¿Cómo se dice…en Nica?: Delayed in so many ways...

Once again, apologies for a long hiatus in posting. My site has been experiencing frequent power outages and loss of internet (what else is new?). I've also been traveling quite a bit, so I'll be sure to put something up about that soon. However, I'd first like to share a post written by my lovely friend Wendy, who visited me a little over a year ago. Wendy is a busy girl, but she finally managed to send along a post for me. Which then sat in my email box for a few weeks, unread.

However, now that I'm in Managua for my final medical exams (only seven weeks of service left! can you believe it?), I also have constant internet access. So without FURTHER delay....

Wendy and Ted’s Adventure in Nicaragua

Nearly a full year later, I finally get my act together to pull together a little post on my trip to Sara’s casa in Nicaragua with my husband Ted. I am the worst friend ever in terms of returning blog posts (and thank you cards) in a reasonably timely manner but if you need a care package full of chocolate and tampons, I am all over that! I know how important it is to have chocolate (and tampons) around when you need ‘em. Priorities. :)

We visited Sara in late Jan./early Feb. 2013 when she had just switched service and home locations to Pearl Lagoon. The goals for our trip were straight-forward - check out Sara’s new digs, travel around the country a bit, and get some sun and forced relaxation time in while Boston was in the throes of winter. I look back on our time with Sara in Nicaragua very fondly - we had some laughs, only a few tense moments (e.g. chocolate massage with a blind masseuse), and we enjoyed meeting Sara’s family and friends thoroughly. But you know what? Pretty pictures can tell the story so much better than I can (sorry, all photographic evidence of any chocolate massages have been destroyed to protect the innocent) so here you are; enjoy the trip down memory lane with me!

Day 1 - Bluefields

After purchasing brand-new backpacks (like the ones often bang into me on the T toted by some oblivious 20-something during high-tourist season in Boston) and figuring out to pack them (FYI, it’s a challenge to fit in more than a pair of shoes with all of the other essentials you have to include) + a relatively short and uneventful flight, we arrive in sun-soaked Bluefields!

Hola, Nicaragua!

And we promptly enjoyed the local refreshments. (Hey, buster, the face is up here.)

Day 2 - Pearl Lagoon

We weren’t in Bluefields for too long before we were whisked away to Pearl Lagoon by “panga”! Pearl Lagoon is an idyllic and peaceful site with gorgeous views of the water. We walked around the community, saw the school and mayor’s office, visited the health clinic where Sara works, and met her friends and family along the way. At nights, some of the locals would leave their doors open to invite both visitors and the occasional breeze.

Zico ain’t got nothing on coconut water straight out of a coconut. Back Bay Yoga, are you reading this? If you’re selling coconut water out of a coconut, then maybe I’ll cough up the $3 that you’re hawking your drinks for.

And we also got to accompany some doctors from Cuba and local nurses on a home visit where they berated/admonished/advised a patient to take certain precautions during her pregnancy. No offense taken on the patient’s end, however, since we’re pretty sure she didn’t really understand the rapid-fire Spanish instructions that the doctors were giving her. Brownie points for good intentions though.

Can you spot Sara? I promise you she’s in this picture.

We also visited Awas, a Miskito community - an indigenous, beautiful but poor community.

Can you guess what type of bird this is? Hint: it starts with an “e” and if you’re as much of a city dweller as I am, good luck (nope, not a clean pigeon).

Day 3 - Pearl Keys

Yeah, this was worth the scary-as-hell boat ride out to the Pearl Keys, a series of small, mostly untouched islands.

Our fearless captain.

Day 4 - A blur of buses with Rama somewhere in between …

Traveling from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast, you could really see the country transform from humid tropical rain forests to a dryer, mountainous landscape.

Day 5 - Granada

A city full of colorful, colonial architecture, volcanoes, horse carriages, and rum-soaked cigars!

There was some pretty cool art in Granada!

A symbol of the revolution.

Days 6 and 7 - Rivas and Playa El Gigante

Two full days at the beach - no wifi, no TV - just sun, sand, water, and some rum.

Ted almost picked up a job at a little surfer shack!

Did you know you can get all this for 150 cordobas (~ $6 USD)? A feast of a giant whole fried fish, salad, plantains, rice and beans on the beach. $6 will get you 1.5 Starbucks drinks in the states.