The sun rises here between 500-530 in the morning. The streets are alive by 630-700. Its 700 now and the children are on their way to school. They wear white shirts/blouses and dark blue pants/skirts. They all carry a backpack. The uniforms were the same in Costa Rica. In the midst of the “poverty” (as we think of it) the children are dressed like they are going to Catholic school. It’s so cute to see them going to school – walking in groups, walking with Mom or Dad, riding on a motorbike behind Mom/Dad or on the back of a bicycle. The best? A little girl walking up the street, so natural and unassuming in her uniform, and yet, sporting a bright pink Brittany Spears back pack. American culture can be a very, very frightening thing.
We ate breakfast and I headed to an ATM to get cash. Saw a man wearing a Kiawah Island t-shirt. Had to stop and ask if they were from South or North Carolina. They actually lived an hour north of Managua and thought Kiawah was in Hawaii. He was originally from Seattle and moved here several years ago. He was in SJDS with a couple that had come to visit them from the States and were taking them to the beach for the day. He and his wife came to Nicaragua on a mission trip with their church years ago, it changed their lives he explained. They both quit their jobs, sold their house and moved here. They work with children in the area and help/host other Methodist mission trip groups.
When I returned from the ATM, Tony, Wielan (sp?) were waiting and the truck was loaded. Back to the marina and out to visit Playa Hermosa (which by the way, means beautiful or lovely in Spanish). As the tide was rising the surf was big and steep. Alan got barreled twice. The guys came back to the boat and rested for awhile. The tide was up and the waves were “rolling in” better. I joined them this time. I was the fortunate recipient of several good rides into the beach.
It’s a very interesting “balance” question – long boarding. The thrill of catching the wave and riding for a long time, into the beach is incredible. But then you turn around and have to get back out there which is a lot work. It’s like downhill skiing except there is no chairlift at the bottom. You have to walk back up the mountain. Wouldn’t it be great if there was equivalent in surfing? A chairlift kind of thing than carries you to the other side of the breakers?
Anyway, on one of my rides in, I “parked” the board and did my beach walk to look for shells or whatever may have been “left” for me to find. I carried the board up to the top of the beach and placed it under one of those trees I described earlier that form semi-private little cabanas. Started walking low on the beach and found green shells this morning. Pink one day, purple the next and today was green. Wondered aimlessly for about 20 minutes and drifted into the high sand that is like powdered sugar. What happened next makes me want to buy a lottery ticket.
Remember the watch of 10+ years ago that was ripped off my arm in the surf on Monday morning? I swear, I saw something glint; only about a half inch of something glassy and black was visible in the sand. Unbelievable, it was my watch! I lost it about 50 yards off shore in heavy surf on Monday. Here I am, three days later, about 30 yards up on the beach and I find the watch buried in sand. What were the chances I would ride into that part of the beach walk in that direction and on that part of the beach? Two feet to the right or two feet to the left and I would have never seen it. I’m wearing it now. Need to buy lottery tickets…
Finished surfing and trolled for tuna on the way in and caught just one today. Unpacked the boat, loaded Tony’s Land Rover and headed back to the hotel. Now for one of my favorite things to do – explore the town. Earlier that morning, before leaving to surf, I was walking around town and found a little house with recycled, brightly painted coke bottles of various shapes and sizes arranged in hanging sculpture in the trees. Very colorful and can only be described as a “fiesta of piñatas” hanging from the trees in the yard. I happened to have my backpack with me and in it was the Panthers visor I have been wearing the whole trip.
I wanted to show the boys the house and hanging sculpture so we walked up the road to where the house was located. In front of the house, there was a street soccer game going on. Alan noticed one of the guys wearing a Kerry Collins Panther’s jersey. What are the odds of seeing that? The answer was obvious, I reached into the back pack, pulled out the Panther’s visor and gave it to him. Now we have a Panther’s fan in SJDS.
Alan and I walked to the t-shirt shop owned by Kathy. Kathy is the woman I also encountered running on the beach with her four dogs and parrot a couple of days ago. In Kathy’s arm was the cutest little puppy. She just “adopted” him. She named him “Bendito” which means lucky in Spanish. Bendito’s prior “owner”, a “compasino” from the hills above town carried him into town in a rice bag. Bendito was born without a left front leg, and if Kathy wouldn’t take him, he was going to kill him. Now Kathy has a three legged dog named Bendito!
Went to Maries for a couple of drinks while the boys did some purchasing from the beachfront guys with their tables of jewelry. From here it was dinner at il Calibri – easiest the best meal so far. Tomorrow morning is an early morning for us. We are on a mission – to see an active volcano before surfing tomorrow morning.
Comments