| |
| Who are we | >> Diary << | Alex Diari | Photos | Project | Answers | Videos | Questionnaire | Itinerary | Sponsors | Other travellers | Collaborate | Contact |
Diary This is Jan's diary. If you want to receive this diary by mail, write your mail on the contact form.
‹ Previous (26/03/2011) MONTH Next (2011-05-25)› ‹ Previous (2011-03-28 - Guatemala) COUNTRY Next (2011-05-11 - Costa Rica)› Nicaragua Granada (see on map) 30/04/2011:
In Granada was much warmer than in Leon, however, but Granada was a much more beautiful city, perhaps because it is one of the oldest colonial cities in America, founded in 1524. Despite its appeal, Granada could not compare to the city of Antigua in Guatemala. The buildings were not as well maintained and well-as Alexandra noted, there was no indigenous in Nicaragua, lacking the cultural appeal that Guatemala had. Nevertheless, we spent a good morning in Granada, walking through its streets and squares with the cameras in our hands, without taking the same precautions as in Guatemala, because almost everyone had confirmed that there were very few cases of violence in Nicaragua. Whenever we went we had to leave the hostel at four in the afternoon when the sun stopped being vertical and heating the brain. People told us that the heat was normal, because we were at the end of the dry season or summer, as they called it, but this season coincides with winter in Europe. Luckily the last days clouded over and rained one night, cooling the air slightly, at least compared to the previous days. In Granada we fond again the French couple Fabianne and Arno, with whom we had met in San Cristobal de las Casas in Mexico. We shared a couple of evenings with them and they convinced me the second day to do a tour with them, to a viewpoint of the volcanic on Lake Apoyo. They decided to walk down and swim, going down on a dusty road that cost us much more to do than we thought. Prevented by the guards of the viewpoint, we also took some stick if we were attacked by thieves who wanted to steal the cameras, but nothing happened and finally got to the lake where we swam a bit. It was a good trip, it was worth, but I was so exhausted that it convinced me never to make another trip until the temperature goes down a little bit more. In Grenada we also did not meet any locals, although the people we met on the street were always nice. Surely, Nicaragua was getting too much tourism, compared to 20 years ago, and people were less interested in interacting with foreigners. In any case, we had some nice conversations with a few expatriates who were in the hostel, some of whom were planning to stay and live in Nicaragua, because life was very cheap. One was a guy from Taiwan who worked as a translator from Chinese and Japanese, in spite of everything he wanted to study Spanish, because the Japanese language was too closed because, for example, Japanese do not use the verb ¨I love you¨ and instead they use phrases like ¨I like you to cook for my entire life.¨ I asked him which the most difficult language to learn was and he replied the Spanish, because he did not understand the gender of the words, nor the future, present and past tense ... linguistic rules very different from Chinese. It was also interesting talking to an American, who was wanted by the American courts to testify in a case of arms trafficking, but he would not testify and was planning to live forever in Nicaragua, despite the U.S. government was freezing all his bank accounts.
On the way to Rivas, the landscape of cultivated plains stretching between wild hills reminded me of my stay over 20 years ago in Nicaragua, where I had been housed in several agricultural cooperatives. Even, I remembered that one of the agricultural cooperatives was in Potosi, where we passed with the bus, where i enjoyed the same wonderful view of the volcano on the island of Ometepe, rising above banana plantations, a few of which I planted 20 years ago. As the bus moved forward, my mind surfaced the wonderful experiences I had, which were deep into my memory, provoking the desire to discover the world and finally becaming a traveler when I had the chance. From Rivas, we took a boat to the island of Ometepe, across Lake Nicaragua. I told the captain that the lake was very agitated but he told me no, that was sometimes much worse than even a boat had capsized, but the main reason had been the poor distribution of its load. I asked if the sharks of the lake were in danger of extinction, because I remembered that 20 years ago there were sharks, but the captain said no, but had also banned fishing. Then he explained that the lake sharks rarely attack people, but his uncle was bitten on the thigh years ago by a shark while fishing. Then I read that the sharks of Lake Nicaragua are the sharks in the Caribbean who are actually going up against the current of San Juan River, and that sharks who have been reported seen in the lake, 7 or 11 days later are seen in the sea, and vice versa. In Ometepe we were hosted by a guy from Couchsurfing who ran a hostel. He let us sleep for free the first two days and changed the last 4 days. As the days passed on the island, I turned to realize that Nicaragua had become very Christian. During the weekend they did a couple of religious rock concert in the town square of Moyogalpa, and Monday at 7 am a car ran through the town asking people to repent of their sins. Even I was surprised that in the pre-election posters of the Sandinistas were defined as Christians before the socialists. Why Nicaragua had become so religious? ¨The passion for socialism and not dragging masses? ¨People had lost faith in social justice promoted by the man and only trust in divine justice? Surely the Catholic Church and the preachers who came from the United States had done a good job, as has happened all over Latin America. Alexandra enjoyed Ometepe, an island of two volcanoes, that was quiet, green, but also too hot. From there we bought the ticket from Panama to Colombia (no road between the two countries) and contact the people of Costa Rica and Panama that could accommodate us before our departure to South America. We also did a couple of short trips to Punta Jesús María and the viewpoint of the devil, but at no time did we go to one of the two volcanoes on the island, considering how hot it was. In contrast, a Valencian, who was staying at the hostel made all possible excursions, although he got very tired. The Valencian was traveling on a motorcycle, without maps, and was forced to ask people and just making lots of friends. The Valencian had a passion similar to my trip a passion that I had at the beginning of my journey and of course I wondered what was going on, ¨I am no longer passionate about the travel? As I spoke with Alexandra and the two of us were convinced that South America would be a new region that we will be attracted to it than Central America and that our passion for travel will increase again. San José (see on map) 11/05/2011:
On Saturday night I stretched out on the bed next to Alexandra, and I began to stir, unable to sleep. It was the second day we´d arrived to Costa Rica and had been hosted by two guys and a girl very hospitable and friendly. Nevertheless, doubts have resurfaced in my mind. I could not help wondering if it was time to abandon the trip and return home. It was not the first time I had these thoughts, but before long I was convinced that there was only another year of adventures. All we need more is to cross the South American continent before the end of the initial project and learn about the diverse cultures of the world for six years. We had already traveled much of Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and North and Central America, lived intense moments, we made unforgettable friends, discovering fascinating traditions, visited captivating places ... And only we were missing another year. In fact, both (Alexandra and me)had the illusion to visit South America, knew that the continent will marvel us, but at the same time we felt very tired. During the first years of the travel I had not had this problem, but for weeks or months we were feeling so tired every time we had to change the of city every few days, sleeping in different beds, sometimes in uncomfortable rooms and with no privacy. We were still discovering nice places, but I let myself cost more seduced by its magic. We were still getting to know interesting people, but I was less anxious to absorb their knowledge. We only had a year and this was precisely the problem. Almost from the beginning of the journey through America, Alexandra and I had remained with a part of our minds anchored at home, making plans for our return. Relatively there was little until our return and we could not leave the future plans for the last minute. Alexandra wanted to sell products purchased in India and I wanted to write books, a project that started before the trip. We were too excited about the return and often I had to restrain Alexandra, for example, she began to imagine ways on how we could decorate the apartment we currently have rented. There was another problem. After publishing the book of adventures in Africa I had begun to write a book that initially I intended to start writing once we arrived to Catalonia. From so much imagining the future I had advanced the plans. It will be a book of philosophy about a theme that I am very interested in, entitled ´How to live happily without free will,´ the first book in a series that I plan to write. The book kept me locked up many hours in various hotel rooms, consulting the Internet, reading and writing. However, I forced myself out to explore the different cities and places where we were. But the book continued to occupy much of my mind, making me lose interest in talks with other travelers or local friends and the places visited, which were attractive, only to photograph. Inevitably I wondered if my dream was to become a writer, what was the meaning of continuing the trip?. During the early years, the trip had helped me gather very valuable knowledge for my desired career, but now I was failing in absorbing new information. I felt ready to start writing some of my conclusions. We only had a year of travel, but I had long since decided not considered it a failure a possible early ending of this long project. The one thing I had clear was that I wanted to follow the path that would make me happier, but which was it? I went round and round in bed thinking about the appropriate response, waking often Alexandra scream to stop moving. I concluded that I would be happier back home. But I thought I could postpone my decision until after arriving in Colombia, where we had ticket in two weeks from Panama. However, if in Colombia I had to make the same decision, it may not be necessary to wait that long. I wanted to discuss my concerns with Alexandra, but I could not do it. I knew that if I offered the possibility to go home early, Alexandra would not let me close this door so easily. I took another turn in bed and Alexandra complained again that she cannot sleep. I raised my voice and said: ´Alex, I have to say something.´ ´Shut up and let me sleep.´ I thought, ´she will lose this´ and I kept thinking a what I had to do. Imagine what our return would be like and the image was quite positive. I woke up and said ´I have to tell you something.´ ´Shut up!´ ´I´m thinking of returning home soon.´ This woke her up immediately: ´When?´ I asked. ´Soon, as soon as possible, what do you think?´ There was no need to ask her, Alexandra was very pleased: ´Yes, we go home. Later we can return to America and end this part of the journey.´ Alexandra was right. It was not necessary to end the trip, later, maybe in a few years, we could return to South America and visit all the countries that surely are so captivating. Now we needed to rest and begin other projects that will bring us more happiness. Thank you for following our journey. In the future we shall return. A hug for everyone!
When I met Jan I never thought that this project could take place for so long but I joined and had the best time of my life. We lived amazing experiences that count for a life time. I learned so much about the world and myself. But the travel is not all that we are and we felt we need to begin other things in our lives and have more perspectives. The last few months have been quite enjoyable, the travel turned much easier but in the same time the heaviness of all the years of travel, 5 more exactly, were hanging deeply on our backs making us quite tired whenever we had to change from one place to the other, whenever we had to say goodbye to good friends from the road, whenever we had to cross a new border. We felt it is time to go back for many months but we kept it quiet admiring the new cultures and places that were unfolding through our eyes. More and more there was a big silence between us about the subject of going back home because Jan knew I wanted it and I needed it but slowly he began to feel the same. The project Globetour is not at it´s end, we will continue in one way or other, following new paths, contributing to new projects and surely travelling again at some point. Our lived changed thanks to this travel, we have so many good friends thanks to this journey and in a way this travel pictured our future. Thank you all and hopefully see you again in Catalunya, our home or somewhere in Europe. |
|
