Nicaragua - moving south in the west

We left León to make our way to Granada, to see the very south west of Nicaragua. The driving experience we had when going north via the east of Lago Managua was not the same as what was going on to the west of the lake, but the roads were still not very busy.

Our first stop was Nissan in Managua to get a new bolt for the tire. Managua felt familiar from last time, and we managed to get a new bolt. The next stop was Masaya, which was a very messy place with a flow of traffic that was near impossible to understand. However, after much dithering, we found a lady who sold cakes in a stand in an art market. There Harold ate a piece of cake which was his favourite in his childhood, and he hasn't seen it in Costa Rica or anywhere else since! The recipe involves sponge cake, condensed milk and soft meringue, in case somebody would like to make one.

Our goal for the drive was Granada, and we stayed there for two nights. It is a very pretty city, with many striking buildings. It is on the shore of Lago Nicaragua, the huge lake which certainly appears to be the sea and not a lake. There is even an archipelago and we went for a tour around some of the islands with a guide and his group of affiliated "fixers".

Next we moved south to Rivas. From there we drove for an outing to San Juan del Sur, to see the beach and the coastline. The following day we spent bringing the car to La Isla del Ometepe. Ometepe is one of the volcanoes, and it is in Lago Nicaragua. The ferry ride took 90 minutes each way, and to book yourself and your car to go there you need the assistance of several "fixers", as well as good luck and patience.

This was the last of our experiences before returning to Costa Rica. We will have a break in San José and get ready for the next trip south.