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Nic Kane
Mrs. Crichton
AP Lang
19 Sep 2013
Caon de Somoto
Last summer I journeyed to Nicaragua, The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes. It is a
beautiful country, home to many sites bursting with elegance and the history of a young nation.
The country is filled with lush forests and every place I traveled to was overflowing with
greenery; nature still seemed to have its hold. There was, however, one place that stuck out to
me: Caon de Somoto.
During my stay, I, along with a group, traveled to the Caon de Somoto, close to the
Southern border of Honduras. A beautiful national monument, the canyon is home to foliage as
well as massive cliffs that can easily become diving boards. It was in this moment, at this place,
that I felt more free and empowered than ever have before.
Waking up at 6:00 a.m. to the inviting humid air of Nicaragua in the charming yellow-
orange hotel, I first headed to breakfast. I had gallo pinto - rice and beans - the staple Nicaraguan
breakfast, and continued to get on an hour and a half bus ride. Upon arriving at the canyon, it did
not seem that impressive or unique - the area was highly populated by tourists and other travel
groups. It was not until I hiked down the alluring slope and got a glance at the magnificent view,
did I realize how incredible this experience would be.
After braving the intense slope, I headed across a river with a current strong enough to
break the bones of anyone courageous enough to cross it. The water was a murky brown and
unsafe to drink, a stark contrast to the crystal clear sky that seemed to pose no threat. To cross
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the perilous death trap, we had to follow the experienced tour guides while grasping onto a razor
thin rope. A few tripped, but all made it to the other side. Surprisingly, this was not the most
difficult or tiring part of the adventure but was an essential bridge to cross.
What would be on the other side but another hike. This one, however, was a laborious
uphill hike, which broke the spirits of most of the group as well as myself. The air was humid,
our clothes were wet, and most peoples water bottles had been contaminated; the physical
distance between those that were fit and out of shape grew greater and greater. However, when
we got to the top, it all became worth it. I arrived at a mirador (viewpoint) and it was one of the
most beautiful sights that I, to this day, have seen. I was about 500 feet above the ground, and
could even see into the bordering nation of Honduras. It was like a tropical version of the Grand
Canyon, and to me, holds the same importance. The threat of the river seemed to disappear and
almost reversed to where it was comforting. Besides the mirador being a place to finally rest, it
provided relief from my stresses. Those stresses, however, would not be gone long.
I thought the river was bad. I thought the hike was bad. I was certainly not prepared for
the second downhill trek. This hike, to me, was an astounding adventure. Leaves were pure green
covered with bugs that seemed so menacing at home, yet so comforting in the country. The
leaves formed an arch, a pathway to guide me down to my final destination. There were two
people in particular, who did not feel the same way about this part of journey. Tripping, toppling,
and nearly tumbling down the hill, the two struggled immensely through the leaves. What made
this experience and place amazing was being able to help them and connect with the surreal
scenery at the same time. I was able to step up into a leadership role, yet feel completely
disconnected from the modern world.
I was almost to the cliff, but still had one more task to complete. This task, however, had
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two parts. Part one involved gliding through the water in small boats that were close to sinking.
Part two involved the scaling of a few rocks to actually get to the destination. This was not the a
typical American rock-climbing wall. For one, there was no harness, and second, the rocks were
not placed for our convenience. The rocks were jagged and in an apparently random pattern. I
was so confused at how the universe had created something so beautiful and impossible at the
same time. As I am not too coordinated, it was very challenging, yet it was the most thrilling part
of the adventure. Finally I arrived at the cliff. Standing up there was nerve-wracking, but was
necessary. The water below looked more than 15 feet high. I stood there, counted to three, and
jumped. I plunged into the deep, murky water and felt complete liberation. Everything that was
on my mind suddenly started to evaporate, disappear. It was unreal. Although one might think
that the water was disgusting, it was the complete opposite. The Caon represented everything
alluring about the country of Nicaragua; the nature, the scenery, and most importantly, the
welcoming atmosphere as a whole.
Sometimes a place becomes special because it provides a constant freedom; sometimes it
will provide a new experience. Though I only traveled to the Caon once and the journey was
more than challenging, Caon de Somoto provided me with a new, freeing experience.