Flooding

Last week we were celebrating the end of rainy season. This week we are mourning the death of 19 people who died last night in mud slides. Apparently hurricane Tomas is the culprit. We have had almost five inches in the past three days, and it is getting ready to start again.

We were on the way to school and the neighbor stopped us and informed us that schools would be canceled because of the disaster. Costa Rica has declared a National Disaster.

We were just bummed out because we missed our run yesterday, wow small bubble we live in.

In the meantime the U.S. delegate is heading to the Isla where there are continued conflicts over whose land is whose. Apparently the Nicas decided to dredge a little South and increase their holdings a little. Kind of a squatters right problem, which is not at all rare here.

The interesting part is the "pretend police" that keep showing up from Costa Rica. I am just waiting for the U.S to give the word for the 7,000 troops just chilling off the Pacific Coast. After all gotta keep those guys busy.

Omitepe Island

Usually when I think of islands I think of beautiful aqua waters, white sand beaches and palm trees. We blew that whole picture out of the water, literally, when we visited Omitepe this week. It is the only island in the middle of fresh water, a fresh water lake no less. There are actually two volcanoes and they are in the middle of Lake Nicaragua.


When we visited Tamarindo last month we left a couple of hours before a big earthquake hit. Today two hours after we left Nicaragua Costa Rica "troops" or I guess we should call them "pretend troops" since Costa Rica does not have "real troops", moved into the border town.

Apparently a bad guy is messing with the river dividing the two countries and dredging in the river and even threatening a kid and cattle. This of course calls for some pretty drastic measures.

So this afternoon the "pretend troops" moved in to restore order and strike fear into the Nicas. The real problem here is they have real troops! Just waiting to see how long it takes the U.S troops off the coast to mobilize and help out, since that is what they are there for right?

Anyway just glad we escaped with our lives and don't have to worry about leaving for a few months.

Now the thing about Omitepe. If you have not been there I would just recommend you check out my pictures and experience through them. In other words it was a little boring. There are of course some cool places to hike to, if you want to spend a lot of money and fall in with the other tourists.


The most interesting part was the guy who owned the hotel we stayed at. He had this cool beaver tail and some great stories. One rainy day we just hung out with him and listened to him talk story and looked at his pictures. This guy had been all over the world as a peace ambassador for the Native Americans.

He is a true blue headband wearing Indian. He and his tribe actually live in teepees on Omitepe, pretty appropriate ha?