granada, where i am now, is what antigua was like 20 years ago. its just getting to be very touristy here...

there is actually a real estate and tourism goldrush type phenonmenon hapening here at the moment.

i am too tired to write much. i spent 5 days at ometepe island, which is completely cut off from the rest of the world. there are no cars, and the locals don't even seem to know whether or not there is a postal service. this time should have been relaxing, but i ended up pushing my body to its limits. on the second day there, i attempted to hike up volcan madera. it was a very steep, muddy, and rocky trail. i didnt make it to the top. on day two, i went kayaking. on day three i biked for 2 hours to the nearest beach from where i was staying, in merida.

i met an israeli just free from 6 years of army service. we drank flor de cana rum until late in the night and i smoked too many cigarettes.

consequently, i am exhausted.

granada seems mysterious, seductive, and haunting. i am drifting further and further away from folding to worries and pressing needs. i am supposed to be back in canada in a week...but i'll probably end up staying here a couple extra weeks.

we took a ferry from altagracia to granada. the journey was 4 hours. it was basically a fishing boat, stocked with potato sacks and bananas. i spread some very old lifejackets on the ground and fell asleep on them. no one gave a damn.