How to appreciate life's luxuries!

On Monday I had lunch with Marjiory in San Carlos 

Then I made my way by panga to San Fernando, the main island of the Solentiname archipelago.

It was a bit bumpy in such a small boat and I wondered if my suitcase would weigh it down too much. However I arrived safely, was dropped off on the jetty, thinking 'what next'?. The captain called out to a young man to help with my luggage and then I was shown to my room in Paradise cabins a few yards away! According to my itinerary, this is the best hotel on the island. I have seen what are called guest houses, which appear very simple wooden buildings get are people's homes.

It transpired that the proprietor wasn't there at the time, but I found someone in the dining room to help. I think everyone was expecting me as there were only seven passengers on the boat and some were going elsewhere.

It is very peaceful here with beautiful views. Well except when the workmen get going next door with their cutting implement.

Everything here is quite different, no roads, no cars, no shops, no internet,no hot water and this morning no water at all! I had just got the shampoo on ready for a quick dunk when it petered out. So washed myself down with a damp towel and just about sorted my hair with the trickle! After breakfast the waitress brought a jug of purified water so I could wash my hands, whilst the proprietor was pumping up more water from the lake into the tank! However I did manage a cool glass of wine last night, the first night the bottle was off the shelf but yesterday it had been put in the cool box, I haven't seen a fridge! But there are mobile phones.

My host lent me a book to read about a chap from USA who came to live here for a year and gave a group of youngsters second hand cameras to document their lives. He lived with a family and later took a group of children to Managua where their work was exhibited. It must have been an overwhelming experience for the youngsters and pretty incredible and challenging for him. 

www.miradasdesolentiname.com

The food is good and prepared to order; they ask what you want and sometimes that's what you get, sometimes not. Yesterday after a decent lunch I suggested cheese on toast for supper but when I arrived they had no cheese, so I had some fish instead, beautifully presented with plantain and salsa. Actually plantain seems to be the staple food together with rice. I am trying not to eat too much as if is full of fibre and has after effects! Not good when you are going off on a boat and might not visit a loo for a while.! Some food is local and anything that is not has to wait until a boat goes to San Carlos I imagine,  and as food cannot easily be stored the menu revolves around what is availlable. Whilst I met another English family on my first day, since yesterday I have been the only guest! I understand more people arrive tomorrow for the Christmas period. The first day they suggested I eat at 7pm but today at 6.45 they knocked on my door and asked if I wanted to eat, the waitress apparently walks an hour to get home. It's dark and there are no lights! The dining room is open to the elements and has small ghekoes running up the walls! Sometimes the family come in and I wonder if they get my leftovers.....

I have had two days of trips courtesy of Nestor and Jimmy, father and son, who have a small panga. Boat is the only form of transport. I have seen no other motorised vehicles at all and the terrain would not be suitable for bicycles.

They are very pleasant, Jimmy, who is 13, tries to read the English names of the birds, so I help him with his English and he helps with my Spanish. Neither speak English, nor does anyone here. In fact I had to act as interpreter for the English family. The first day we went across the water to the San Juan river to the nature reserve, which borders Costa Rica, in fact we saw the public boats that come from Costa Rica, there are lots of military around, no doubt because it is near the border. The trip across was very rough and needed life jackets and oilskins, particularly since, when I got in there was a downpour but with an amazing rainbow as the sun was shining too!

We pootled through the waterways looking out for wildlife and Jimmy's attentiveness was rewarded with lots of sightings, including several snakes in trees and a wide range of birds and monkeys, osprey and kingfisher included. I have a list!

We stopped at the reserve at Guatuza for lunch where I had a guided tour with another guide. I could not go on the hanging bridges as the hurricane had severely damaged them. In fact there is a lot of devastation, with fallen trees.  Nestor's answer to dealing with them was to drive at them fast, unlike our Ecuadorean experience of sitting on a log whilst the boat went over the top! They eventually found a pair of boots big enough which I thought might be for snakes but it turned out we were wading through water in some places. We saw a caiman rearing area, a turtle rearing area and various other exciting things like a venomous spider and a golden orb spider and there were a lot of mosquitos, who manage to find bits of my skin on my fingers and sometimes get through my clothes and elastic sleeve! I am smothering myself with repellant.

An oriole snake.

Venomous spider.

At one point the guide grabbed my finger and inspected my rings, asking if they were gold. I thought that I might be found some months later minus my rings! But in fact he was very pleasant and after I gave him 2$ tip started giving me leaflets from the shelves that looked as if they had been there since the year dot! We had lunch in the local village, a large covered space in the small village community. The food was good but the loo was one of those not plumbed in, so you have to get a bucket of water from the tank outside. Good job there was no light, I would rather not inspect it too closely!

Today when I visited the museum for 2$, Yerba was showing me some carvings; she picked up a coconut shell and out jumped an enormous spider. No se preocupa, don't worry she said, it's only a tarantula, then continued to show me round the museum. I kept looking out behind to see where it had gone!

This morning, Nestor and Jimmy collected me earlier and we set off around the island; we stopped at a cave with petroglyphs, one of which could be seen from the boat. Owing to the recent weather it was too dangerous to go in. Last night it absolutely teamed down, so instead of the insect noises, it was the sound of torrential rain on the roof that I heard. I thought I might need a boat to get out! But then to find there was no water, I felt like running outside to rinse off in the rain, but thought I might upset the locals.

Later we visited the original artist, an elderly man in a wheelchair. He is the founder of the art naïf community here which now consists of three generation. Nestor told him I could understand if he spoke slowly and we had a chat. Unfortunately I had none of my paintings in my camera to show him. I bought a small canvas on the basis that the community needs the money, I can afford it, and it's a small contribution to make. Plus I will be unlikely to ever come here again. 

Later I saw his work in the local museum which focuses on the flora and fauna, the cycle of life, history and culture in a naïf style. It is very detailed and colourful. I walked along the path today where further artists exhibited but didn't visit as would have been embarrassed not to have made purchases. Some artists such as the proprietress, has had to stop painting for a while due to wrist problems and her sister Rosa who lives next door told me she suffers from asthma and now has to work in acrylics.

We also visited a community called Macarrón, on one of the other islands. They too had a small artists community,  small museum, library, and a church. The library, which is a very small building is the centre of the community, with internet access, classes and shelves of rather well used and old looking books. But at least they were used!

There was also more wild life today, both during the trip and on my own explorations of San Fernando this afternoon.

And some great views too!

I have to admit, this has been quite a culture shock. Costa Rica has become quite normal for me Ometepe last year was lovely, but this is really stepping back and questioning your expectations. It's a good learning opportunity with regard to your personal resourcefulness and hopefully will teach me not to get upset when the boiler breaks down or the utilities stop working! You just have to wipe the slate when it comes to expectations of normality! 

I am not sure the concept of jobs features here either. People work to mend things, catch and grow food, some of which they sell and some make craft items. When I walk in the afternoons, there is a lot of resting going on. My waitress prepares my food, then sits down waiting for the next thing that needs doing!

Ometepe here we come- they had hot water last year!

Wildlife list

Garcia capeverde-green heron

Zopilot-king vulture

Osprey

GUIs común-great kiskadee

Pescador colarejo-ringed kingfisher

Carpintero aledorado-golden olive woodpecker

Buco colarejo-white necked puff bird

Mica-oriole snake

Corredora-green headed streak snake

Hilo de oro- golden orb spider

Frigate bird

Capuchin monkey

Howler monkeys

Velaceous trogan

Grey hawk

Orange chinned parrot

Spotted sandpiper

Great banded ghekko

Hope I am not taking any passengers, as when I closed the lid of my case this morning a huuuge spider ran out  across the wall and behind the spare bed!