Semana Santa 2012 - Parte 1

Hace mucho tiempo.
I haven't posted in a long time, nor have I told you all about my and Greydy's travels during the Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Nicaragua.
During Semana Santa, I traveled a LOT.

To begin la Semana Santa, I volunteered with Techo Para Mi Pais (a roof for my country), an international organization that helps build starter homes for people without the means to otherwise build the homes.

It was a weekend long construction, so at night we stayed at elementary schools in the area. I only stayed one night because the second night, we were evacuated from the public schools because the Department of Health said there was an epidemic of bugs in the schools and they needed to fumigate.

They started to fumigate when one of the groups was still in the school. Instead of staying with the group over night at another private school where all of the volunteers were moved to, I just went home. They said it was a very abnormal occurrence. Luckily, despite the low numbers of people in our groups and the fumigation setbacks, we were able to finish the houses.



On Monday, when they were finishing up the houses, I left to spend three days on la Isla de Ometepe (Ometepe Island) in the middle of Lake Nicaragua.

The part of the island that is active is Volcan Concepcion to the right, ever-so accurately represented by the cloud rising from it. Y ese dia, I vowed to be the ultimate tourist that I had never allowed myself to be the entire time I was in Nicaragua. So, complete with leopard-print luggage, sunglasses, sunscreen, and skinny jeans, we headed over on the gorgeous three floor ferry to the hour ride to the island.

 On the way over, the view of V. Concepcion was absolutely amazing. And I had a family help me take my touristy pictures, and I helped them with theirs too.

 

When we finally arrived, we were on our way to the resort. Everything seems so far away on the island, it was practically impossible to travel without a vehicle.

 

That day, we were able to relax for the evening. In the resort Charco Verde. The place was gorgeous.

The food was different there than in Managua, they had less comida tipica and more touristy food. Also there was a boat nearby where a man resided. He let Greydy take a picture of him. 

The next day was tour day. Cynthia had hired us a tour guide to show us around. He was funny and entertaining. He showed us some of the churches on the island and a nature center with samples of all the plants that grow on the island.

After the nature tour and lunch in another touristy town, we headed to Ojo de Agua to spend the afternoon there. It's a mineral spring. Our tour guide said that you go in and you come out 20 years younger. I thought this might be problematic because I am 20 years old, but I kept my worries to myself. 

 All in all, we had a really good time. We did a lot of relaxing and waiting for meals. There wasn't much to do at the resort because it was more for family and couples, of which we were neither. So for a bunch of 20 year olds, all we could do was relax and tell stories.
Nos vemos!