepe is a UNESCO biosphere
reserve. The two volcanoes are linked
on the ground by a lush isthmus,
giving Ometepe its hourglass figure.
The words of Mark Twain’s 1866 visit
resound, “two magnificent pyramids,
clad in the softest and richest green, all
flecked with shadow and sunshine.”
Ometepe would be Miss Nicaragua
if it were to represent the best of its
country: fuming volcanoes, large
lakes, nature reserves teeming with
biodiversity, colonial culture, bountiful secret virgin beaches and the
prevailing sense of utter remoteness,
for which Nicaragua is, ironically,
becoming famed.
The past is history
Long known amidst the surfer and
backpacker circles, it has been a
relative secret in the tourism world
or known to some for it’s turbulent
political history.
Years of civil war and guerrilla fighting
under dictatorship, stripped it of
tourism merit, as intervention and
revolution took control. In more recent
times, it was struck by pro-Marxist
Sandinistas. War ended 15 years ago
and Nicaragua is stepping out into
the spotlight. Visitors are filtering in to
discover a charming Central American
country free of the tourism en masse,
which plagues nearby destinations,
and now touted as the safest destination in Central America.
Entering the pastiche of around
40,000 residents, it’s clear that
Ometepe is very fertile land. The
volcanic islands are carpeted in
lush greenery, exotic flowers and
agriculture, producing a wealth of
Nicaragua’s fresh produce and, it’s
famous export, coffee.
Exploring by car, horseback, on foot,
by moped, or as some backpackers
do – by hitching a ride on the
back of an open truck, Ometepe
is Nicaraguan life rewound several
decades. Time is frozen in simplicity,
where people live off the land. Oxen
www.theaddressmagazine.com
433