two weeks in nicaragua

What to say. HM. There's just too much. I will try and point out a few highlights of the trip because to write everything would be really time consuming and possibly boring for you.

I like numbering my points...

1. Managua - Greg's home

Arriving in Managua without knowing Spanish or having the Nicaraguan currency or any advanced planning, made our initial landing very very interesting. We made it though! We were tested and passed with flying colours. Greg picked us up with his friend Victor and from that moment on we began our two weeks of drinking, learning and resting. All 3 were necessary and inevitable.

We stayed in Managua for the first week, where we drank as much as we possibly could and spent the rest of our time listening to stories of the revolution, war and an ongoing time of crisis...from the comforts of a hammock. It was more than eye opening. We met wonderful people who devote their lives to bettering the lives of the people of this amazing country and not once did we feel like outsiders. We were invited with open arms everywhere we went, AND THE FOOD! We were fed constantly. We loved it. ha ha. It's true.

Thanks to Greg, Victor, Robert, Karen, Hubert, the Canada House, Trudy, Kai, Kent and so many more people for our fabulous first week. It was intense but unforgettable.

2. Granada and the bus ride to the Pacific Ocean beach.

A few day trips took place during the first week. The first was to Granada, a colonial town just an hour away from Managua, with stunning architecture and beautiful views of Lake Nicaragua (the only fresh water lake in the world where sharks live). We took a tour of the Cathedral of Granada, an art gallery and took a walk along the lake. In between our mini tours we would hide in Dario Hotel (owned by Greg's brother) to escape from the heat. It's just too hot for our Canadian acclimatized bodies.

The second trip was by bus to the Pacific Coast. Victor took us on the public bus for almost 2 hours to see the beach and all the small villages along the way. It was a crazy ride up and down a mountain with cars passing us on a narrow winding road. To me it's completely chaotic but to everyone else on that bus this was normal. I love it! The beach was beautiful. We were there for only a few hours because we left late and the bus ride was fairly long. Still we had a great time and felt like we experienced something real.

3. Corn Island

After a crazy first week we reserved a couple seats on a flight to Big Corn Island, which is fifty miles northeast of the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. For 4 days we stayed at Greg's parents house, which was right on the water on the south end of the Island. The word "big" is used lightly here too since it has a 14 km circumference. The house was big and beautiful and our friendly neighbours kept an eye on us and helped us any time they could. They were amazing to have around. Elizabeth, a new best friend of mine, cooked us yellow tail and plantains one evening and it was DELICIOUS. You have no idea. Rod and I visited 3 different beaches during our stay and relaxed, drank flor de cana, rested, watched tv in an air conditioned room, swam, ate and played with the neighbourhood kids. It was our only "vacation" during our vacation. We felt quite privileged to have spent any time on this little piece of heaven and with the angels that live there.

Thanks to Greg's parents, Elizabeth, Lester, Lubit (not sure on the spelling), Lubit Sr (still not sure on the spelling), Victor and Karla and anyone else that made our stay so great.

My notes here seem really brief but if you want to know any more about our trip, then just give me a call and we'll chat over a coffee. I can talk about it all day long! Right now, on this blog, I just wanted to share my overall experience with you because it is a story that needs to be told.