Selva Negra

We went on an adventure with our friend Sister Meg to Selva Negra (the Black Forest). Selva Negra is an ecolodge, restaurant, park with hiking trails, nature preserve and organic garden about 30 minutes outside of the city of Matagalpa. We always have fun on adventures with Meg and this one was no different. We took a bus that was NOT a chicken bus, but more like a nice Greyhound bus up the mountain where we were dropped off on the side of the road about 1 mile from the entrance to Selva Negra. The kids stopped for the obligatory photo op with the cannon. It was a beautiful day as we walked along the road to get to Selva Negra. I was so glad I wore short sleeves....

As we were walking up the hill toward the trails and restaurant we saw a VERY LARGE rodent bound across the road. It looked like a capybara (the only rodent I have a fondness for, thanks to Capyboppy) so we all ran up to get a better look. We weren't able to get a good picture but you can see the little guy in the bushes and then there's the photo I found of what he actually looks like. We were able to confirm that he was not a capybara but an agouti. After all that excitement and Joe's laughter as the kids and I all ran after a rodent (in stark contrast to ALL OTHER encounters with rodents), we headed to the restaurant to check out the offerings (even though we brought lunch). As we sat outside admiring the grounds it started to rain, making my choice of short sleeved cotton less ideal. So we watched all the ducks, geese and birds on the pond and listened to the monkey sounds in the distance.

One of our main goals for our trip to Selva Negra was a monkey sighting. We did a boat tour in Granada around the isletas but it was during the rainy season which meant that the trees were all very full and green and it made spotting monkeys difficult. We figured a trip to Selva Negra in the "dry" season (even though it rained on us) would offer better odds. After sitting on the patio of the restaurant for a while, we decided to brave the rain and head toward the hiking trails. There is a chapel on the grounds (built for the wedding of the owner's daughter) right by the start of the hiking trails. As I was trying to capture a picture of it, the rain started dumping (that is why Joey is in midair and Joe is running into the chapel in my photo). After checking out the chapel we headed up into the trails.

We hiked around listening for monkeys (they sound more like tigers than monkeys which is somewhat unnerving). After about an hour of hiking we came across a man from Alaska with binoculars who helped us spot a number of monkeys. It was absolutely amazing to watch and listen too. Watch the videos for a little peak.

After we watched monkeys for about an hour, we hiked back down to the restaurant. We hadn't planned to eat there because the word on the street was that it's expensive. But we went down to have coffee to warm up after our damp hike. Well to order coffee, they give you the full menu and it didn't take much to prompt me to order french onion soup, and Joe and Gus got to pining after a burger and Bridget and Joey decided on a plate of fries and Sister Meg opted for the Club Sandwich (or cloob san weesh, in Spanish). It was reasonably priced and the food was good and that soup warmed me up from the inside and I finished with rosy cheeks.

It turned out to be a beautiful day and our walk back out to the road to catch the bus was sunny and bright. We just sat on the side of the road with all the other people waiting for the bus and sure enough it showed up, this time it was a chicken bus. We asked someone on the bus about where to get off so we didn't end up on the other side of town and she directed us to what we later discovered was a stop too soon but it took us past our friends, Jason and Karena's apartment so we just had to stop by and say hello. Then it was getting close to dinner time and we had been out all day we just had to go out for dinner and our friends just had to join us! At the restaurant (Vita Bella pizza) Joe even paid the extra to have the musicians play for us.

All in all it was a great day experiencing so much of what Nicaragua has to offer and great time with great friends. I don't know why I am always so amazed at how God has provided for us abundantly in the area of friendships. Every step along our path in this adventure God has placed people in our path who have become amazing friends. We miss our friends and family back home so much and I am now starting to realize how much we are going to miss our friends in Nicaragua when we are gone! Now if we can just get them to come visit us when we get home.....