by Paul Bentayou
For 500 years the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua was separated from the rest of the country by the lack of a viable land route. With the completion of the El Rama road, all that is now history. This 293- kilometer ribbon of shiny black asphalt not only connects the two halves, but it is also a pleasure in itself to experience. The road winds through mountains shrouded in morning fog, tree-lined river valleys and stark, sharp rock formations jutting straight up from the surrounding plains. This is cattle country; cowboys on horseback drive herds from pasture to pasture; buckets of milk sit along the road in front of farmhouses awaiting pickup by the trucks, or at times horse carts, making their morning rounds.
The road begins at San Benito west of Lake Managua, goes past the San Jacinto reservoir, ascends the hills of Chontales province and then terminates at the port town of El Rama on the Rio Escondido. El Rama, a town of about 5000 people, sits at the juncture of three great rivers, the Rio Sequia and Rio Rama that feed the Rio Escondido, the big river that flows to the Caribbean Sea. Bluefields, the hub of the southern Atlantic and thus the Corn Islands, Pearl Lagoon and a host of other Atlantic Coast destinations are suddenly more accessible.
The rivers are the life blood of the town and a large percentage of people work them; loggers float timber, barges haul goods, fishermen cast nets; even cattlemen bring stock to market, with the cows swimming along side tied to the side of the boat.
One of the simple (and inexpensive) pleasures of a visit to the town is to avail yourself of the travel-by-river life. Dugout canoes with a five-horse outboard are for rent, with captain, for six dollars an hour. In two hours you can explore in part all three rivers and small tributaries that will take you down tree lined, narrow water trails.
It is a jungle out there. Bogart and Hepburn come to mind. You can see the international port and many large and small docks along the way and if you are lucky, a large container ship will pass and swamp your small boat (just kidding).
At certain times of the year, there are huge trees that blossom bright yellow, orange and violet flowers for your enjoyment as the boat cruises past the tropical landscape. There are isolated houses accessible by river made only of a variety of bamboo, stone, concrete block, and native hardwood.
Another popular leisure time activity for a large part of the population is swimming, especially during holidays when people flock to the many small, shallow streams that feed the great rivers. In El Rama you learn to swim at an early age. Kids can be seen swimming around the docks often without adult supervision.
There are many docks for a variety of boats on the river in or near the city. There is an international port in El Rama one mile up river from the downtown area; this facility can handle sea-going cargo container ships up to 500 feet long. A 3.6 million dollar expansion project is currently underway to accommodate even larger ships. The new road makes it the only easily accessible port on the east side of the country.
There are several hotels in El Rama; some are definetly low budget but there are two worth stopping in. The Oasis of the Caribbean is a new, clean hotel in downtown that is inexpensive and has private baths and air conditioning available.
The El Vivero hotel is at the 290 kilometer marker and is about 3 miles before you get to downtown El Rama. This hotel is on the same property as a sawmill but it is quiet in the rooms. The Danish owner, Anker Sgruve, wants to start marketing the hotel as an eco-tourism destination with boat tours on the river. He offers walking tours of his tree plantation.
Right now the food at the El Vivero restaurant is geared for the workers in the area and is basic. Fernando, the manager, speaks English and can give you more information about the town. In addition, if you can speak Spanish, Patricia, Fernando’s wife, can give you all the dirt about the people in Rama.
The best food in town is at the Casa Blanca. It is a restaurant on the river, has a lot of charm and the best fried snook in town. At a bargain rate of $3.30 plus $.75 for beer, it is the best bargain meal around.
The Caribbean restaurant down the street from the Casa Blanca has good food, but at night be prepared for floor-vibrating music. The second story is a popular disco; the Dutch owner says the customers like it louder than the police would prefer.
El Rama is truly the Dodge City of 125 years ago in many ways. Cowboys tie their horses up to the street signs in town when stopping in at the local saloon, market stalls sell saddles and tack. Don’t be surprised to be sitting, for example, in a lawyers’ office and see two scrawny, nearly featherless chickens run across the office floor.
Their footwear can identify the professions of the inhabitants of El Rama. There are the river people who wear rubber boots, the cowboys who sport what else but cowboy boots, the professionals who wear black leather with lace shoes, and the occasional wandering foreign backpacker who has tennies or sandals. The people in the different groups usually stick together. There are exceptions, such as the Johanna hotel/bar/restaurant, where the cowboys, loggers and a few gringos drink quantities of beer and rum while flirting with the young ladies collected at the bar.
The town is growing rapidly relative to its size and new buildings are springing up constantly. There is a new bank built last year and the first internet just opened. The last vacant lot downtown was sold and a clothing store started operation. The installation of a new hydroelectric generator is scheduled this year for the rural areas around the town. When electricity in the surrounding areas is available, there will be nothing to stop the growth.
An increase in real estate investment is another result of the road completion. There are several good lawyers in town. Duane Brooks, from Bluefields, who has handled real estate transactions, says that property values compared to previously more easily accessible areas are much lower around El Rama. Prices started to climb in the last year when the port expansion was announced and are expected to continue in the next two to three years, just as the values in the Granada and San Juan del Sur areas escalated five or six years ago.
Across the river from El Rama in two locations are dirt roads that go to small towns and farms. There are no taxis available, however it is possible to rent horses or just hike along the road. You will meet some hospitable people who live in bamboo houses with outside kitchen and bathroom facilities, and no electricity. People who will not hesitate to invite you in to have a drink of the best tasting water in the country and some fresh baked bread as you enjoy a 360-degree view of the surrounding terrain from their house on top of the 200-foot hill they live on. The geography around El Rama is a bit strange because of “bumps” that are prevalent in the area. The land will be flat for a distance and suddenly there is a hill rising two to three hundred feet above the plain. These geological oddities are tree-covered tree and steep. They cover a 20 to 30 acre area, there are some bumps right next to the rivers.
The dock for the fast water taxi to Bluefields is downtown and any taxi driver can take you there. The voyage is a pleasant two-hour jungle river cruise.
These boats are 20 foot plus fiberglass boats with a 200-horse motor that you share with 19 other people and the pilot. If it rains, no problem, there is a plastic sheet that is pulled over the passengers, so always try to sit on the outside edge of the boat The slow boat is a ferry of sorts. It is maybe 50 feet long and will take 6 to 8 hours. I have not been on this African queen yet so no advice will be given. The sights along the river are beautiful and there are several villages along the route.
Near the close of the day have a beer at one of the bars on the edge of the river and watch the sunset cast that mango glow on the water. A dugout canoe passes with a family heading back to their farm and cows are grazing on the other side of the river. The river has a tranquil effect that seems to call you back.
