With guide Roberto at Lake ManaguaToday started bright and early with a traditional Nicaraguan breakfast. We are all now fans of gallo pinto (a mixture of rice and beans), queso frita (fried cheese), chorizo, huevos, and tortillas. The Contempo chefs impressed again with a beautifully prepared plate of traditional favorites.
Roberto and Sergio picked us up on time and we headed north to Leon Viejo (Old Leon). Leon Viejo is a UNESCO heritage site that once served, in the 1500s, as the capital of Nicaragua. The old city was the scene of many power struggles between Spaniards which resulted in bloody battles and beheadings. The town was eventually abandoned in the early 1600s and soon after was covered by the erupting volcano Momotombo. We learned about the history of this beautiful country and enjoyed sweeping views of Lake Managua.
From there we headed towards Leon City but not without a stop for a local specialty. Quesillos are a popular snack in Nicaragua and there are quesillo stands/restaurants throughout the country. A quesillo consists of a corn tortilla stuffed with a big slab of mozzarella cheese, a mixture of onion and chiles, covered with crema. It's wrapped up and shoved into a plastic bag. You hold the bag tight at the top and shake it until the creme is covering the entire concoction. Then you eat it like a popsicle, right out of the bag. Yum!!!
The afternoon was spent exploring Leon with our guide Roberto. He showed us the Centro de Arte Fundacion Ortiz Gurdian. La familia Ortiz Gurdian owns the fabulous hotel we'll be in for the next two nights, El Convento. El Centro de Arte is their own private museum showcasing their extensive collection of European and Latin American art. Sam was in heaven and we were pretty impressed too. The art is displayed throughout an amazing colonial home that used to house the family. We're not sure where they live now, but if it's anything like the place where they display their art, it's probably the biggest mansion in Central America. From there we wandered to the Parque Central and the third largest cathedral in the Americas, La Basilica de la Asuncion. It's the burial place of lots of Nicaraguans, most notably Ruben Dario, the famous Nica poet. They are crazy about him here.
Tomorrow we'll spend a leisurely day in Leon, exploring the market and neighborhoods on our own. We might even do a little volcano boarding. Roberto and Sergio will be back to pick us up on Saturday to drive us to our next destination: Granada.
Tonight we wandered through the festive streets of Leon, dining at a great restaurant and enjoying a few local beers. From there we went back to the Parque Central and the Basilica for some holiday entertainment. The square was packed with families enjoying folkloric dancing and music. There were vendors everywhere selling fruit, toys, and just about anything else you might want. We finished our excursion with a little Nicaraguan ice cream, which Sam declared, 'not as good as in the USA.' He didn't realize it but he ordered Mint Tea ice cream!???
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
1 day ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
1 day ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
6 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.