Saturday, May 12, 2018

Saving the Carao Tree

A storm came through at the end of the rainy season last year and washed away about 2 metres of our riverbank.  A beautiful Carao tree also known as Pink Shower Tree (Cassia grandis-for my latin savvy friends) was left standing precariously on the riverbank.  It is a full mature shade tree at the very edge of our property and offers us a great deal of much needed shade.












We made a decision to try and help stabilize the tree before the next season of rain.  JD organized four full tandem truckloads of rock.  Our name Mira Flores (Look at the Flowers) was fast approaching Mira Piedra (Look at the Rocks)


Sergio arrived with his backhoe the next day. He worked the entire day moving and positioning the rocks along the edge of the riverbank and building up a stable foundation for the tree.

We will only know if we have been successful in the years to come.  Fingers crossed!

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Mind the Gap


Things are happening here on the Pacific Coast, southwest of Managua.  Playa San Diego, just 7 kms north of us was a hotspot in the 1970's and is back on the upswing.  We found an awesome hostel called Mind the Gap.  Established and run by Diego (mere coincidence) and Morgan -who are getting married this August. 
The place is littered with transient surfer types who are always ready to tell you about the best surf breaks in the area and their daily fun on the water.  It is also a great place to spend the evening drinking and chatting.  Diego is a helpful man to know.  He is fluent in Spanish, knows everybody within the immediate 20 mile radius, and is always sporting a grin. 


It is a collection of all things hippy, surfy, and quirky. A definite fun and happening place to visit.