Cool pics from disposible camera

I just got my underwater disposible camera from the Nicaragua trip developed. A lot of repeats and a bunch of lame stuff, but a few cool shots.



Skye underwater in Laguna de Apoyo


A shot from the middle of the lake. I swam out and did my best.




The new owner and thus our host at the guest house at La Orquidea, Mike, after a dive off the dock.

Down by the lake, La Orquidea

After moving out of our hotel in Granada, we ended up staying in a wonderfully lovely guesthouse right on the lake front of Laguna de Apoyo. Again I cannot say enough about the quality of the water. I ended up swimming almost daily, always venturing a little further. I think I ended up making it halfway across on the last day. On my next visit I will swim across the lake. Skye made a new friend, Rosa. The new owners dog. I had made reservations several weeks before, in the course of time that followed, the house was sold to a young guy, Mike and his girlfriend. He had arrived 3 days before us, his girlfriend however and unfortunately broke her leg at their going away party and thusly and ironically didn't go away as planned. We had an amazing stay and would highly recommend.

View of lake from La Orquidea


Sunset at Laguna de Apoyo


Mike, Dad, Rosa and Skye


Jon after swim

Change of plans, Off to Costa Rica

Turns out that the truck we drove down, my dear Toyota Tundra, was only legal for 30 days so we headed down to Costa Rica to leave the country and then re-enter with a new and improved 90 day permit. Wrong. As it turns out, you get a 90 day permit, which I already had, but you need to drive it into Managua every thirty days to get renewed, which will still need to be done. So we ran the gauntlet, "helpers" at the border for nothing. OK not for nothing. We did get to check out Costa Rico. Billboards lining the road to the coast like on the way into Las Vegas, almost all in English. Its a beautiful country, there's no denying that but the soul of the country, from the brief bit I saw, had been lost or more accurately, sold. I barely heard any Spanish spoken once we hit the beach town. Again it was beautiful, but soulless, a little icky.

Noxious fumes

We decided to check out the Masaya Volcano which is active, apparently to varying degrees. The last time I went, Skye and I checked out the sights and hiked around. We observed a small column of smoke lifting from the crater into the sky.
On this trip, it was a bit more active. The rangers gave us all gas masks (now that was a missed photo op) but even with the masks we only lasted a mere 4 minutes or so, really it was that intense


Going,

Going,

Gone