Welcome to Big Corn Island (Honeymoon Day 2)

Our really old Plane, La Costena

We woke up at 4:45 and called La Costena, the regional airline that would be taking us to Big Corn Island, because we hadn’t made any reservations. They said that there were some spaces available but that we would need to get there ASAP. When we got there, our equipment was weighted and then we were weighed. Yes, you read it right: we were weighted. The plane is an old plane, maybe from the 1940’s, I don’t know, I could be wrong, but it’s definately old. We boarded the plane along with many europeans, and a couple Americans. We flew to Bluefields, where some got off, some got on, but most stayed in the plane. There was a drunkard that tried to board the plane but when the stewardess apparently smelled his breath, reeking of alcohol, she alerted the pilot. The pilot, an old lady with an authoritative presence, came out of the cockpit and told the drunk that he couldn’t board the plane because of his drunken state. He started yelling that Nicaragua was a “disgrace and that there should be war!” at which point all the passengers watched as he was carried away by security guards. We flew once again. When we arrived to Big Corn Island it was raining We hurried across the runway and into the very small room where we were to pick up luggage. In effort to emphasize how old this plane really is, I’ve opted to put a pic of it in Sepia tone, just like the pics our grandparents use to have..

We took a taxi to Casa Canada. The taxi driver was very mellow young guy. He spoke a broken English with a Caribbean accent, almost Jamaican-like. The rain had ceased when we arrived. This place is the best hotel in all of Big Corn, and I say this in literal terms, not figuratively. The staff was very welcoming, the place very clean and furnished and talk about prime real estate! All rooms where within spitting distance of the beach. It had a very nice “infinity pool” overlooking the ocean, a restaurant and subtle details all around. Once we were given our room we fell asleep since we hadn’t slept much. When we awakened, the sun was out and you could see the beauty of the clear waters as well as the dark spots on the water indicating the corals that lay beneath. Monica went to the restaurant and ordered a chicken sandwich, which was good, but not worth the $8 it cost, not here in Nicaragua at least.

All rooms in Casa Canada where within Diving range off the beach!

Casa Canada had one sick Infinity Pool!

After we hung out, we decided that we should take a tour of the island, so we rented a taxi for an hour to drive us around. We drove around the entire island in less than an hour; it took us that long because we stopped at every corner to see if it was a good moment for a photograph, but unfortunately gust of rain and dark clouds dampened our hopes in making a Kodak moment. Our driver told us that the island was torn to pieces about 10 years ago by some hurricane. He also told us that I may be inheriting a piece of the island, really. Well not exactly but he did mentioned, as Monica found out earlier, that the biggest family in the islands are the Downs. We made to the other side of the island, the “Picnic Beach” and the water was serene, like a lazy lake. It was very beautiful and soothing. The beach was deserted and the sun was setting behind the gray clouds. We took a few pictures as Mr. Downs Downs, our taxi driver, took us back to Casa Canada.

The sky and the water were absolutely beautiful!

Monica contemplating the serenity of the beach.

The Pier

The concrete trail

We decided that we would further investigate the island and walk around. We saw a kids on a horse hauling other horses. We asked him if we could rent them but he said that he had to ask someone and that he would be back. He left and didn’t come back until we had made our way up this steep and long concrete trail that led to a school without windows. By that time, he had told us that it was going to be $20, but didn’t know if that was per person or for how long. So, he left yet again to ask whoever it was that he was asking and we never saw him again. The concrete trail soon turned into a snake trial of mud as we went through the jungle. It was scary actually, not for me, but for Monica of course. Monica was passing out. She was hot, dehydrated and tired. She wanted to go back but it every few minutes it felt like we were almost there, so despite Monica’s desire to go back, we kept going up the steep jungle. When we got to the top we climbed up a tower and we could see a 360 degree view of the entire island. It was great and very much worth the “pain and suffering” Monica had gone through. After taking a few pictures, we started back down which was a challenge because it was muddy and wet.

View of Big Corn from the highest point of the island.

Once in our rooms we changed and we were starved. We decided to go to Cebas which serves the best food in the island. You can quote me on that! Anywhere you asked where you could find real good food, everyone answered: “Cebas!” So we went. And man, they were right! The food was amazing! The place itself is a bit run down. The service was very informal, casual. When we got there, we had to go a get a waitress because she was talking to someone. We sat outside facing the beach. The tables were made of plastic and there was the occasional fly buzzing around. So the place didn’t warn you about the incredible food they were about to serve! Let me put it this way, Monica doesn’t particularly like seafood. She doesn’t eat fish, wasn’t fond of lobster but will occasionally eat shrimp. She ordered what Cebas is known for: Garlic buttered lobster. And man, this lobster as soon as you tasted it, you knew that you will have an incredible hard time find something as succulent and fresh as this. It melted in your mouth! I am not talking “USA Fresh” where it’s still frozen, no, this was right out of the ocean fresh. The kind of fresh that one will never know in America. The “meat” was soft, tender like, like… I don’t know, just really tender! I ordered a fish, and man, I can honestly say that this was the second best fish I have eaten in my life. The way she cooked it, the ingredients, the way it tasted like the sea, made this a unforgettable meal! And it was cheap! we ordered a shrimp cocktail, salad, tostones (plantains-for all you non-Hispanics), drinks, rice, lobster and fish for about $22! What a deal! Whew, I am getting hungry just thinking about it. After we had finished eating, I had to go find the waitress again and asked for the bill.

The beach in front of Sebas. Pics while we wait for food.

We went back to Casa Canada, in a taxi whose driver was a very humble man who seemed sad. It turns out that he had left his wife back in Managua and the plan was that he was going to come to Big Corn to become a fisherman and then bring her along with his kids. Sadly, the fishing business wasn’t nice to him and he was saving money to go back to Managua. He was a nice, soft spoken man, that when he spoke, he always looked down. He was listening to Gospel music and when I told him we were Christians, he referred to me as “Brother.” “Yes, brother,” “No, brother,” “You’ll like Little Corn, brother” he would say. “Thank you, brother” was the last thing I heard him say as he left with his little son in his beaten up taxi that rattled and had broken headlights. Back in our room, we laid and rested. Our stomach still full of delight. It was dark when we decided to go back out. Man, it gets dark quick! It was only 6PM. And you couldn’t see much. It was cloudy and the moon was hiding behind them. You could only hear the wind blowing and waves breaking against the rocks.

We went to the bar that is within the hotel, located outside. There we sat and met the owner, Don. Don is quite a guy. He was very polite and very welcoming. He was genuinely friendly, not that kind of friendly you sometimes feel from owners of business when you don’t know if they are being friendly out business obligations or purposes, but more of a normal laid back, friendly persona. It turns out that he had bought the place along with a bunch of Canadian investors and had fixed the place from a small room, to a the resort that it now was. This place is great! Based on everything we saw around the island, you’ll get your dollar’s worth. It has it’s “Caribbean feel” while at the same time keeping a touch of luxury (which is in fact, the most luxurious hotel in the island). We struck up a conversation with Don and talked about his daughter and family. Soon enough after the kitchen closed the staff joined us and we talked about our last name, Downs and how everyone is a Downs. It was a cheerful crowd. A security guard, a young 23 year old, was telling me that I should to some bar a block away because that’s where the whole island liked to congregate on Sundays and that’s where the party would be. We walked in the dark. I was paranoid. I hurried Monica and walked in the middle of the street, something I had learned from Robert. When I was little he would tell me that at night it’s always best to walk in the middle of the street rather than the sidewalks because that way if somebody was hiding in the bushes waiting to rob you, they wouldn’t be able to catch you by surprise, instead they would have to go to you and you’d be able to hear them or see them, giving you enough time to react. Well, nothing happen, no one was lurking in the dark. Everyone was at that bar. But it was still so dark. And this wasn’t really a bar, it was more like a shack turned into a bar. Music was blaring. People were dancing to Jamaican Reggae and you could hardly see the people in there. We went to terrace where the was a dim light. We could hear the waves breaking and at times we could see them because of a phosphorescent glow that was neon green that appeared with each big wave breaking at the shore or rocks. We were there for a maximum of 10 minutes because I didn’t like the place. I didn’t like the looks of the men staring. And the place itself just seemed shady. So we walked back, again in the middle of street and right into our room.

Us and Don and his staff. Really cool people.

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