My Tale: Sight Seeing

After spending a long week doing the various projects, it was important to take a day to have fun. I was told, a fun day helps you adjust back to normal when you go back home. The first place that we visited was Catarina Lake. It is basically a crater lake, and it is absolutely beautiful. It’s more of a scenic stop, but it is worth it to go out and look at it.

Catarina Lake (Photo by author)

The second stop that we took was in Granada. Granada looks like an older colonial town. It is more of a touristy place, so it is one of the safer towns. Driving through it, you can see all of the beautiful colors of the buildings. The main attraction is the cathedral there. We went up to the bell tower and could see most of Granada. We got a special opportunity to sing in there. The people working there actually took us to the front under the rotunda to sing. There wasn’t very many of us, but under the rotunda, our voices echoed and filled up a lot of space. It actually sounded very beautiful.

The Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral in Granada. (photo by author)

The main thing that we got to do was zip lining through the jungle on a volcano. The place that we went to was very safe and kept to American standards. They spoke English, which was very helpful. It was a lot of fun, especially with the group. There were about eight lines that we went down, and we finished with a 45 foot drop.

Zip lining at the natural reserve at the Mombacho volcano. 9photo by author)

The land in Nicaragua is very beautiful. It is filled with tropical plants and animals. However, it is facing problems involving land rights, water access, deforestation, and pesticide use. Many people use the land to farm on, while many other companies use it for logging and mining. This has caused a majority of the ecological loss.

According to the Foundation for Sustainable Development, “Around 75 percent of Nicaraguan forests have already been transformed into crop and pasture land, and at least 50 percent of that deforestation has occurred since 1950” (Environmental Sustainability Issues in Nicaragua). Loggers and miners are the main reason for this. However, pesticide use is a big problem too. Mainly used by cotton farmers, pesticides have been causing health problems for the last forty years. Laws are trying to be passed that will protect the "Land of Lakes and Volcanoes."

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

-   John 8:12

Place to Stay	Cost/ Night	Amenities	Food Availability	Parking	Distance to Activities	Comments and Recommendation
Best Western Las Mercedes Hotel	$70	2 Pools, Free Wi-Fi, Complementary Breakfast, Tennis courts, A/C, hot water, Cable TV	Complimentary breakfast, open restaurant	Free parking available	Across the street from the Managua International Airport	The grounds are kept well with lots of tropical vegetation
Hotel Ometeptl	$35	Free Wi-Fi, 24- hour desk service, A/C, Cable TV	Open restaurant  with cheap prices	Some parking in court yard and on the street	Short walk from the ferry. Twenty minute drive from Volcano Concepción	Very beautiful and relaxing. There is a guard out front, so it is very safe.
Hotel Dario	$70	Pool, Free Wi-Fi, Complementary Breakfast, Free Gym, A/C	Complimentary Breakfast, Chocolate Cafeteria	Minimal parking	Only 100 meters from the central park and within walking distance of the grand cathedral	The neoclassical style blends in with the beautiful architecture in Granada

Place to Eat	Cost/ Meal	Food Type	Wait Time	Formality Level or Setting	Distance to Activities	Comments and Recommendation
Tip Top	$7	Fast food (chicken)	5 minutes	casual	In town	Tastes like regular American fast food
Pupusa factory	$3	Authentic Nicaraguan	15 minutes	casual	In town	A big and wonderful meal for very little
Ranchito’s	$7	Sit- down family style	30 minutes	Semi-casual	In town	The food is well worth the wait. The Hawaiian pizza is worth the trip

Work Cited

"Environmental Sustainability Issues in Nicaragua." Environmental Sustainability Issues in Nicaragua. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. <http://www.fsdinternational.org/country/nicaragua/envissues>.

"Explore Ometepe." Explore Ometepe. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. <http://exploreometepe.com/HotelOmetepetl.html>.

"Ometepe Island Map - Google Search." Ometepe Island Map - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. <https://www.google.com/search?q=ometepe%2Bisland%2Bmap&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjFyI_K-urSAhXpsFQKHRHvCVAQ_AUIBygA&biw=1829&bih=890&dpr=1.05#spf=1>.