El viaje

What we have not told you so far, is that Jim had yet another little hick up. The head gasket (Zylinderkopfdichtung) is damaged, which means we have to replace it, otherwise we risk messing up the motor. That translates into a compulsory prolonged stay. It could be worse.

Then again. Lu and i are happiest when things happen. So while i was busy finding strange beasts,

Lu hexed the local veggie dealers into giving her a ride in their mobile supermarket.

Yes yes beautiful and funny … but we have been in one place for AGES now. ACTION!!!

Rental car it was! We thought about a motorcycle but while we are well aware that luck favors the bold, we also know that 2 overconfident and inexperienced gringos usually end up with a black eye.

So thinking we know the roads by now, we rented a big 4×4 Toyota truck for the day. Happy that finally things are happening again, we drove off. But overconfidence actually really is a bitch, a dirty one. 10 Minutes from home.

Quick reminder, 4×4 does not always equal 8 😉 Luckily, the spectating locals where better at math than me and immediately lent a helping hand.

15-20 minutes and the spook was over.

The original plan was to drive to Granada, walk it through quickly, then head to the Masaya volcano. But after our river encounter heavy rains started again and we had our usual road blocks.

One of the things i love most about Lu is her unbound drive to do the thing she wants. Behind schedule? Fuck it. We will be late for the volcano ,yes, but Granada i do not want to miss!

Turns out , Granada is a gem of a city!

He fooled everyone into thinking all he is , is just a supreme doctor ; while secretly running his hotel in Granada.Well done Sir!

So huge shout outs to the mightiest of all Persians, Doc Derbo!

Granada took us by Surprise. If on your route, go there! Good vibes.

But Volcano Masaya! The complex volcano is composed of a nested set of calderasand craters, the largest of which is Las Sierras shield volcano and caldera. Since you can see its red core and since its been continuously active in one sort or another, the conquistadors who came here a couple of years ago, believed it to be the entry or gates to hell. We had to see it. But see it in the dark to fully experience this infernal passage!

We started going up , when the sun was going down. You get a surround view of the flat land , slightly curling up to 3 other massive volcanos, right next to their neighboring cities: Masaya, Granada and Managua.

We decided not to peak straight into the crater, which you can do right from where you park the car, and go up to the highest possible lookout.

One the way up you get close to the edge though, impossible not to look …

Further up the way , you see the other ones

On a small path even further up , to your left , there is the second huge and now overgrown crater.

At the end of the craters crest, the view is just absurd.

As the sun went down the atmosphere became indescribable. Also the pics can give you but an idea.

And just when you thought you already are intimidated, the gate to hell start glowing in the dark.

Having spent a good 2 hours up there we needed a quick snack before getting back in the car.

The drive back home was just as hellish as its gates.