For a Saturday night, Fourth of July, the evening was quiet. The waves crashed gently against the rocks along the shore and a dog could be heard barking off in the distance. The only light was that cast by the nearly full moon reflecting on the lake's surface. The group had been laying on the dock naming the clouds as they formed, coming down the leeward side of Volcan Maderas, "That one looks like a poodle," said one. "Look over there! A swan!" said another. Although the trade winds cast these imagined creatures across Lago Colibolca, the temporality of the shape cumulus clouds was of no great import to this tranquil group.
Their giggles carried in the otherwise silent night and she smiled as she approached. She had been in the dining area, conversing with a Nicaraguan artisan/nomad who was rather keen on philosophy. Feeling a high from the great dialogue she has shared with this youth she asks, "So are you all still up for a swim?" Indeed, all but one of the group are ready to go for a late night swim.
She folds her clothes neatly and sets them on the dock then dives into the ebony hued water, sending ripples of silver across the surface. As she swims out towards the abyss following the trail of moonlight and feeling at home in the water, she reflects on the beauty that surrounds her and the blessings in her life as well as on the recent events which attribute to these.
Rewind: Friday- La Isla Ometepe
The day began, unofficially, as the five JHC volunteers awoke to the sound of howler monkeys calling out to one another at four in the morning. The volume and intensity of their howls suggested that the monkeys were no more than a hundred meters or so away... but then I am no good at guessing distances, let's say they were pretty damn close.
I digress.
Much later, the group officially woke up, they were to meet with Martha, a volunteer for Project Bonafide, sometime after breakfast for a tour of their farm. A wicked thunderstorm blew out the electricity and subsequently the water the night before and so there would be no showers this morning. This is no problem as the ground is thick with mud and the trek from Finca Magdalena to Bonafide's land would be messy.
Martha and Kat soon arrived at our hostel to lead us to their plot of land. After a jaunt through the mud laden forest and cattle fields we soon arrived to their corner of the island and they began giving us a tour of their farm. Project Bonafide is somewhat of an experiment in permaculture on this island with their primary concern being food security. This group of volunteers is trying to figure out which varieties of agriculture (including subsistence, medicinal and commercial) can exist sustainably in this microclimate while maximizing the uses of these materials. They showed us everything from mangoes to bamboo and fixed us a delicious lunch prepared with food from their crops. They are truly ambitious in that they want to teach the locals how to cook with these foods and how to use the building materials they are growing. Project Bonafide hopes to one day have a community kitchen in town where they can teach children how to cook and eat healthy foods. Although they seem to have much work to do before they can accomplish this as one of the hardest things one can do is to try and change someone's eating habits. Currently they have a system set up where community members can trade items such as beans and rice for plants from their nursery. This group has taken on a lot. It seems idealistic at the start, however, with what they've done so far it would be interesting to see what they are able to do for the people of this land.
Saturday- Hacienda Merida
Following our tour Friday, we hopped a bus to Merida where we were to spend two more evenings.
I had been to Hacienda Merida on my last visit to La Isla Ometepe and had an enjoyable time. There was no doubt in my mind that this would be any different.
We woke up to have breakfast and discussed possible plans for the day. Some wanted to go hiking, all wanted to go kayaking and some wanted to go swimming. The day seemed to promise sunshine and mild weather, unlike the last couple of days which had been overcast and rainy, so I made up my mind to stay behind while the others went for a hike to see petroglyphs.
Following breakfast I headed out to the dock with my book. There was a man standing knee deep in the water fishing while his partner sat on the dock watching him. I settled myself onto the concrete and began to read. There were virtually no sounds other than the lapping of the water against the shore. Occasionally birds cried out in the distance and a dog mustered the energy to bark. After some time the couple left the area of the dock and I was the only one on the lake. Between chapters I would set my book down and watch the clouds as the tradewinds pushed them out into the distance then as I began to sweat I would jump into the lake to cool off. This would be one of the few times that I'd have any time alone and I savored every moment.
The group returned from their hike late in the afternoon. I had just finished my lunch and it was after 2:30pm. They were hungry and sweaty but we were all still determined to go kayaking after everyone had eaten.
Our destination was the swamps of el Rio Isidrio. The five of us skimmed the water in our kayaks, watching the Islanders as they played on the shore. Egrets and other waterfowl lined the reeds and watched us as we made our way towards the mouth of the river. We kayaked in near silence, hoping to see birds that we had never before encountered. Indeed, there were King Fishers, Eagles, Toucans, Sandpipers and unidentifiable birds galore! It was awe inspiring.
Nothing, however, can top our exit from the river.
It was growing late in the evening and the sun was quickly setting. As the sun set over the Volcan Concepcion, the moon was rising over Volcan Maderas. What a blessing! To our right was the sun and to our left the moon. The hues of the evening were warm and the sounds of the insects and birds ushered in the night as the sun disappeared behind the volcano. We did not need our headlamps for the moon was so bright it lit our way back to the hostel, shining directly over the dock where we were to port our kayaks.
We made it back in time for dinner. This was to be our last evening on the island, Fourth of July, and after making the most of our day, we certainly made the most of our night. The others went out to the dock to talk and swim while I stayed behind in the dining area, comparing the writings of Kahlil Gibran to the Bible with a Nicaraguan traveling artisan. I felt so blessed to be able to have this conversation with this young man. His thoughts on living a life of love and respect very much mirrored my own and were apropos after all that had happened in Nicaragua thus far.
Life is good.
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