Flying from Liberia and looking for a nice side trip? You've got to visit Rincon de la Vieja....more specifically...you have to stay at the Hotel Borinquin. It is a little peice of heaven.
Last week, Erik's mom, Kelly aka GmK, came down to visit us. We love you and miss you GmK! Erik was forced to work a lot during her trip, so we collectively decided to take a mini-vacation to a new destination at the end of her trip. We had never visited Rincon before, and decided to check it out. (I was pleasantly surprised that Erik agreed to a vacation away from the beach!) We looked into our hotel options, and narrowed it down to two choices: the Hacienda Guachipelin or Hotel Borinquin. Hacienda Gauchipelin is a hotel/motel on an active horse ranch. I was drawn to this option b/c Kemper loves horses- plus, there were several short hikes that we could take starting at the hotel which would lead us to either waterfalls, mud pools, or fumaroles. It was the more budget friendly of the two options, and we decided to give it a shot.
After a 14 km drive down a powder-like dirt road (that much resembled a moonscape) we encountered the 'ranch'. It had been a longer than expected trip, and at 1:30, no one had eaten lunch....we were all starving! We checked in and were asked to put on our 'bracelets'...that was turn off #1. The hotel also serves as an 'adventure center' for big tour groups- I suppose they wanted to distinguish us as hotel guests.
Our room was not ready....turn off #2, so we headed to the restaurant (the only one on site) for some lunch. We walked in to find a large buffet, and our spirits were momentarily lifted....until the waitress handed us our menus. The restaurant was asking $18/person for the small lunch buffet. Forget about it! We scanned our other options, only to find that we were in a tourist trap! $15 for a plate of arroz con pollo?! That was it! Turn off #3. Erik made the executive decision to leave the Hacienda and upgrade us to Hotel Borinquin.
Through all of our hunger and exhaustion from the trip, the next hour in the car was the best investment that we could have made. The 25 km trek off of Calle 1 is pleasantly paved, and upon arrival, we were awestruck with the beauty of the land of the hotel. It was a 180 degree difference (from the 'ranch') upon approach. The high road in gives you a bird's-eye view of the valley and grounds of the resort- you first see a fumarole (large steam pocket) with the hotel villas beyond.
The entire property is lined with paver stones. At the hotel reception building, I relaxed in an oversized rocking chair with Kemper as Erik approached the counter- the friendly receptionist explained the resort and our private villa (room) options, as well as the on-site spa, mud pools, swimming pools, restaurants, horse back riding and canopy tours. She explained that each villa (room), is its own private building set apart from the rest, and because the villas are apart from each other, the restaurants and other attractions, we could simply dial reception for a golf cart to be sent to our door. The resort is pretty much on par with my idea of paradise.
Views from our patio of the other villas:
A view of the restaurant and grounds below from the reception building:
The food at the restaurants (one for breakfast and lunch, a formal room for dinner) was incredibly delicious, as well as affordable. By day two, the wait staff knew us by name and treated us like family- they brought out our favorite drink orders without prompting. Unfortunately, Erik and I were hit by a bad stomach virus for the next day and a half. Thank goodness for GmK! She took care of Kemper 100% and allowed us to rest and rebuild our strength. Thank you Kelly!
On our last afternoon, we felt much better....and just in time. We called for a golf cart, and indulged in the 'mud treatment'. I've got to give you details b/c it was such a unique experience.
At the base of the volcano Rincon de la Vieja, there are pockets of space where steam escape in large burst, called fumaroles.
There are also naturally occurring hot springs and bubbling mud pools. The Hotel Bourequin captures this natural beauty; above a hot spring, they built a natural sauna. To indulge in the full 'mud treatment', first, you bask in the sauna to open your pores. Next, you spread the smooth, soft mud collected in pots that morning from the mud pools all over your body.
The mud is known to be a natural, mineral-rich cleanser. Once the mud has dried (or as long as you would like to relax), you rinse in a warm outdoor shower.
From the shower, there are three hot spring pools of varying temperatures in which you can bathe....
the first was too cold for our liking, the last was too hot for my pregnant belly....we opted to relax in the luke warm tub for thirty minutes or so. By this time, Kemper had awoken from her nap, and joined us in the warm tub.
After our mud treatment, we took Kemper to the pool to play.
From there we walked on the twenty minute trail to see the petroglyphs, ancient rock carvings. The resort is unclear of the age of the drawings (and fears that the government might cordon off part of their property if they allow them to do research.) The pictures don't really capture the beauty and intricacy of the drawings- they were quite a sight!
The Hotel Borinquin is the place to go if you are looking for a quiet getaway full of natural beauty. I anxiously await our next trip!
We figured, we are so close to the Nicaraguan border....let's go and explore. Erik didn't his surfboard in tow, so we decided to make a trip to Granada- the nearest large city north of the border. We hired a guide to help us....here is more about our first experience crossing over the border.
Exiting Costa Rica is a pain in the rear- nothing is clearly marked. When driving north past Liberia on Calle 1, there are no signs denoting how close you are to the border. We were meeting a guide on the Costa Rican side of the border to help us transition through, and we were unclear how far away we were from the 'frontera'. FYI, once you hit Penas Blancas, you are there. You first will encounter a line of semi's- we asked a driver if we had to wait, or if we could pass them and enter the gate- he steered us ahead. (This unmarked gate opened automatically for us, we figure it is the station which regulates/searches the goods crossing the border.)
After driving a short street lined with trucks,
we encountered the 'Migration' offices of the Costa Rican border (I was too nervous about the crowd of onlookers to snap any more photos). Of course, nothing is clearly marked, so we weren't even sure we were there until the mob of people directed us. We parked directly in front of the office (and endless line) waiting for our guide. We were at once bombarded by offers of 'help' and money exchange into Nicaraguan currency by delinquent-looking guys in dirty t-shirts, even a few beggars peeked inside our tinted windows and tapped on the glass asking for donations. The place made us feel uneasy at once. We accepted three exit papers from a guy- we soon found out that you need to fill out the paper (like you do at the airport), which they will keep when they stamp your passport.
Our guide met us shortly thereafter, and informed us of the procedure. Unfortunately, Erik needed to stand in the long line of people to have his passport stamped, but I was escorted to the front of the line (with the other women with small children and the elderly). I was shown in shortly and waited in one of the two the 'Salida' lines. All in all, it took us around three hours to exit Costa Rica. Had we known what to do ahead of time, it would have been a lot smoother. We made two mistakes- we attempted to let our guide have our passports stamped for us (he refused to pay the government the $10 they were unlawfully requesting per passport, and was given a hard time), and then we followed someone's advice- I tried to pass Erik's passport into the window with mine when I was escorted to the front of the line (which many people had told me often works)- the worker asked for Erik to return with his passport (meaning he had to wait in the line). By the time Erik had joined the line, two big bus loads of people had just arrived. Poor Erik got stuck in the rain, and then had to wait an extra hour for the workers to return from lunch. Had he known better, and joined the line as soon as we arrived, I expect that our total time at the border would have been around one hour.
Simple Rules to follow at the border
1. Don't exchange your money at the Costa Rican border- there is a BAC bank (as well as a Western Union) as soon as you cross into Nicaragua. (FYI, US dollars are widely accepted- we only exchanged our Costa Rican colones into cordovas- Nicaraguan currency, and held onto the rest of our US $$.) One of the big businesses on the border is money exchanging. You will see men with wads of cash willing to exchange your dollars or colones into cordovas. These men are notorious for either taking your money and running, short-changing you, or handing you false money in return.
2. Hold onto your passport. Many people will offer to take your passport and have it stamped for you....who knows if you will ever see it again! Wouldn't that suck?!
3. Try to avoid hitting the border at lunch time- the wait is long enough without standing through someone's lunch hour!
After getting our stamp, we drove our car down another short road, where we found a secure parking lot (they will guard your car in a fenced lot with a full time guard for $6/day). From the lot, we walked five minute with our bags until we encountered another Costa Rican official who checked our passports for stamps. Our guide then escorted us to his car, where he drove us a short distance to the Nicaragua immigration office. He took our passports in, with the $7/person fee to enter Nicaragua, and took care of our paperwork and stamps for us. (Without a guide, I think you just walk the short distance from the CR official to the Nicaragua immigration office, fill out an entrance paper and pay the $7 fee yourself.) Entering Nicaragua is a better run business than leaving Costa Rica...we waited less than 10 minutes for our guide....and then we were off!
The drive into Nicaragua is charming- the roads, well maintained, and the landscape scenic. On our right we enjoyed views of Lago de Nicaragua and its volcanic islands- we were informed that the volcano on the left, "Volcan Concepcion" is active, whereas the volcano on the right, "Volcan Maderas" is inactive. We were told by our guide that in the valley between the volcanoes lies a little hotel, "Villa Paraiso". Supposedly, fishing is good on the lake....we considered spending a night on the island early on in the trip (but after settling in in Granada, decided to postpone our island-stay).
The first town we encountered, Rivas, was our guide's hometown. He informed us that it is the oldest city in all of North America- it was inhabited and established before St. Augustine, Florida. Rivas center was lazy on Sunday afternoon, but you can get a feel of the difference between Costa Rica and Nicaragua immediately by driving down the shop-lined, paved streets. Even on Sunday, with most of the shops barred closed, there was a strong police presence on every corner. The commercial center is well maintained, with adequate sidewalks outside the colorful store fronts. Horses are a common sight- in Rivas, most of the horses were pulling small wooden carts. We stopped at an ATM and the pharmacy (I was in desperate need of Calamine lotion! I must have an allergy to the minerals in Rincon!) and then proceeded on our drive to Granada.
Driving into Granada, you enjoy the views of a cloud-shrouded mountain in the distance, while small simple vender markets line the streets in front of you. The city is full and colorful- as you drive in you will pass down a street with walls on either side. The wall on the left signifies the Indian heritage, the wall on the right, the Spanish. The history of Granada is one riddled with invasions and hostile take-overs....you can see the different influences clearly in the architecture.
Many of the oldest cathedrals are now out of service, but stand as strong landmarks in a city with a unique (and battle filled) heritage.
We stayed in the Hotel Alhambra, one of Granada's finest, in a room with a picture-window looking out into the central park.
Kemper enjoyed sitting in the window, watching the venders and horse-drawn carriages below. We ate dinner in our hotel (the cuisine was similar to what we could find in CR) and enjoyed the music from the cultural center next door. The performers were practicing the music (played on old fashioned guitars and a large wooden marimba) and dances (in traditional full skirts and colorful head scarves) they were to perform in the park center later that evening; unfortunately the rain kept us away.
The next morning we ate at a small cafe, Kathie's Waffle House, just two blocks from our hotel. The food was good, and it was nice to get a touch of home (USA) amidst our trip to another land. Walking back towards the hotel, we encountered several women balancing large baskets of fruit atop their heads, transporting their goods to their small stands to sell for the day.
They like to carry things on their heads in Nicaragua!
From there we decided to hire a horse-drawn carriage to take us on a tour of the town.
Our driver was quiet, but after some prompting, shared some interesting facts with us about Granada. In our limited spanish, we learned that William Walker dominates the history of the town- when he took over, he required all churches to convert to Christianity- if they refused, he burned them to the ground. (I look forward into doing some further research online when we return home- I'll keep you informed.) On our thirty minute tour, we discovered that Granada is much wider spread than it first appears, and that the historical district nearly borders the large Lago Nicaragua (where you can take boat tours of the many small surrounding islands). We stopped and visited a fort from the 1700's, and touched the remnants of adobe walls left standing for centuries.
We witnessed a funeral procession: two black horses, adorned with hand-sewn lace gowns, drew an intricately carved black carriage with glass windows which housed the casket. A small procession of friends and family followed on foot behind the carriage. The tour was enjoyable, as well as comfortable. At one point all three of us were nearly asleep- perhaps we felt at home bouncing around in the carriage, it reminded us much of the bumpy roads in Nosara. Overall, it was a good tour for a mere $10.
I had heard about a little artist's market in Masaya (30 mins away)....Erik surprised us the next morning with a guided tour of the Masaya volcano and then shopping at the market. On the drive to the volcano, Erik asked our tour guide about the history of Nicaragua, and how the current president is regarded- from talking with him, and several other locals during the remainder of our trip, you really get a sense of the tension and unrest that Nicaraguans feel toward their political system. They have a three-party system, and somehow, their current president, Daniel Ortega, was elected with only 38% of the popular vote. Their leaders tell them, "When you support the government, you are acting as a true, proud Nicaraguan. When you voice an opposing viewpoint, you are selling Nicaragua to the foreigners"....that doesn't leave a person much room to have an opinion!! The more people we talked to, the more uncomfortable we felt about the widespread presence of the local and national police....maybe they weren't just there to prevent crime? Perhaps preparing for unrest? A few tidbits about Nicaragua (from CIA.gov- world factbook)
Background:
The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt.
Economy - overview:
Nicaragua has widespread underemployment, one of the highest degrees of income inequality in the world, and the third lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. While the country has progressed toward macroeconomic stability in the past few years, annual GDP growth has been far too low to meet the country's needs, forcing the country to rely on international economic assistance to meet fiscal and debt financing obligations. In early 2004, Nicaragua secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in October 2007, the IMF approved a new poverty reduction and growth facility (PRGF) program that should create fiscal space for social spending and investment. The continuity of a relationship with the IMF reinforces donor confidence, despite private sector concerns surrounding ORTEGA, which has dampened investment. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Energy shortages fueled by high oil prices, however, are a serious bottleneck to growth.
Since I've got the page open, may as well post what the CIA.gov has to say about Costa Rica-
Background:
Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids.* It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
(*a note from Sarah- It's like Erik and I always say! There are barriers to entry when you want to move to Costa Rica!)
Economy - overview:
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has remained around 20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans estimated to be in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of (mostly unskilled) labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, as well as the fiscal incentives offered in the free-trade zones. Exports have become more diversified in the past 10 years due to the growth of the high-tech manufacturing sector, which is dominated by the microprocessor industry. Tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange, as Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity makes it a key destination for ecotourism. The government continues to grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. Reducing inflation remains a difficult problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Tax and public expenditure reforms will be necessary to close the budget gap. In October 2007, a national referendum voted in favor of the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).
Back to our Masaya volcano tour: the Masaya volcano was unique in that you can actually drive up to the crater and peer inside. It is an active volcano, most recognized by the constant stream of sulfur smoke that continually pours from the crater. Fortunately, the gods were smiling on us, and kept the wind at our backs....we climbed the 160 steps to the top observatory.
The cross (recently renovated) represents the exact location that Father Francisco Bobadilla placed a cross at the beginning of the conquest. (From http://www.nicatour.net/en/Nicaragua/volcanmasaya.asp) During the Conquest, the Spaniards baptized the active Volcano "LA BOCA DEL INFIERNO" or "THE MOUTH OF HELL". They then planted a cross, "LA CRUZ DE BOBADILLA" (named after Father Francisco Bobadilla). It was placed on the crater lip in the 16th century in order to exorcise the Devil.
View onto the lava fields and lagoons in the distance from the top of the observatory (note my growing pooch!):
Kemper's favorite part was running back down the steps!
The largest eruption in the volcano's history took place in 1772, the latest eruption in 2005- our tour guide informed us that the week prior to our visit, at 3pm in the afternoon, visitors to the crater felt what to be a small earthquake. One minute later, rocks were thrown from the crater- it was a small eruption, and no one was injured. How exciting, eh?! In general, we had a nice time at the park. The information center was very informative, with information about the volcano's history, the landscape and species living in the area, as well as general information about volcanoes. (From wikipedia.org) In 1979, Masaya became Nicaragua's first National Park, named Masaya Volcano National Park (Parque Nacional Volcan Masaya). The National Park has an area of 54 km² includes two volcanoes and five craters,[1] as well as a range of elevations between 100 and 630 meters above sea level. It is the only volcano in the western hemisphere where you are able to drive to the rim. In the park is an underground tunnel which was formed by lava flows, one can find bats and look inside and observe the glowing lava in the dark crater mouth of the volcano.[1]
Compared to the volcano, the Masaya handicraft market was lackluster. In my mind, I had envisioned local artists with small booths peddling a wide variety of homemade goods. What we got was more like a flea market- most of the vendors sold identical wares. I was able to barter with a vendor for a cute little green dress for Kemper for ~$3.50...I was happy b/c the same dress was sold next to our hotel in Granada for $8....I felt like I got a bargain. We also picked up a new piece of artwork- we found out that the key was to shop around a bit- where one shop would sell a piece for $200, another would sell a similar piece for $50.
Our guide took us to lunch at a restaurant that overlooked a blue crater lake. The food was good- but unfortunately clouds shrouded our view into the water. Here is the brief view we got between the haze:
By day three, we were all exhausted and ready to return home. We arranged a cab to pick us up early that morning, and started our eight hour voyage home. Our overall first impression was that Nicaragua is good for surfers, but bad for families. Our next Central American family vacation will be back to Bocas del Toro, Panama, for sure!
Crossing back into Costa Rica was about as much fun as leaving. Our first stop, passing out of Nicaragua, was no trouble- we paid an additional $2 to the city, and $3/ person to the border to leave.
Approaching the Nicaraguan side of the border:
It is frightening, though, b/c it is hard to tell if you are being pandered to, or charged an official fee. We made sure to keep the receipts from our entry fee so that we weren't double charged- and we did confirm that the exit fee was legal. From Nicaraguan immigration, we walked back to find that our car was exactly as we had left it! (We had been a little nervous that someone could have broken a window or taken our tires....but all was well!) We jumped in our car, blasted the A/C, and took deep sighs of relief.
I had a plan to help us through immigration into CR....some of you may not know, but I am now four months pregnant. I asked Erik to hold Kemper as I pushed out my little pooch. We walked to the 'people with young children and the elderly' line- the guard looked at me quizzically until I placed my hand under my belly- he allowed both Erik, Kemper and I to wait in the 'faster' line. I can't call it the 'fast' line, because nothing about CR immigration is fast....we still had to stand for at least forty minutes while the one (yes, ONE) 'Entrada' agent took a break. (I suppose that no matter what time you reach the border, you should expect to wait at least an hour!) I cannot tell you how relieved we were to get back into our car and start the drive home!! On a side note, be sure to use the facilities at the border- there are no rest stops for over an hour as you drive towards Liberia.
The drive was uneventful, and we are all nice and relaxed...finally!
Talk to you all soon!
Last week, Erik's mom, Kelly aka GmK, came down to visit us. We love you and miss you GmK! Erik was forced to work a lot during her trip, so we collectively decided to take a mini-vacation to a new destination at the end of her trip. We had never visited Rincon before, and decided to check it out. (I was pleasantly surprised that Erik agreed to a vacation away from the beach!) We looked into our hotel options, and narrowed it down to two choices: the Hacienda Guachipelin or Hotel Borinquin. Hacienda Gauchipelin is a hotel/motel on an active horse ranch. I was drawn to this option b/c Kemper loves horses- plus, there were several short hikes that we could take starting at the hotel which would lead us to either waterfalls, mud pools, or fumaroles. It was the more budget friendly of the two options, and we decided to give it a shot.
After a 14 km drive down a powder-like dirt road (that much resembled a moonscape) we encountered the 'ranch'. It had been a longer than expected trip, and at 1:30, no one had eaten lunch....we were all starving! We checked in and were asked to put on our 'bracelets'...that was turn off #1. The hotel also serves as an 'adventure center' for big tour groups- I suppose they wanted to distinguish us as hotel guests.
Our room was not ready....turn off #2, so we headed to the restaurant (the only one on site) for some lunch. We walked in to find a large buffet, and our spirits were momentarily lifted....until the waitress handed us our menus. The restaurant was asking $18/person for the small lunch buffet. Forget about it! We scanned our other options, only to find that we were in a tourist trap! $15 for a plate of arroz con pollo?! That was it! Turn off #3. Erik made the executive decision to leave the Hacienda and upgrade us to Hotel Borinquin.
Through all of our hunger and exhaustion from the trip, the next hour in the car was the best investment that we could have made. The 25 km trek off of Calle 1 is pleasantly paved, and upon arrival, we were awestruck with the beauty of the land of the hotel. It was a 180 degree difference (from the 'ranch') upon approach. The high road in gives you a bird's-eye view of the valley and grounds of the resort- you first see a fumarole (large steam pocket) with the hotel villas beyond.
The entire property is lined with paver stones. At the hotel reception building, I relaxed in an oversized rocking chair with Kemper as Erik approached the counter- the friendly receptionist explained the resort and our private villa (room) options, as well as the on-site spa, mud pools, swimming pools, restaurants, horse back riding and canopy tours. She explained that each villa (room), is its own private building set apart from the rest, and because the villas are apart from each other, the restaurants and other attractions, we could simply dial reception for a golf cart to be sent to our door. The resort is pretty much on par with my idea of paradise.
Views from our patio of the other villas:
A view of the restaurant and grounds below from the reception building:
The food at the restaurants (one for breakfast and lunch, a formal room for dinner) was incredibly delicious, as well as affordable. By day two, the wait staff knew us by name and treated us like family- they brought out our favorite drink orders without prompting. Unfortunately, Erik and I were hit by a bad stomach virus for the next day and a half. Thank goodness for GmK! She took care of Kemper 100% and allowed us to rest and rebuild our strength. Thank you Kelly!
On our last afternoon, we felt much better....and just in time. We called for a golf cart, and indulged in the 'mud treatment'. I've got to give you details b/c it was such a unique experience.
At the base of the volcano Rincon de la Vieja, there are pockets of space where steam escape in large burst, called fumaroles.
There are also naturally occurring hot springs and bubbling mud pools. The Hotel Bourequin captures this natural beauty; above a hot spring, they built a natural sauna. To indulge in the full 'mud treatment', first, you bask in the sauna to open your pores. Next, you spread the smooth, soft mud collected in pots that morning from the mud pools all over your body.
The mud is known to be a natural, mineral-rich cleanser. Once the mud has dried (or as long as you would like to relax), you rinse in a warm outdoor shower.
From the shower, there are three hot spring pools of varying temperatures in which you can bathe....
the first was too cold for our liking, the last was too hot for my pregnant belly....we opted to relax in the luke warm tub for thirty minutes or so. By this time, Kemper had awoken from her nap, and joined us in the warm tub.
After our mud treatment, we took Kemper to the pool to play.
From there we walked on the twenty minute trail to see the petroglyphs, ancient rock carvings. The resort is unclear of the age of the drawings (and fears that the government might cordon off part of their property if they allow them to do research.) The pictures don't really capture the beauty and intricacy of the drawings- they were quite a sight!
The Hotel Borinquin is the place to go if you are looking for a quiet getaway full of natural beauty. I anxiously await our next trip!
We figured, we are so close to the Nicaraguan border....let's go and explore. Erik didn't his surfboard in tow, so we decided to make a trip to Granada- the nearest large city north of the border. We hired a guide to help us....here is more about our first experience crossing over the border.
Exiting Costa Rica is a pain in the rear- nothing is clearly marked. When driving north past Liberia on Calle 1, there are no signs denoting how close you are to the border. We were meeting a guide on the Costa Rican side of the border to help us transition through, and we were unclear how far away we were from the 'frontera'. FYI, once you hit Penas Blancas, you are there. You first will encounter a line of semi's- we asked a driver if we had to wait, or if we could pass them and enter the gate- he steered us ahead. (This unmarked gate opened automatically for us, we figure it is the station which regulates/searches the goods crossing the border.)
After driving a short street lined with trucks,
we encountered the 'Migration' offices of the Costa Rican border (I was too nervous about the crowd of onlookers to snap any more photos). Of course, nothing is clearly marked, so we weren't even sure we were there until the mob of people directed us. We parked directly in front of the office (and endless line) waiting for our guide. We were at once bombarded by offers of 'help' and money exchange into Nicaraguan currency by delinquent-looking guys in dirty t-shirts, even a few beggars peeked inside our tinted windows and tapped on the glass asking for donations. The place made us feel uneasy at once. We accepted three exit papers from a guy- we soon found out that you need to fill out the paper (like you do at the airport), which they will keep when they stamp your passport.
Our guide met us shortly thereafter, and informed us of the procedure. Unfortunately, Erik needed to stand in the long line of people to have his passport stamped, but I was escorted to the front of the line (with the other women with small children and the elderly). I was shown in shortly and waited in one of the two the 'Salida' lines. All in all, it took us around three hours to exit Costa Rica. Had we known what to do ahead of time, it would have been a lot smoother. We made two mistakes- we attempted to let our guide have our passports stamped for us (he refused to pay the government the $10 they were unlawfully requesting per passport, and was given a hard time), and then we followed someone's advice- I tried to pass Erik's passport into the window with mine when I was escorted to the front of the line (which many people had told me often works)- the worker asked for Erik to return with his passport (meaning he had to wait in the line). By the time Erik had joined the line, two big bus loads of people had just arrived. Poor Erik got stuck in the rain, and then had to wait an extra hour for the workers to return from lunch. Had he known better, and joined the line as soon as we arrived, I expect that our total time at the border would have been around one hour.
Simple Rules to follow at the border
1. Don't exchange your money at the Costa Rican border- there is a BAC bank (as well as a Western Union) as soon as you cross into Nicaragua. (FYI, US dollars are widely accepted- we only exchanged our Costa Rican colones into cordovas- Nicaraguan currency, and held onto the rest of our US $$.) One of the big businesses on the border is money exchanging. You will see men with wads of cash willing to exchange your dollars or colones into cordovas. These men are notorious for either taking your money and running, short-changing you, or handing you false money in return.
2. Hold onto your passport. Many people will offer to take your passport and have it stamped for you....who knows if you will ever see it again! Wouldn't that suck?!
3. Try to avoid hitting the border at lunch time- the wait is long enough without standing through someone's lunch hour!
After getting our stamp, we drove our car down another short road, where we found a secure parking lot (they will guard your car in a fenced lot with a full time guard for $6/day). From the lot, we walked five minute with our bags until we encountered another Costa Rican official who checked our passports for stamps. Our guide then escorted us to his car, where he drove us a short distance to the Nicaragua immigration office. He took our passports in, with the $7/person fee to enter Nicaragua, and took care of our paperwork and stamps for us. (Without a guide, I think you just walk the short distance from the CR official to the Nicaragua immigration office, fill out an entrance paper and pay the $7 fee yourself.) Entering Nicaragua is a better run business than leaving Costa Rica...we waited less than 10 minutes for our guide....and then we were off!
The drive into Nicaragua is charming- the roads, well maintained, and the landscape scenic. On our right we enjoyed views of Lago de Nicaragua and its volcanic islands- we were informed that the volcano on the left, "Volcan Concepcion" is active, whereas the volcano on the right, "Volcan Maderas" is inactive. We were told by our guide that in the valley between the volcanoes lies a little hotel, "Villa Paraiso". Supposedly, fishing is good on the lake....we considered spending a night on the island early on in the trip (but after settling in in Granada, decided to postpone our island-stay).
The first town we encountered, Rivas, was our guide's hometown. He informed us that it is the oldest city in all of North America- it was inhabited and established before St. Augustine, Florida. Rivas center was lazy on Sunday afternoon, but you can get a feel of the difference between Costa Rica and Nicaragua immediately by driving down the shop-lined, paved streets. Even on Sunday, with most of the shops barred closed, there was a strong police presence on every corner. The commercial center is well maintained, with adequate sidewalks outside the colorful store fronts. Horses are a common sight- in Rivas, most of the horses were pulling small wooden carts. We stopped at an ATM and the pharmacy (I was in desperate need of Calamine lotion! I must have an allergy to the minerals in Rincon!) and then proceeded on our drive to Granada.
Driving into Granada, you enjoy the views of a cloud-shrouded mountain in the distance, while small simple vender markets line the streets in front of you. The city is full and colorful- as you drive in you will pass down a street with walls on either side. The wall on the left signifies the Indian heritage, the wall on the right, the Spanish. The history of Granada is one riddled with invasions and hostile take-overs....you can see the different influences clearly in the architecture.
Many of the oldest cathedrals are now out of service, but stand as strong landmarks in a city with a unique (and battle filled) heritage.
We stayed in the Hotel Alhambra, one of Granada's finest, in a room with a picture-window looking out into the central park.
Kemper enjoyed sitting in the window, watching the venders and horse-drawn carriages below. We ate dinner in our hotel (the cuisine was similar to what we could find in CR) and enjoyed the music from the cultural center next door. The performers were practicing the music (played on old fashioned guitars and a large wooden marimba) and dances (in traditional full skirts and colorful head scarves) they were to perform in the park center later that evening; unfortunately the rain kept us away.
The next morning we ate at a small cafe, Kathie's Waffle House, just two blocks from our hotel. The food was good, and it was nice to get a touch of home (USA) amidst our trip to another land. Walking back towards the hotel, we encountered several women balancing large baskets of fruit atop their heads, transporting their goods to their small stands to sell for the day.
They like to carry things on their heads in Nicaragua!
From there we decided to hire a horse-drawn carriage to take us on a tour of the town.
Our driver was quiet, but after some prompting, shared some interesting facts with us about Granada. In our limited spanish, we learned that William Walker dominates the history of the town- when he took over, he required all churches to convert to Christianity- if they refused, he burned them to the ground. (I look forward into doing some further research online when we return home- I'll keep you informed.) On our thirty minute tour, we discovered that Granada is much wider spread than it first appears, and that the historical district nearly borders the large Lago Nicaragua (where you can take boat tours of the many small surrounding islands). We stopped and visited a fort from the 1700's, and touched the remnants of adobe walls left standing for centuries.
We witnessed a funeral procession: two black horses, adorned with hand-sewn lace gowns, drew an intricately carved black carriage with glass windows which housed the casket. A small procession of friends and family followed on foot behind the carriage. The tour was enjoyable, as well as comfortable. At one point all three of us were nearly asleep- perhaps we felt at home bouncing around in the carriage, it reminded us much of the bumpy roads in Nosara. Overall, it was a good tour for a mere $10.
I had heard about a little artist's market in Masaya (30 mins away)....Erik surprised us the next morning with a guided tour of the Masaya volcano and then shopping at the market. On the drive to the volcano, Erik asked our tour guide about the history of Nicaragua, and how the current president is regarded- from talking with him, and several other locals during the remainder of our trip, you really get a sense of the tension and unrest that Nicaraguans feel toward their political system. They have a three-party system, and somehow, their current president, Daniel Ortega, was elected with only 38% of the popular vote. Their leaders tell them, "When you support the government, you are acting as a true, proud Nicaraguan. When you voice an opposing viewpoint, you are selling Nicaragua to the foreigners"....that doesn't leave a person much room to have an opinion!! The more people we talked to, the more uncomfortable we felt about the widespread presence of the local and national police....maybe they weren't just there to prevent crime? Perhaps preparing for unrest? A few tidbits about Nicaragua (from CIA.gov- world factbook)
Background:
The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt.
Economy - overview:
Nicaragua has widespread underemployment, one of the highest degrees of income inequality in the world, and the third lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. While the country has progressed toward macroeconomic stability in the past few years, annual GDP growth has been far too low to meet the country's needs, forcing the country to rely on international economic assistance to meet fiscal and debt financing obligations. In early 2004, Nicaragua secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in October 2007, the IMF approved a new poverty reduction and growth facility (PRGF) program that should create fiscal space for social spending and investment. The continuity of a relationship with the IMF reinforces donor confidence, despite private sector concerns surrounding ORTEGA, which has dampened investment. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Energy shortages fueled by high oil prices, however, are a serious bottleneck to growth.
Since I've got the page open, may as well post what the CIA.gov has to say about Costa Rica-
Background:
Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids.* It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
(*a note from Sarah- It's like Erik and I always say! There are barriers to entry when you want to move to Costa Rica!)
Economy - overview:
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has remained around 20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans estimated to be in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of (mostly unskilled) labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, as well as the fiscal incentives offered in the free-trade zones. Exports have become more diversified in the past 10 years due to the growth of the high-tech manufacturing sector, which is dominated by the microprocessor industry. Tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange, as Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity makes it a key destination for ecotourism. The government continues to grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. Reducing inflation remains a difficult problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Tax and public expenditure reforms will be necessary to close the budget gap. In October 2007, a national referendum voted in favor of the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).
Back to our Masaya volcano tour: the Masaya volcano was unique in that you can actually drive up to the crater and peer inside. It is an active volcano, most recognized by the constant stream of sulfur smoke that continually pours from the crater. Fortunately, the gods were smiling on us, and kept the wind at our backs....we climbed the 160 steps to the top observatory.
The cross (recently renovated) represents the exact location that Father Francisco Bobadilla placed a cross at the beginning of the conquest. (From http://www.nicatour.net/en/Nicaragua/volcanmasaya.asp) During the Conquest, the Spaniards baptized the active Volcano "LA BOCA DEL INFIERNO" or "THE MOUTH OF HELL". They then planted a cross, "LA CRUZ DE BOBADILLA" (named after Father Francisco Bobadilla). It was placed on the crater lip in the 16th century in order to exorcise the Devil.
View onto the lava fields and lagoons in the distance from the top of the observatory (note my growing pooch!):
Kemper's favorite part was running back down the steps!
The largest eruption in the volcano's history took place in 1772, the latest eruption in 2005- our tour guide informed us that the week prior to our visit, at 3pm in the afternoon, visitors to the crater felt what to be a small earthquake. One minute later, rocks were thrown from the crater- it was a small eruption, and no one was injured. How exciting, eh?! In general, we had a nice time at the park. The information center was very informative, with information about the volcano's history, the landscape and species living in the area, as well as general information about volcanoes. (From wikipedia.org) In 1979, Masaya became Nicaragua's first National Park, named Masaya Volcano National Park (Parque Nacional Volcan Masaya). The National Park has an area of 54 km² includes two volcanoes and five craters,[1] as well as a range of elevations between 100 and 630 meters above sea level. It is the only volcano in the western hemisphere where you are able to drive to the rim. In the park is an underground tunnel which was formed by lava flows, one can find bats and look inside and observe the glowing lava in the dark crater mouth of the volcano.[1]
Compared to the volcano, the Masaya handicraft market was lackluster. In my mind, I had envisioned local artists with small booths peddling a wide variety of homemade goods. What we got was more like a flea market- most of the vendors sold identical wares. I was able to barter with a vendor for a cute little green dress for Kemper for ~$3.50...I was happy b/c the same dress was sold next to our hotel in Granada for $8....I felt like I got a bargain. We also picked up a new piece of artwork- we found out that the key was to shop around a bit- where one shop would sell a piece for $200, another would sell a similar piece for $50.
Our guide took us to lunch at a restaurant that overlooked a blue crater lake. The food was good- but unfortunately clouds shrouded our view into the water. Here is the brief view we got between the haze:
By day three, we were all exhausted and ready to return home. We arranged a cab to pick us up early that morning, and started our eight hour voyage home. Our overall first impression was that Nicaragua is good for surfers, but bad for families. Our next Central American family vacation will be back to Bocas del Toro, Panama, for sure!
Crossing back into Costa Rica was about as much fun as leaving. Our first stop, passing out of Nicaragua, was no trouble- we paid an additional $2 to the city, and $3/ person to the border to leave.
Approaching the Nicaraguan side of the border:
It is frightening, though, b/c it is hard to tell if you are being pandered to, or charged an official fee. We made sure to keep the receipts from our entry fee so that we weren't double charged- and we did confirm that the exit fee was legal. From Nicaraguan immigration, we walked back to find that our car was exactly as we had left it! (We had been a little nervous that someone could have broken a window or taken our tires....but all was well!) We jumped in our car, blasted the A/C, and took deep sighs of relief.
I had a plan to help us through immigration into CR....some of you may not know, but I am now four months pregnant. I asked Erik to hold Kemper as I pushed out my little pooch. We walked to the 'people with young children and the elderly' line- the guard looked at me quizzically until I placed my hand under my belly- he allowed both Erik, Kemper and I to wait in the 'faster' line. I can't call it the 'fast' line, because nothing about CR immigration is fast....we still had to stand for at least forty minutes while the one (yes, ONE) 'Entrada' agent took a break. (I suppose that no matter what time you reach the border, you should expect to wait at least an hour!) I cannot tell you how relieved we were to get back into our car and start the drive home!! On a side note, be sure to use the facilities at the border- there are no rest stops for over an hour as you drive towards Liberia.
The drive was uneventful, and we are all nice and relaxed...finally!
Talk to you all soon!
Labels: la frontera, nicaragua, rincon
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