Lunch, served from an old boat, was Caballo Bayo, a traditional Nicaraguan collection of foods.
With the project presentations finished, today was a final vacation day before beginning the process of starting the journey back home. The group traveled an hour to Granada, where we boarded a boat on Lake Nicaragua for a trip to the Isletas, about 360 small islands formed before recorded history when the Mombacho volcano blew out one side and scattered much of the mountain onto the lake below. We had reserved the day with one of the islands that offers transportation, food, boating and swimming. It was a relaxing day with no work. Some of the guys discovered that ripe, soft mangoes were a lot of fun to throw back and forth while kayaking in the lake, and that led to a protracted naval battle that entertained many of the other students.
On the boat ride to ‘our’ island.One of about 350 isletas near the coast of Granada.From our island was a clear view of the Mombacho Volcano we had ascended in May.Exploring part of our island.Emily, now famous as the 4th fastest female runner from Managua to Masaya, practices a scene from her new exercise video.Robert tries out one of the kayaks.This was a ‘put up your feet and sit back’ day.Maria and Doug were all work and no play.Bobby tests a plant that closes its leaves when touched.Lunch, served from an old boat, was Caballo Bayo, a traditional Nicaraguan collection of foods.After lunch students all shared briefly how they are feeling as the time approaches to return home.The start of the ‘Mango Naval Battle.’Teams had collaborators on shore that threw them new mangoes when supplies ran low.It’s good the mangoes were smooshy.On one of the other islands was a group of 3-4 spider monkeys.Peaceful boating resumed after the island ran out of mangoes.Some needed a dip in the pool to clean off mango goo.In Spanish, ‘Ali’ and “Haley’ are pronounced the same, a source of periodic confusion.The boat ride back to the dock. Robert, Juni (daughter of Maria and Doug), Elise, and Aaron.
