Bicycles

JD came across a bicycle store in Masachapa.  Since we will be here for another 5 weeks we thought is would be a great way to get around from time to time and then we will give the bikes to a family before we leave. 

We have seen numerous people riding bicycles, motorbikes, and quads along the beach.  The girls and I thought we should give it a try too.  We set out the next morning during the early morning heat, to avoid the scorching mid-day heat.
 There is a sweet spot for riding on the beach.  You want to be on the damp sand close to the water's edge, but not in the water.  It is perfect to go riding at low tide as high tide will push you up into the dry sand which is impossible to navigate.
We did not get very far as it was high tide.  I guess a little more planning is necessary.  So we went out to the road to give it a go.  Here is Elsie and Averyl riding around on our lot, having some fun.

El Fumador

We bought a truck, sight unseen, before we arrived in Nicaragua.  We wanted to make sure we had reliable transportation to be able to get around and access our lot - as that has been an issue in past travels.   JD was so excited when he found this ad in the local Nica kijiji site.   It is his dream vehicle...a 1985 toyota  hilux  diesel truck with four doors, a pick up bed, and racks for carrying lots of stuff, people, cows, etc...

JD went to pick up the truck while the girls and I stayed at the Best Western and swam in the pool.   Upon his arrival, I have to say, I was taken aback and worried that our purchase was perhaps delusional.  To me it looked like an old beater.  One that might not make it out of the parking lot.  We piled in our luggage anyways, and the kids, and were off through the streets of Managua. 
The kids had a blast, don't let Nora's expression fool you.

Closer to our lots we realized we made the right choice.  The roads were bad and the truck was good.  Yes, there is smoke that comes up through the holes in the floor, the back seat rattles, the brakes stick, and the gas guage does not work (we found that out that hard way and met a nice fellow by the name of Mike).  Here is a photo of our driveway.  Hmm, we have some work to do but we are glad it is not the rainy season. 

Nicaragua 2013/14

It all started out flawlessly.... "What could possibly go wrong?"
Evan and his girlfriend Alix drove us to the airport to catch our 2:16pm flight out of the Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada.  Due to circumstances beyond our control JD had to fly with a different airline, an hour later, while the kids and I continued on with our flight.  After a stopover in Atlanta, Georgia we arrived at the Augusto Sandino Internacional Aeropeurto in Managua, Nicaragua.  Here is where the fun began.  Across the road is the Best Western Hotel where JD and agreed to meet.


My limited Spanish is something that has to be improved upon.... 
As we were collecting up our baggage an eager young lad started loading them onto a push cart.  Relieved, I tried to ask him to walk us, and our luggage, to the hotel across the road.  I paid him $10 with the intent that this would help.  He promptly deposited me and our luggage as soon as we exited the Aeroporto.  Another fellow came up  offering help and I thought I understood that he was a cab driver and would drive us to our hotel (across the road) as the thought of dragging our luggage across a busy thoroughfare was no longer appealing to my sense of safety and well being.  He hailed us a cab, told me his job was finished, and then asked for a tip.  I gave him $5.  The cab driver then loaded our luggage into his cab and we all climbed in.  I giggled the full minute that it took us to pull out of the terminal, onto the main road, and into the Best Western hotel.  I also had to tip him $5.
Wow!  But we made it and the girls went swimming while we waited for JD to arrive.

Home Sweet Home

We left the warmth and sunshine and arrived home safe and sound. Sadly, we went through a 50 degree temperature change from a high of 30 degrees to a low of negative 2o.

It feels strange to be back, but comforting at the same time.

Saturday Afternoon

Transportation has always been interesting during our travels. The fact that we do not have our own vehicle to drive this time around requires us to be more adaptable to the circumstances. Today we decided to go farther up the coast to a more remote beach, but vastly popular to surfers. Santiago offered to drive us in his Toyota land cruiser that has a very short box. In preparation, here he is installing the safety belt across the back. Nora looks skeptical.And voila... that looks so much safer now - doesn't it??

I did not want to be left out and squeezed in with my back against the cab.
Once we were out of the town limits, and veered off on the typically horrendously potholed and washed out dirt road, we realized that standing up and absorbing the bumps with our legs was preferable to the spine crunching seated position. JD and I knowingly looked at each other and silently agreed that we were once again committing a parental crime.

But what fun we had in getting there.
And here we are: at yet another beach. Another day of sunshine, salt water, and fresh air.

Ometepe Island

Today we took a ferry ride to Ometepe Island. In the native language of long ago, Ometepe means 'two hills' and the hills in question are Concepcion Volcano and Madera Volcano. It is truly a beautiful island and JD's favourite place to be.

Here's Elsie driving the ferry. It was rough water going across and while everyone was happy and content, I lay crumpled on the deck, not daring to move lest I lost my lunch.

Here's Averyl with a volcano looming behind her. The clouds are so low that they are hugging the peak and obscuring its true size.

Signs

Every now and then I see something that is new and unusual, and definitely not found in Canada. This one is pretty self explanatory to those that live here, but in case you are having difficulties it is a picture of an erupting volcano.

This one I have never seen anywhere else before.

And this last one is just for fun.

Playa La Flor - Tortugas

We just went on the best trip. EVER! We rented a taxi and drove for an hour on the worst road I have ever been on. We had to cross three river where the bridges had been washed out, the car had no shocks and bottomed out just about ever 100m, and to top it off the car smelled of diesel. However that can all be overlooked because our taxi driver safely delivered us to Nicaragua's famous national park: la Flor Wildlife Reserve where amazing things are happening. First of all it is a park dedicated to protecting the threatened tropical rainforest and second, it is the only protected beach where endangered sea turtles arrive to lay their eggs.

At 9:00pm at night we arrived and were introduced to our guide. We had to cover all our flashlights and cameras with a red film to reduce the intensity of the light (so all our pictures have been converted to black and white). Stepping out on the beach our guide showed us about six 'piles' of baby turtles emerging from the sand. At first I thought they were dead, but they just move slow as it takes a lot of effort to climb out over top of all your brothers and sisters.

Each egg pocket has around 40 to 60 turtles. They have greater success in getting to the water if they travel en masse. Amazingly, we were allowed to pick them up. They were so cute. No really, they were. Their little fins tickled your palm as you held them. The guide encouraged us to carry them closer to the water because they are often eaten by crabs, or other predators along the way.Here is a great picture of a cluster of turtles that we carried to the water and watched as the waves came up and carried them off to sea. You can see the moon in the sky.
After a couple of hours, the emergence of the baby turtles was finished for the night and it was time to wait for the momma turtles to arrive. They usually do so after the moon has set so they have better protection. The most popular times for laying eggs are in April and November. We waited, and waited, and waited, but no one showed up. Nora could not stay up any longer. So we considered it a night and went home.

Wow!

Santiago and Queen Fairy Gwendolyn

Today we went out for an afternoon social visit in the country where Santiago and Gwendolyn live. It is a beautiful piece of land. As mentioned previously, they live in a school bus converted into their home. It is very cozy.

We planned on staying for dinner, but what I did not know, was that our dinner was still alive when we arrived. Santiago took the kids into the chicken coop where a plump chicken was picked out. Here he is explaining to the kids that if you rub under the chin just so the chicken would calm down. It worked like a charm.

And then the grizzly part started. Santiago tied the chicken up to a tree, inserted a spike into it's

brain to kill it, and then proceeded to lop its head off.

Here's Elsie assisting Gwendolyn with the de-feathering. Sadly, I was not able to 'pluck up' the courage to help.

And here is Gwendolyn. As can be seen on her expression, she is resisting the urge to involuntarily throw up.

All in all, dinner was good.

Lobolira

We found an awesome place to rent for two weeks that far surpasses my expectations of 'roughing it'. It is a newly built house that has a kitchen, a bathroom and two bedrooms. What a joy!