Chely´s house

One day we met a guy named Chely who manages a property up on the hill that overlooks Playa Maderas.  He had an empty room in his place that he invited us to stay in.  He rented to us for a couple of nights so we packed our things into the back of a truck and headed up.  Toki and Matt came too.  We grabbed a tonne of food for a big cook up on the bbq grill.  Once again EVERYTHING NICE!!  Logan absolutely loved sitting in the back of the pickup.

Being the day of the hot sauce competition being hosted in Toronto, we decided to cook up our own Central American sauce to go with the chicken being grilled on the bbq for dinner.
Sauce title:  Mexican Pipeline.
Ali and I toasted the celebrants in Canada - we were going to call, but there was no phone or internet service from where we were.
By the way, all ingredients used were local Nicaraguan.  I may have strong contendor for next year´s competition.

While we feasted outside we were treated to another spectacular sunset over the hills and surf break down below.  We watched the ant-sized surfers catch the last rides of the day.  To the south, the mountains of Costa Rica jut out into the Pacific.

Perhaps the only catch to staying here was the fact that it is at the top of a VERY big hill, so going back and forth to the beach is quite the sweaty task.

 The group we met in El Salvador all showed up on the beach the next day.  The waves were small but still peeling so I traded up my rental for a longboard and took Logan out for a try.  He didn´t really enjoy the saltwater splashing into his eyes, but he and Shane really enjoyed running around kicking a soccer ball on the beach with the crew of travellers we met up with. 

  The whole crew split the cost of a truck back up the hill to Chely´s place to enjoy the sunset from the pool and on the patio.  Another feast was cooked up - this time seafood.  Seriously tasty garlic butter ginger sauce that you could just drink.   We all chatted, laughed, while listening to music and looking at the Milky Way.




We are back in the town of San Juan at the moment and heading very soon to a house rental we organized.  We are hoping it is everything we expect it to be.

Paradise

Just to the north and to the south of San Juan are three perfect crescent shaped beaches that are literally some of the most beautiful unspolied places we´ve ever visited.  Because of the proximity to Lago de Nicaragua, there are nearly constant offshore breezes which ease the tropical mugginess and make things quite refreshing.  It also creates hollow fast waves that barrel.  We split a cab with Matt and were on our way north to Playa Maderas, the site of the recent Central American surf competition.

The boys became quickly amused playing in and around the waist deep tidal pools and Matt and I headed out to the water and had the waves pretty well to ourselves.  The landscape is almost prehistoric looking here - like the scene at the end of Planet of the Apes when Charlton Heston realizes it was Earth all along.  In the distance we could see the mountains of Santa Rosa National Park in Costa Rica - an untouched wilderness area accessible only by 4 X 4 or boat. 
It was so good, that we didn´t really even take many pictures - so the few we did take, don´t do it justice.  Fear not, we´re going  back, and next time for a while.  

By the afternoon, truckloads of backpackers arrived with the learn to surf schools and the wave became pretty crowded, but we still had lots of fun as it is challenge to ride this spot as you need to get up immediately or get slammed.     
 

 Matt is great with our kids.  Since we started doing the hostel thing in Guatemala, there is usually one or two people at our hostel who take to our kids and keep them happy.  Logan loves cruising around checking out what people are doing asking questions, or telling stories that involve getting on a chicken bus and going to a market, for example. 


After heading back into town, we bumped in Toki, from Japan, who we´d met with in El Salvador also.  We spent the rest of the afternoon-evening on the balcony enjoying the sunset views and people watching. 

    

Road trip to Rivas

After leaving Granada we boarded a school bus.  Buses in Central America come from the United States.  They are the retired school buses that are no longer fit to drive.  Once they get here they get souped up with some serious bling.  There are usually rosaries, picutres of Mary, a few statues of Jesus and maybe something catchy scrawled up in the front like - Driving for Jesus.  The particular bus we boarded in Granada was already full.  I mean, beyond belief full.  So full, that the dude who throws your bags on the roof said it was full.  Luckily, some Steven Seagal lookalike offered up his seat to Ali.  And of course what we did next was tour around Granada just to make sure that anyone else standing on the side of the road who wanted to board could get the chance.  Where this room would come from, I did not know, but somehow there is always more room.  This left Ali with Shane and Logan on her lap, our bags went on some other ladies lap, guys were hanging out the edge of the door holding on to the door frame and I was securely wedged - in the most uncomfortable type of wedge - between a mix of objects and sweating humans behind Ali.  The other thing that buses do here is stop at random villages to pick up supplies for delivery.  Like a sort of FedEx.  We´ll pick up rice, chickens, bags of meat, envelopes and the people will yell out where it´s going.  An hour or so later, there will be someone standing in the middle of nowhere flagging the bus down to get their delivery.  This is how it works.

 In Rivas we transferred to the down of San Juan del Sur.  The hub site of Nicaragua´s beach scene.  The home to the nightlife that ends when the sun rises.  This is what will put Nicaragua on the map as a tourist destination and it is easy to see just by looking at how beautiful it´s setting is.  Although the water is actually too dirty to swim in, due to the port, cruise ships, and runoff from local houses.  Despite being here, I hit a traveller low. We were living on less than 50 bucks a day and it was starting to feel like it: staying in very tight quarters while sorting out house rentals, with Shane waking up nearly constantly in the middle of the night; roasting hot without the fan hitting me, full moon, I had to go for middle of the night dips in the pool just to cool down.  I was saying things like let´s call it quits and just head home or else head back to some place we´ve already been to where we already know things are better than here, but Ali seemed to be handling it.

We were trying to book a house rental for a week by a nearby surfbreak and having no luck.  You can´t surf in town, but there are world class breaks 45 mins. nearby.  Town is nice, but mostly just for eating food and for people getting wasted.  Frustrating.  We knew we had to checkout of our place and find something new, but the options are mostly just a bunch of party hostels or else the uber swankfest options that are totally out of line with the rest of the country.  We had even contacted the renting agent and were walking around some Barrio up on the hillside but no one had heard of the house.  The kids were starting to lose it, we had all our bags and this was close to that limit.  So we put our bags down next to the beach.  Ali stayed with the boys and I started to hit up pretty well every single guesthouse, room, apartment, hotel and any other option I came upon.  I bought myself a cold drink.

 
 Then I started to think like in Antigua.  I went to the higher end places.  The oceanfront view with balcony and massive rooms type of place.  Totally devoid of clients.  Done deal.  When I returned to Ali she mentioned that they bumped into Aussie Matt (aka Green Sausage) and that we would be meeting up in a few hours.  Sun, Moon, Stars aligned.  Total turnaround. 

  Pretty decent balcony view eh?

San Juan del sur

We've been in San Juan for the pastfew days, sorting out a house rental and trying to find a decent place to stay. We expected things to be a lot busier here than they actually are - but then we realized its mostly a nighttime spot and we are asleep then. wrote:

Will post more later once we get computer access. Using the iPod takes much longer to type.

Good luck to hot sauce competitors!

Granada

Granada.
Nicaragua.
UNESCO World Heritage City.
Nicaragua feels safe - other than the dogs.
Nicaragua has the lowest crime rate in Central America.
Nicaragua has several picturesque cities - not just one.

Nicaragua has one really ugly city - only one. 

Nicaragua has a really dirty countryside that is strewn with plastic and other debris that bakes in the sun.


People smile here a lot and they smile to each other a lot.

People don´t make such a big deal here about us travelling with kids.  Or at least, less of a deal than in the past few countries. 

People ride horses here.  Ride them for real; not just to take you around for buggy tours of the city - but they´ll do that too if you like. 

People tout tourists here.  For dollar exchange, for weed, for boat tours.  It´s a UNESCO Heritage city afterall.

The architecure here is great.
There are lots of old churches.
The buildings are all painted beautifully - like paint chip samples that all match.
The churches date back to the 1500´s.  Think about it.  Columbus was still alive.  But then you think about the Mayan ruins and they are still a bit more impressive, and older....but the paint doesn´t match on them.




I´d say this country is easily worth repeating.  A flight to Managua and you can take a shuttle bus or taxi from there to so many cool places in a very short distances.
Mountains, volcanoes, remote beaches, good surfing, a very large lake that you can boat tour across - also with twin volcanoes inside the lake, pre-columbian ruins, a Carribbean island called Corn Island with white sand beaches.

I should also mention that we found a flight for 69 bucks - that´s 130 with taxes in - from Panama city to Montreal.  Don´t know if we´ll book it yet or not, but I do suggest you check out spirit air if you have a job that lets you take holidays in random times of the year in January or February.  They are starting service to Toronto on Jan 27th. Ridiculously cheap - but you have to pay to check in your luggage....so what?



We´re moving on today.  South.

Who let the dogs out?

Today a dog bit me on the leg.  The morning started as usual - Shane got up sometime in the 5´s and it was Drew´s turn to stay in while Logan got his extra hour of beauty sleep.  After playing in the lobby of our hostel and drinking a couple of cups of on-the-house coffee, I went out for a stroll with Shane on my back.  We are in Granada - a picture perfect colonial city.  It was a beautiful walk: we went through the central square and I admired the colourful buildings while Shane excitedly pointed at horses.  We wandered down a pub/cafe district and watched people prepare and clean their storefronts.  Then we followed the tree-lined boulevard to Lago de Nicaragua, the 9th largest lake in the Americas.  This lake is the only one in the world with freshwater sharks, and is lined with volcanoes.  Many locals were out doing their morning exercise along the lakefront.  Feeling safe and secure in this very friendly country, I was reflecting and reminiscing of our time in Taiwan - as we do in tropical countries.

On our way back up the boulevard, I decided to walk on the other side of the street for a better view of the centuries-old church pictured here.  I saw a couple of men sitting on their front step with a little red dog.  Thinking nothing of it, and being in such a great mood, I gave them a "buenos dias" and walked past, between them and the dog.  Then it happened.  The dog let out a high-pitched yelp and bit the back of my calf!  I was so shocked I couldn´t really react except to say "What did your dog just DO?".  The owner rushed his dog into the gated house and said to me (in English), "Can I help you?".  I had no response except to make a mental note of where I was and while muttering several expletives I rushed back to our hostel, my leg throbbing.  It is amazing how a split second can change your mood, and perhaps almost change your entire trip.  I had no more good mornings for anyone.  I got back and told Drew what had happened.  Logan was quite concerned.  I washed and dressed the wound and we discussed what to do.  The receptionist at our hostel said it is uncommon to get the police involved in an incident like this, to just go talk to the owner.  Armed with the Spanish phrases for dog bite and rabies vaccination we headed back to the house.  Boys were both in baby backpacks just in case yappy red dog was on the loose again.  After asking a couple of guys in the vicinity of the incident where the red dog lived, who obviously had heard about what happened, we found the house.  The man was apologetic and reassured us that the dog was vaccinated.  He mentioned it was unusual of his dog to bite.  We were so relieved we headed back to our hostel not caring about our plans or getting to the next destination.  We noticed a poster advertising a $6 day trip to a hostel on a nearby volcanic crater lake that opened yesterday.  With 15 minutes to departure time, we quickly packed our daypacks and signed up for the shuttle bus. 

What a great decision.  The 30-minute busride took us to a scenic guest house right on Lake Popoyo.  We had one of our most relaxing days yet. It felt like cottage country in July.  We would have stayed the night if we had our act together and packed up our things earlier.  The water was warm and clear and actually a little salty, which made floating around quite easy.  Logan and Drew headed out for a kayak while Shane napped in his tent on the patio.  There were only 4 other people there besides us and all they did was read. 

Nothing else happened for the rest of the day....and that was good.





Leon

Leon is fantastic.  The hostel we found in Leon was also fantastic - but under some serious construction with dust everywhere.  Wifi and free computers, free coffee and it was good, a swimming pool, private bathroom with fans, chillout area with hammocks, self serve fridge fully stocked with cold drinks, for 29 bucks.  This stuff is important when you´ve been on the road for a while - especially the pool.  But the dust was brutal, we had to head out once the workers showed up.  We went to a nearby beach on the coast looking for some surf.  There weren´t any waves decent enough for surfing, but the beach was very clean, right next to a national park marine reserve, and the boys had lots of fun playing in the sand.


Sunset was incredible.  One of those kinds where you start thinking about how far it is to the other side of the ocean and what´s there.  The Philippines.  The stars were even better than the sunset from the upper deck patio.  Listening to waves while sleeping gave us all a real good rest.  We were the only people staying at the whole place.  It was a cool spot, the kind of place you could read an entire book from a hammock and suddenly realize it´s dinner time... but we didn´t do a double nighter as there really was nothing else to do and you just gotta keep things fresh.  For us and for the kids.

Waiting for the bus.

Back in Leon again to figure out some things.  We need laundry and are looking for a house to rent somewhere along the coast.  Food is good here.  Very good.  I mean like you could probably retire here and just basically live on less than 50 bucks a day and just basically eat delicious food and go visit a bunch of old churches.  When the churches start to look the same, then you could always take Spanish lessons. Or go eat more delicious food, while listening to a sermon, in Spanish.

head south

El Salvdor to Honduras border.

We left El Tunco for San Salvador expecting to find an express bus to Leon, Nicaragua.  When the lady at the counter explained that Logan would need to pay, even though he wouldn´t take a seat because ït´s the policy, we ditched that plan.  Cab ride to another bus terminal, bus already left, cab ride to another terminal that was actually within walking distance but we paid 5 bucks to get to, and we found a bus that was just rolling out of the station.  Ali jumped on with the boys and I loaded the bags underneath while it was in motion.  Comfy aircon.  Boys travelled well. 
 We arrived in Santa Rosa de Lima in the afternoon and it took a while to find a decent hotel.  First of all, no one even knew where a hotel was.  There was however, a Burger King with a playground.  Random. Logan was in heaven.  Definitely not many foreigners roll through this town, and probably none with kids.  We wanted to eat dinner in the central park so that the boys could play and run around, but there were too many beggars so we left.  A lot of people were missing limbs and a lot spoke English - effects of the American funded war.  Sad, sketchy town. Crossed the border into Honduras by 8 am and snapped the above photo from the bridge.  

Leaving Honduras

 Immediately noticable was how clean the country was in comparison to El Salvador.  All the ladies on the minibus loved the boys and shared loads of food with them.  Ali and I hadn´t the time for breakfast yet, but at least the boys were fed.  Snapped the next photo on our way out of Honduras while looking back.  These borders were the hairiest ones of the trip.  At least 15 touts swarmed our minibus and started unlashing our bags from the top of the bus asking if we want taxis to the border.  Our driver got out and yelled at them.  We haven´t heard anyone scream in Central America yet since everyone is so chill.  We repeatedly said no to them.  Logan caught the vibe and followed up with his own no´s.  Awesome. We walked the border in the heat with a stroller and style.  The guards hadn´t seen this before. The Family of Four from Canada, they said.  We chicken bussed it from here to Leon.



border town bus terminal in Nicaragua



Despite the loud Latino beats, a nap on the chicken bus

Nicaragua, in contrast, looked very dirty, but man, the people are very friendly.  When you get doing something - whatever that thing is - for a while, it becomes routine, so you think it´s normal.  But then you realize there is no such thing as normal, only our different routines.  We love our routines so much that we think they are normal to have.  We are moving south, closer to the more affluent parts of Central America and it broke our routine.  It´s not that people were all triste like a French mime back in El Salvador, but just that they didn´t have that extra...what the French call: ¨I don´t know what¨  Here in Nicaragua they have the ¨I don´t know what.¨ 
The boys have officially been trained as travellers.  They know how and when to sleep on buses, for the most part.  We also know when to get them on a bus, and how to keep them amused on a bus and which snacks to keep in the bag.  Sleeping backpackers? how do they even complain about a bus ride?  We sometimes want to shake them and explain to them that they DON´T KNOW, because they are not travelling with a child, nor child(ren). Maybe add some fire and brimstone for emphasis.

We are now in Leon, Nicaragua.  A beautiful colonial town that is clean, has friendly people and working Internet - finally!  It´s like an even cleaner version of Antigua.  At this point, I think we could for sure maybe go around the world with these boys.

Saying Goodbye

Yesterday, ¨Team Australia¨ left.  Logan, actually all of us and all the other travellers, missed the good action they added here around our hostel-slash-hotel, not sure which one it is, but that´s the level we are comfortable travelling at.  Logan helped out with taking the fins off the boards and watching them get packed.  There was a really good group of people here for a week.  The remaining crew continued to be awesome, but outnumbered; being the weekend we were also joined by some boisterous locals.  Our new neighbours horked on our shared patio floor first thing in the morning.  Classy.

The other group to arrive on the weekend was a group of Danish kids who looked like they were straight out of a really bad 80´s video.  The parts of the 80´s videos that sucked.  I can´t even describe what type of library clubs are busily poking them on facebook while I write this.  Everyone is now ready to leave.  We must leave too.  We are leaving tomorrow, but we have no idea where, but that is the beauty.  Well, at least we know that we are heading to the capital, San Salvador, since that is where everything is routed through. Not really into staying though as cities aren´t what we love, and also a city bus was burned there last month with all its passengers.  The driver didn´t pay off the gangs. We don´t ever take city buses - always taxis. Apparently gang members outnumber the police force so it is out of control, but mostly in the capital.  We have been living in the bubble of safety here in Surfland and must remember the bigger picture. The local people are friendly and so outgoing with our kids, so it´s hard to imagine the stuff that happens here.

Sunsets were awesome here, the kids playing in front of the restaurant and getting along with other kids and other travellers.  

Enjoying things

Who needs toys when you are a one year old?  The baby toy industry makes a fortune off developmental plastic when these kids only need a good laugh doing things they know they shouldn´t be doing.
The lady at the coffee shop have also given Shane another nickname: Casper....as in, the friendly cartoon ghost.  Not sure if it´s his white skin, bald head or smile - maybe it´s all of them.

The waves have picked up quite a bit.  I have improved my surfing a bit too.  Unfortunately, the beach is quite rocky and only kid friendly during low tide, which is usually when the sun is baking hot and most unfriendly.

This is a great set up on El Sunzal - a right hand point break.  There are great rides here... really long.  I am having a better time out at midday when everyone is in from the sun.  I don´t really care about getting out at dawn.

Epic Saga Omega.  This is Bocana.  Not a long wave, but much faster and more powerful.  Watched the Aussie (Matt) and Kiwi (Kelly) here get barelled.  Ipaddled out, but did not catch anything - luckily did not get trashed on it either, as there are some barnacled rocks on the shore.  The ocean is always great at humbling me.  I did however get a good swim and decided smartly to walk back to El Sunzal in order to work on my right handers. 

*play date*

I don´t know where the term came from - urban yoga moms have lots of paid time off to invent cutsie phrases to describe a group of kids playing - but we had a ¨playdate¨ the other day with a couple from New Jersey who live here. We even got a ride in a car with car seats to their beautiful gated community perched up on the edge of the mountains overlooking the Pacific.
There was some seriously good Korean food served up (Grandma was visiting from San Diego).  I mean seriously good.  When she heard that everyone liked Korean food, she whipped it up in about 20 minutes. We likes thee Kimchii!


Between the heaps of new toys and dipping in the inifinity pool, the boys were quite happy.  Shane was able to take a nap in a proper crib while we relaxed in the pool. Logan hardly even talked, he was so engrossed in all the new stuff around him. Later, Shane sampled his first popsicle. Yoghurt with blueberries, homemade.  Very much enjoyed by both of them.
This was our third playdate with expats on this trip.  This one ended with an offer to borrow a guitar.  I accepted.

Sunset action.

Some nice waves

More nice waves. I hope you enjoy surfing as much as I do, because you are going to look at several surf shots..... then you will consider quitting your job and moving to El Salvador. (This would be a reason to retire here. I will write about why to retire in Guatemala later, as I promised earlier).
Early Morning El Sunzal.
No wind, clean, glassy and head high.
Photo credit: Ali
Credit for being up with Shane at dawn: Ali
zoom these photos to see its glory.

Sunset today.
High tide, so not as big, but definitely beautiful.

More goodness at Bocana. A faster and sketchier wave. Credit: Drew´s dawn with Shane. Taking turnsies.

Birdeye view of El Sunzal.  Very nice wedge.

Feast of Maximum Occupancy

Being in a great moment and recognizing at the time is so great.  Things are a lot of fun here for everyone.  Yesterday the Aussies decided to head into town - a big port city called La Libertad -  and get heaps of seafood.  Everyone pooled in and the feast was born.  Originally, it was supposed to be a lunch, but the way the production went it was a fun filled afternoon with cooking, drinking, swimming, laughing and music. 

Cleaning the shrimp.

Big bag of squid.
Detroit Red Wings style.



 








Once again, the great group of travellers around kept the boys amused in the pool while the cooking went on.  Logan played a game called Green Sausage.

Shane´s words definitely now include the word Hola, which he practices with everyone we meet.

El Salvador, El Tunco

There is a really good crew of travellers and locals here.  The type of people you could talk to for hours and not even think about trying to go anywhere else because you would know that you would be missing out on a good story, a good wave or a good meal that someone is making.  I think that one of the good things about getting older is the ability to recognize when you are there.  We´re there.

Sunsets are gorgeous - possibly some of the best we´ve seen - waves are consistent, internet service is almost at 1995 levels, it drives the younger travellers crazy, but we just think it´s like dial up days. But then hey, they didn´t even know what Three´s Company was.  That´s like not even knowing the area code of your city.




We would write more, but everyone takes a turn at the one shared computer that is brutally slow, until the workers put the new cable back in...... until the next section will inevitably get stolen. 

Logan had a blast in the pool with an Aussie surfer who is headed to med school and is a natural with kids. He and his crew of mates are good for stories.  He took this awesome photo of Logan at sunset. Everyone is very supportive of us travelling with our kids and the kind people help us out, everyone asks for a turn holding Shane and take him to show their friends.  Everyone gets a game going with Logan and have a few words with him in Spanish or ask him questions to get his mind going.

 

The boys are becoming known around town with locals.  Shane is called ¨the dancer¨due to his techno party moves at the restaurant the other night - I assure you, this was all before 7 p.m.

 

There is also a macaw here, which rocks. It is almost the same size as Shane. 

 

I could upload a photo of the waves, but that would take a small eternity and you might consider quitting your job and taking up surfing here as well.  I will however, put up a photo when it gets epically epic.  This place has one of the best waves on the planet, but requires the right swell and we will be ready for it when it arrives.