A 20 minute hike, 30 minute bus ride and 40 minute stint in a pick-up truck with three other nomadic travelers brought me to Moyogalpa, which has the only ATM on Ometepe Island. It was a mission and a half to get here, so I´m spending a leisurely day catching up on communication, possibly visiting a museum which supposedly hosts Nicaragua´s largest collection of decorative funeral urns, and definitely going to the cash machine before returning to Zopilote for stone oven pizza tonight.
Ometepe is an island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. It´s known for its two majestic volcanoes - Concepción, which is still active, and Maderas, which is not - plantain production and ecological friendliness. Organic farming practices and Permaculture projects abound. This way of life is not part of a trend, it has not been externally imposed - it´s simply the way it is and always has been. Pesticides are expensive and in essence, unnecessary; the volcanic soil is nutrient rich. For the most part islanders seek to self-sustain or barter with a neighbor. Zopilote receives a gallon of fresh milk every morning. It´s deliciously creamy, but when it´s gone no hay más hasta la próxima mañana. I wake up early to ensure I get one full cup.
Zopilote is a transient community grounded with the continuous efforts of two Italian brothers. There are hammocks, tents and a few dormitory beds to sleep in; most people who arrive are environmentally interested and aware, seeking to learn through living. All waste is separated - recycled and composted when possible. There is filtered water available - not in disposable plastic bottles for 20 Córdoba (1 USD) apiece, but from a tap. And at reception there are always free bananas; yesterday I ate eight.
I try to live life by the motto: ¨All Good things in Moderation¨, but I also believe there is space for time of indulgence. At the moment I´m nursing sore muscles from my climb to the top of Maderas, and bananas are supposed to be helpful for lactic acid build-up. Round-trip, we hiked - stepped over and ducked under fallen branches - smucked through shin-deep mud, teetered back and forth between tree trunks to maintain balance - and stumbled over roots for eight hours. I made the trek with seven gentlemen - four Canadians, two Alaskans and Héctor, our Nicaraguan guide. It was an unforgettable experience, and I´ll happily share the photos as soon as I can find a USB cable to upload images. Until the next post, sending each and everyone of you amor y suerte - love and luck!
06 January 2009
29 December 2008
Most people dream of a white Christmas. Mine was spent on a white sandy beach. There were no snowball fights or decorated sugar cookies, but there was an afternoon game of cricket and plenty of golden toasted marshmallows. I wanted to hang stockings by our campfire, but soon remembered the only socks I had were smelly and at the hostel anyway. Five Aussies, one English-Colombian, a Swede and one Canadian celebrated Christmas with me this year. We brought our traditions together and had a blast; I didn´t have any lefsa to share, but I did lead a round of carols while swaying in my hammock.
For four days and three nights I was barefoot - atop a surfboard, stepping gingerly over slated shale rock and sprinting full speed at low tide along the beach. At sunrise I saw jumping dolphins, at sunset I tried to make yoga a routine. Playones beach was both a place of abundance and scarcity. There was passion fruit, papaya and pineapple galore, but not a trace of my vice - dark chocolate. I was always in the water, but I never actually felt clean. My body was salty from the sea, greasy from sunscreen, and gritty from blowing sand. We had everything we needed right in front of us, without wireless Internet or cell phone towers. A small generator was all that was required to power the blender for fresh fruit smoothies.
Today I traded in my bikini for more appropriate city ware. I´m now back in San Juan del Sur for New Year´s Eve, and will travel to the Islas del Ometepe on the 2nd of January. These islands are on Lake Nicaragua; they´re noted for incredible hiking on active volcanoes, broadening ecotourism efforts, and the lake itself hosts the world´s only known freshwater shark species - though their popularity in China´s markets for believed panacea-like medicinal properties have caused them to be largely fished out. There haven´t been any attacks on humans reported in recent years. Still, I think I´ll stick to knee-deep wading. Happy New Year´s everyone; wishing you a good one.
For four days and three nights I was barefoot - atop a surfboard, stepping gingerly over slated shale rock and sprinting full speed at low tide along the beach. At sunrise I saw jumping dolphins, at sunset I tried to make yoga a routine. Playones beach was both a place of abundance and scarcity. There was passion fruit, papaya and pineapple galore, but not a trace of my vice - dark chocolate. I was always in the water, but I never actually felt clean. My body was salty from the sea, greasy from sunscreen, and gritty from blowing sand. We had everything we needed right in front of us, without wireless Internet or cell phone towers. A small generator was all that was required to power the blender for fresh fruit smoothies.
Today I traded in my bikini for more appropriate city ware. I´m now back in San Juan del Sur for New Year´s Eve, and will travel to the Islas del Ometepe on the 2nd of January. These islands are on Lake Nicaragua; they´re noted for incredible hiking on active volcanoes, broadening ecotourism efforts, and the lake itself hosts the world´s only known freshwater shark species - though their popularity in China´s markets for believed panacea-like medicinal properties have caused them to be largely fished out. There haven´t been any attacks on humans reported in recent years. Still, I think I´ll stick to knee-deep wading. Happy New Year´s everyone; wishing you a good one.
23 December 2008
A Moment of Repose
Today is both an ending and a beginning. I sent my little sister, Erika, off on Delta flight 414 at 9 this morning, and have spent the remainder of the day resting and readying for the next step in this journey. Tomorrow a.m. I´m catching a TicaBus - Costa Rica´s most popular coach service - to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, where I´ll spend Christmas holidays with an English-Colombian kite surfer and a Swedish environmentalist. I met the first at a bus stop a couple of days ago, and the latter on the doorstep of a hostel I was staying at.
Unexpected encounters - opening up and being present to the experience - are one of ¨the greats¨ of nomadic travels. Each day is a river bend; one never knows what quite to expect. Erika and I´ve found ourselves building a bonfire twice our size on the beach in Mal Pais, celebrating at an ex-pat Israeli birthday party in Santa Teresa, grooving with ¨The Boom Booms¨ (a band from Vancouver, BC on tour in Central America in a hand-painted van) at El Coquito, and rushing to get off a rickety old yellow school bus yesterday because the driver thought it had caught fire.
There was a lot of shouting - ¨fuego!¨ - but after an initial assessment our driver said the billowing smoke was only the friction of brakes and would cause us no harm. We were ushered back on to the bus about as quickly as we were commanded to get off; some passengers weren´t convinced and decided to walk instead. Erika and I had a connection to make so we said a prayer and slid back into our seats. I think God-Allah-Buddha - something greater than ourselves - must have been watching out for us because we were flanked by two nuns in black habits on our next bus ride.
Jaime Koss - an artist I met at his studio in Samara - and I talked at great length about giving space and allowing for life to freely unravel. His words for it were: emergent creation, which he explained is like sitting down in front of a white canvas with no expectation, pre-conceived ideas or absolute image of what he will paint. He might have a feeling, one word - like ¨joy¨ - but will not know how he´ll express it until his brush starts moving.
This spontaneous spirit is something we all have the ability to tap into; it may manifest in different ways for each of us, but it shares a similar emanating and creative process. And so, during this holiday season - may you be spiritually guided by spontaneity and be present to the wonders that surround you. Peace and blessings - Elise
Unexpected encounters - opening up and being present to the experience - are one of ¨the greats¨ of nomadic travels. Each day is a river bend; one never knows what quite to expect. Erika and I´ve found ourselves building a bonfire twice our size on the beach in Mal Pais, celebrating at an ex-pat Israeli birthday party in Santa Teresa, grooving with ¨The Boom Booms¨ (a band from Vancouver, BC on tour in Central America in a hand-painted van) at El Coquito, and rushing to get off a rickety old yellow school bus yesterday because the driver thought it had caught fire.
There was a lot of shouting - ¨fuego!¨ - but after an initial assessment our driver said the billowing smoke was only the friction of brakes and would cause us no harm. We were ushered back on to the bus about as quickly as we were commanded to get off; some passengers weren´t convinced and decided to walk instead. Erika and I had a connection to make so we said a prayer and slid back into our seats. I think God-Allah-Buddha - something greater than ourselves - must have been watching out for us because we were flanked by two nuns in black habits on our next bus ride.
Jaime Koss - an artist I met at his studio in Samara - and I talked at great length about giving space and allowing for life to freely unravel. His words for it were: emergent creation, which he explained is like sitting down in front of a white canvas with no expectation, pre-conceived ideas or absolute image of what he will paint. He might have a feeling, one word - like ¨joy¨ - but will not know how he´ll express it until his brush starts moving.
This spontaneous spirit is something we all have the ability to tap into; it may manifest in different ways for each of us, but it shares a similar emanating and creative process. And so, during this holiday season - may you be spiritually guided by spontaneity and be present to the wonders that surround you. Peace and blessings - Elise
12 December 2008
Pura Vida
Greetings from Costa Rica! I flew into San Jose late Monday night and have been collecting stories ever since - some more poetic than others of course. There is a certain glamor to life on the road, but it wears off quickly when you´re too nauseous to look out the window and busy heaving into a plastic bag. This is what happened to me today returning to the city from Samara beach. I´m not sure what caused my food poisoning, but I´m overjoyed to have a settled stomach tonight.
A runaway coach en route to Samara has been the only other unfortunate incident. I was coming out of the washroom when I saw my driver pulling away. I ran as fast as I could in flip flops while flailing my arms up in the air, only to realize he was just turning the bus around - not actually leaving me behind. Smiling eyes welcomed my beet red face back to seat no. 24.
So, perhaps the moral of the story is to stay off of buses and spend more time on the beach? I´ve had a marvelous time on sandy shores so far. Yesterday morning I took a barefoot skip, trot and hop; I saw a man playing his didgeridoo, two extraordinary jugglers, galloping horses and a long beaked bird who wouldn´t sit still for a photo. In the afternoon I rented a surf board; high tide was at 1:30 so the sets were consistently good. I spent the last 30 minutes just chilling and rolling along over undulating ripples, face resting on my forearms and eyes on the horizon. My shoulders, hamstrings and left cheek are a bit pink but I don´t mind at all.
Tomorrow afternoon will be spent in the company of U.S. diplomats. I interned at the United States Embassy in San Jose a few years ago and still have contacts I´m excited to re-connect with; in the evening my sister and I´ll go downtown for the Festival of Lights. I guess there will be a wild parade, tasty empañadas, lots of glitz and blinking bulbs of course. Stay tuned for more to come - most likely in a week´s time. Be well...
A runaway coach en route to Samara has been the only other unfortunate incident. I was coming out of the washroom when I saw my driver pulling away. I ran as fast as I could in flip flops while flailing my arms up in the air, only to realize he was just turning the bus around - not actually leaving me behind. Smiling eyes welcomed my beet red face back to seat no. 24.
So, perhaps the moral of the story is to stay off of buses and spend more time on the beach? I´ve had a marvelous time on sandy shores so far. Yesterday morning I took a barefoot skip, trot and hop; I saw a man playing his didgeridoo, two extraordinary jugglers, galloping horses and a long beaked bird who wouldn´t sit still for a photo. In the afternoon I rented a surf board; high tide was at 1:30 so the sets were consistently good. I spent the last 30 minutes just chilling and rolling along over undulating ripples, face resting on my forearms and eyes on the horizon. My shoulders, hamstrings and left cheek are a bit pink but I don´t mind at all.
Tomorrow afternoon will be spent in the company of U.S. diplomats. I interned at the United States Embassy in San Jose a few years ago and still have contacts I´m excited to re-connect with; in the evening my sister and I´ll go downtown for the Festival of Lights. I guess there will be a wild parade, tasty empañadas, lots of glitz and blinking bulbs of course. Stay tuned for more to come - most likely in a week´s time. Be well...
12 November 2008
How To Build Global Community
Think of no one as "them"; Don't confuse your comfort with your safety; Talk to strangers; Imagine other cultures through their art, poetry and novels; Listen to music you don't understand; Dance to it; Act locally; Notice the workings of power and privilege in your culture; Question consumption; Know how your lettuce and coffee are grown: wake up and smell the exploitation; Look for fair trade and union labels; Help build economies from the bottom up; Acquire few needs; Learn a second (or third) language; Visit people, places, and cultures - not tourist attractions; Learn people's history; Re-define progress; Know physical & political geography; Play games from other cultures; Watch films with subtitles; Know your heritage; Honor everyone's holidays; Look at the moon and imagine someone else, somewhere else, looking at it too; Read the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Understand the global economy in terms of people, land and water; Know where your bank banks; Never believe you have a right to anyone else's resources; Refuse to wear corporate logos: defy corporate domination; Question military/corporate connections; Don't confuse money with wealth, or time with money; Have a pen/email pal; Honor indigenous cultures; Judge governance by how well it meets all people's needs; Be skeptical about what you read; Eat adventurous!; Enjoy vegetables, beans and grains in your diet; Choose curiosity over certainty; Know where your water comes from and where your wastes go; Pledge allegiance to the earth: question nationalism; Think South, Central and North - there are many Americans; Assume that many others share your dreams; Know that no one is silent through many are not heard - Work to change this...
By Syracuse Cultural Workers
Think of no one as "them"; Don't confuse your comfort with your safety; Talk to strangers; Imagine other cultures through their art, poetry and novels; Listen to music you don't understand; Dance to it; Act locally; Notice the workings of power and privilege in your culture; Question consumption; Know how your lettuce and coffee are grown: wake up and smell the exploitation; Look for fair trade and union labels; Help build economies from the bottom up; Acquire few needs; Learn a second (or third) language; Visit people, places, and cultures - not tourist attractions; Learn people's history; Re-define progress; Know physical & political geography; Play games from other cultures; Watch films with subtitles; Know your heritage; Honor everyone's holidays; Look at the moon and imagine someone else, somewhere else, looking at it too; Read the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Understand the global economy in terms of people, land and water; Know where your bank banks; Never believe you have a right to anyone else's resources; Refuse to wear corporate logos: defy corporate domination; Question military/corporate connections; Don't confuse money with wealth, or time with money; Have a pen/email pal; Honor indigenous cultures; Judge governance by how well it meets all people's needs; Be skeptical about what you read; Eat adventurous!; Enjoy vegetables, beans and grains in your diet; Choose curiosity over certainty; Know where your water comes from and where your wastes go; Pledge allegiance to the earth: question nationalism; Think South, Central and North - there are many Americans; Assume that many others share your dreams; Know that no one is silent through many are not heard - Work to change this...
By Syracuse Cultural Workers
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