I thought I wasn't wearing my glasses. My hat straw got in the way.
The straw was over my eyes and so my glasses focussed on the straw. I had to tilt my head to see under the straw. I thought I wasn't wearing glasses.
Those annoying straws interfered with my vision. I didn't like those prickly spokey, spikey straws on my face, near my mouth and nose and eyes. And on my shoulders.
I took off the hat.
I looked it up online. It was a style called Beachcomber. Plenty like it.
I hunted for fixing it. You can make them waterproof with a spray of Shellac. But nowhere were instructions for plaiting up the edges and sealing them down. It would take hours. Then clear nail varnish?
Or sew in a circle? Then cut back the protruding spikes?
I tried it on the other way round. Ah!
The hat was not stupid. I was stupid. The hat bent upwards over the forehead and hung down at the back.
But, then it did not protect your eyes from the sun. A sunhat has two purposes, to protect the crown of your head, and to keep the sun out of your eyes, to stop you squinting, and to keep the sun off your nose and face To protect you from cancer.
If you just want to look funny in a photo, or fetching and amusing at a poolside party, this hat does the trick.
Straw hat the right way around. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
The hat is from Nicaragua.
The majority of tourists who visit Nicaragua are from the U.S., Central or South America, and Europe. According to the Ministry of Tourism of Nicaragua (INTUR),[199] the colonial cities of León and Granada are the preferred spots for tourists. Also, the cities of Masaya, Rivas and the likes of San Juan del Sur, El Ostional, the Fortress of the Immaculate Conception, Ometepe Island, the Mombacho volcano, and the Corn Islands among other locations are the main tourist attractions. In addition, ecotourism, sport fishing and surfing attract many tourists to Nicaragua.
According to the TV Noticias news program, the main attractions in Nicaragua for tourists are the beaches, the scenic routes, the architecture of cities such as León and Granada, ecotourism, and agritourism particularly in northern Nicaragua.[194] As a result of increased tourism, Nicaragua has seen its foreign direct investment increase by 79.1% from 2007 to 2009.[200]
Nicaragua is referred to as "the land of lakes and volcanoes" due to the number of lagoons and lakes, and the chain of volcanoes that runs from the north to the south along the country's Pacific side.[11][12][201] Today, only 7 of the 50 volcanoes in Nicaragua are considered active. Many of these volcanoes offer some great possibilities for tourists with activities such as hiking, climbing, camping, and swimming in crater lakes.
The Apoyo Lagoon Natural Reserve was created by the eruption of the Apoyo Volcano about 23,000 years ago, which left a huge 7 km-wide crater that gradually filled with water. It is surrounded by the old crater wall.[202] The rim of the lagoon is lined with restaurants, many of which have kayaks available. Besides exploring the forest around it, many water sports are practiced in the lagoon, most notably kayaking.[203]
Sand skiing has become a popular attraction at the Cerro Negro volcano in León. Both dormant and active volcanoes can be climbed. Some of the most visited volcanoes include the Masaya Volcano, Momotombo, Mombacho, Cosigüina and Ometepe's Maderas and Concepción.
Ecotourism aims to be ecologically and socially conscious; it focuses on local culture, wilderness, and adventure. Nicaragua's ecotourism is growing with every passing year.[204] It boasts a number of ecotourist tours and perfect places for adventurers. Nicaragua has three eco-regions (the Pacific, Central, and Atlantic) which contain volcanoes, tropical rainforests, and agricultural land.[205] The majority of the eco-lodges and other environmentally-focused touristic destinations are found on Ometepe Island,[206] located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua just an hour's boat ride from Granada. While some are foreign-owned, others are owned by local families.
