Still in Granada and doesnt look like i'm moving very soon, in fact I hardly move at all these days except from hammock to bar to book to computer to market. I have a bar job in Hospedaje La Libertad in return for free accommodation and some food. This is allowing me to save some cash for my next move, whatever that may be. The hostel is in a big old colonial house, another one, with high ceilings, tiled floors and a red tiled roof. It has a lovely central courtyard with trees, plants and a tinkling fountain. Arranged around this are hammocks, chairs, a big mound of comfy stuff and my bar. It is my bar, i have been told so. I am the only one that works in it and the manager helps me out on happy hour nights. She likes a drink and we do so behind the bar. Great. We serve mojitos, cuba libre, tequila and beer and are never very busy so I just chat to the punters, listen to travel tales and shake my cocktail maker. Hard work. Went out for post work dancing the other night got my purse nicked which is something of a bummer but my own fault, was quite nice having a bunch of guys running after the young perp on my behalf though.
The lack of more imaginative punctuation other than full stops and commas is due to the fact that everything on this keyboard isnt where it says it is so sorry if it doesnt have indications of excitement like exclamation marks etc, here is the best of what I have . . . =+-__)]}"'?/(*&^%$#@!
I spent the weekend up at Laguna de Apoyo which is one of the most beautiful i have ever been and I want to take you all there. It is a large volcanic crater rimmed with thick lush jungle and filled with the purest, clearest water in Central America. The laguna is thermally heated so is warner than a swimming pool and thus great for night swimming, lying on your back in the water and star gazing. No noise except for the lapping of the water, birds and various chirping insects. The places I stayed at had canoes, inner tubes and floating docks that you could swim out to and sun yourself on.
We encountered another tarantula, this one is still alive and I have photos to document its size and well being. Check them out in the Laguna gallery.
On the Saturday I took a night tour of Volcan Masaya and peered into the dark smouldering hole to see glowing lava and imagine sacrifices of indigenous indians not so long ago. We then went into a bat cave and were led several hundred metres into the abyss. We were told to turn off our torches and were told in the pitch black that this underground chamber was where the indians held meetings and decided who would be sacrificed to the angry volcano gods. All this with bats whizzing past our ears, it was wicked. exclamation mark.
Still no set plans other than yoga tommorrow morning and er that's it. I should really try and schedule in some Spanish revision into my busy schedule. Dont know where i'll be for christams or new year but my thoughts will be with you all.
Love Ele x
