Sightseeing

Over the last couple weeks, rather than pushing on to another farm, I decided to relax and sightsee. I returned to Ocotal where I had begun my Nicaraguan journey, and revisited Finca Ayuk.

A pastoral shot was offered by the caballo amidst the zinnias.

We're not sure why none of the seeds we planted, in three different types of beds, really sprouted. It looks like Chilo has at least transplanted some squash into the area.

The beds we made did make for a nice zinnia patch.

It looks like farm owner Jeff has installed some new equipment for the well-in-progress.

Front gate is holding up well. Always a nice view down the front path to the house.

Heading back to town, I thoroughly enjoyed my last walk on these roads for at least a while. My time in Los Arados, which is the neighborhood of the finca, was the most deeply satisfying part of my trip.

Some lush vegetation grows by one of the stream crossings.

On the side of the camino, I told this hombre I loved his little store and asked if I could take a photograph. I present it to y´all as Exhibit A in the differences between the pseudo free-market culture of the US and the real one here.

Many drinks are sold in little plastic bags, like this one I bought from su tienda, esta fruta se llama ¨melacoton¨.

A mutant drinks from a bag.

Exhibit B: the Nica dream, a little shop in the front couple rooms of one´s house facing the road. I doubt there were very many hoops to jump through for this start-up.

Bushes are carved into animal shapes in the plaza of the small town of Mozonte, near the farm. Of all the plazas I have visited, the prettiest have been those of little Ocotal and tiny Mozonte. I mentioned this to one of the friendly gardeners there, and he said, they are one of the few places that spray the trees down with stored water, in order to take care of the plants on days when there is no water running.

Fundacion Libros para Niños en Mozonte

Vaca amidst trees painted with political statements geared toward the election over a year ago.

As in the US, some of the nicest foliage is reserved for the medians.

A cute local gal I met works at this little tienda.

It is somewhat reassuring that, as occurred here, power across the entire country shut down for several hours... and no one missed a beat. Aside from people doing business in the dim, you might not even notice the difference. If the States went dark, it would be a global crisis of unimaginable consequences. As I mentioned this to a local friend, he agreed that, ¨yes here it just gives us a chance to relax and chat a bit more!¨

In Esteli, some produce vendors were protesting by blocking the street, and the cops were trying to get them to move. It made for a good media event for their cause. A tussle began, and the guy in the red stripes hauled a cop to the ground and grabbed his nightstick.

I am amazed further escalation did not ensue--just imagine the retaliation he would have faced in the militarized US police state. But since the cops are mostly Sandinista, they tend to be very restrained, by US standards, in harassing the people. They threw him into the back of a pickup to take him away, at which point a half dozen other protesters jumped into the truck as it sped off. Now THAT is solidarity.



Between Masaya and Granada, a natural lake has formed inside of a hollowed-out volcanic crater.



Laguna de Apoyo offers cool blue water for swimming, said to be the cleanest in Nicaragua.



Some very tall coconut trees grow here.




The nice patio at the Monkey Hut offers excellent hamaca time.

The hot summer weather made for great swimming.



Nicaragua is a country of immense beauty.