Last few days and still more exciting stuff!

Well, my last day of classes turned out to be really interesting. I had asked my conversation teacher about artesans and discovered only one lived in the area, so on Friday we went off for a long walk to another of the local communities. We were welcomed by the family and shown round the garden. They had lots of colourful statues and plant pots made of recycled tyres. 

I was shown the workshop where bowls and maracas were made. A fruit called 'hicora' was used. I have been unable to find out anything about it but he had a tree in his garden and a large pile of fruits in the workshop. They are very hard. They are cooked and the insides scooped out leaving a hard case which is then decorated to make the maracas. I made a couple of purchases which seemed to please the family but he wanted to make me a new wall hanging pot and promised to deliver it before I left. I wasn't sure this would happen, but some time in the night it was delivered to the security man! I took some photos and told them they would be on my blog, they posed and thought it great fun. It was another of those wonderful experiences meeting and talking to local people.

I think his tee shirt says, live your life and don't meddle with mine!

In the evening we had a local group, singing folk songs, who got us up dancing with them, which was great fun and a good last evening at the school.

Today I have travelled north to Matagalpa which is in the mountains. I have left the volcanoes behind. It is quite Bavarian looking here with chalet houses and farms and lovely views. And it is cooler at night. My hotel is comprised of little bungalows, mine has five windows which is quite a thrill after three weeks in a dark room! So I can lie in bed and watch the wildlife. It's actually on a coffee estate and we passed many cafe cooperatives as we neared the area. It looks more prosperous in this area. The restaurant has a deck overlooking the lake and lots of forest walks, some of which I explored this afternoon. One of the security guards followed me part way, maybe concerned I would get lost! They have good wine which is cold, and good food which is hot!. Having had lunch, I ordered a plate of cheese tonight and it was enough for a family! I am currently having hot chocolate which I think has been made Nicaraguan style. They grind and mix cacao with maize and cinnamon. It's actually very pleasant and not at all sickly. However the hotel has let me down on one thing. Because they are so environmentally friendly, it's still solar hot water, so my shower tonight was a luke warm dribble! They really don't do hot abundant showers here. As my driver said today, the country wants and needs tourism but people have to understand they are a developing country and they can't provide what people have at home.

The little chapel in the hotel grounds.

Today Sunday I have spent yet another day in the countryside and with the local community. It is so lovely to meet real local people and feel I can contribute to their lives, rather than the economy in general. Ernesto, my guide took me to el Chile, a community outside Matagalpa, where we first went to a coffee finca. He talked to me about the shade grown coffee, and need for sustainability; how by growing mixed crops, it is better for the soil and environment and gives the farmers more crops to sell. They are not then dependent on one product. We walked through the finca to Cierro El Chile, where there were spectacular 360 degree views. It was pretty steep.

After that we visited the textile cooperative, where the ladies had opened up especially for me. I learned about the weaving process, had a go on a loom, and made some purchases rounding it up to make a donation. Apparently most of these traditions were wiped out in the Somoza years as he owned the cotton plantations and sold the cotton for export, gaining wealth. But he considered these activities subversive, obviously to his pocket! In 1980s, someone started to mobilise the local women to start again and teach the younger generation. They now have a source of income for their families.

Whilst we were going through Matagalpa we saw the workers waiting to be offered jobs on the coffee fincas and later saw lorry loads of people on the roads. It is not secure work and appears to be cash in hand, with youngsters as young as 14 able to start work.
I had lunch with Ernesto, cooked by Carla, at her home in El Chile. It was a traditional meal of rice, frijoles, cheese, chicken with vegetables, and a milk tart, made with bread and no they. It was all delicious.

After that we briefly visited the town where we saw the cathedral and there was a celebration of the life of Ruben Dario, the poet.

There are also statues of the Sandanistas as the war with the contras took place in the mountains around here. Am now making the most of the last few hours in the warm sunshine sipping a cool drink! 

It will be very strange getting back to a normal routine without all of these exciting things filling every day. But it must have done me good as one of my American colleagues said she would miss me, a (in fact more than one said that), because it was good to meet someone who can just 'be' and not have to be flitting from one thing to another all the time! It's been lovely spending time with people who all do similar things, some travelling for several months at a time.

So what am I looking forward to- well a long hot shower is top of my list, a comfy arm chair and effective lighting, washing the few clothes I am bringing back in a washing machine. I gave a pile to the cleaning lady yesterday as my travel trousers really were too big this year and my white tee shirts will never be white again! And of course I am looking forward to catching up with everyone again.....planning the next trip and maybe some painting from the materials I have collected.