Saturday, March 19, 2011

March 18 Perspective

It's early. Roberto forgot we had luggage, and so we're strapping it to the top of his SUV with ropes. Quite the site. It's a couple hours back to the Managua where we'll be spending the last few days in Nicaragua.

We drop our luggage at our new hotel in Managua, and head to the inauguration of a new primary school. Two American Rotary clubs spear-headed the effort, and everyone is in great spirits as they officially open the school. Live music, dancing, gifts, speeches...it's a spectacle.
We're whisked away just before lunch. Masaya is a large town with a wonderful market for tourists. We enjoy lunch, and wander around, picking up gifts for some folks back home. Kim and I can't resist the fresh squeezed juice bar...so many options:
We meet the Masaya Rotary club for an informal tour via horse-drawn carriage. We see a school they have nearly completed, and then pass Nicaragua lake. The horses aren't as healthy as we're used to seeing, but the waterfront trails and trees make up for it.
We arrive to a cute street full of cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars. No cars, and lots of street performers make it a great spot to spend a couple hours. We enjoy a serenade, some great Nicaraguan rum, and a selection of appetizers. It's a busy place, and understandably so. We could spend the whole month here easily.
Roberto takes us back to the hotel, and the boys all get a swim. The pool is cool, which is refreshing. I enjoy my first warm shower of the trip, and we sort through pictures, and get a blog out. I had a little more FOMO tonight, as my girl (Laura) is seeing Joel Plaskett in concert, and my family is there with her. Unfortunate that we cannot be everywhere at once. We get 8 hours of sleep. 8 days left.
CGD.

2 comments:

  1. Looks like an incredibly rich cultural experience, and it is really impressive to see that a group of relative strangers can hang together SO well through the hardship of travel, strange surroundings and GSE demands to appreciate all of it and share it so well with us. Thanks for keeping up a great blog, and best of luck for your last week!

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  2. You really have made me want to visit Nicaragua..... and to shed a few years - if Doooughmooody can climb onto a big, stone ball & sledge down a lava slope..... Andy can too!! Enjoy the rest of your GSE experience.

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