Despite a fever and stomachache, Rodrigo retains his sense of humor. And despite our adventures, for us there is still that deep-seated nerdiness. So I admit that the second guided volcano climb in as many days looked an awful lot like Mordor from the Lord of the Rings movies, all black volcanic rocks and boulders. And that Rodrigo was starting to look like Frodo. This is Cerro Negro, which lies outside the very beautiful old city of Leon, one of the world's most active volcanoes.
And this is me 'sandboarding' down (with Rodrigo taking notes) flying along the lava rocks after a long s-shaped climb to see the two steaming sulfuric craters. It's a lot like snowboarding, except in the breezy tropics where you can see miles of rainforest all around you. Valeria has clearly planned out a really marvelous week for the two of us and Hana.
Which is fortunate, because our beloved Autopollo, next to our hotel in El Progreso has apparently in the meantime been the scene of a quadruple homicide. We have informed our project team we do not plan on returning until it is reopened. (And cleaned, somewhat.)
Yesterday we climbed Mombacho, an older volcano overgrown with cloud forest with rare fauna (including seven of the ten species of Central American orchids), howler monkeys, and wild cats. Well first the SUV climbed it. Then we hiked a few miles around the circumference of the main crater, whose 1570 eruption formed the chain of islands that we will travel down to tomorrow evening.
(Dennis and Tim, this is a road trip that needs to happen.)
Rodrigo and I are in a happy home. We have been seeing a lot of Vale's family, including her sister and sister-in-law who have dropped by to share jubilantly news that they're expecting. And the food! If only I had half the vocabulary or the palette to explain exactly what it is, I am sure I could double the length of these trip-notes going on and on about Gallo pinto, Tostones, Quesillo, Cacao, Michelada, &c. The latter is beer, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, and salt. Tabasco on mangoes, anyone? Or guava jelly on potatoes? Tough to say whether this has been a greater adventure for my eyes or my taste buds.
If scaling the Black Hill and a quick prayer in Leon's beautiful cathedral (intended for Lima until a blueprint mix-up) didn't do it for Rodrigo by tomorrow morning, we will have to find Fernet-Branca.
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