Mitch in Nicaragua

Haven´t updated in a while, partially because they have been busy travel days, and partially because internet access has been scarce.
The 13^th, 14^th and 15^th were days dedicated to meeting up with wonderful Annie who had my VISA card and new camera. It wasn’t as easy as I had hoped to get to where she was going to be because the roads on the peninsula are absolutely terrible, and busses do not travel many of them. For this reason I took the ferry back to Punterarenas and then another ferry to Playa Naranjo, from which I took a bus to Nicoya and spent a night. From there I took another bus to the cowboy town of Santa Cruz where they were getting ready for a big celebration and rodeo. Fireworks, cowboys and musicians on every corner is what I observed for the two hours I was there before hopping aboard the bus to San Juanillo. Apart from the uber bumpy road and the back of the bus wanting to fall off, it was a lovely ride and managed to have a half decent conversation in Spanish with a girl on the bus.
After two hours of dusty, pot-hole roads and crossing a couple rivers, I arrived at the magical Haciendo del Sur—a retreat where courses such as Yoga, Meditation, massage and re’balancing take place. If you get the chance, check out the website. The retreat is owned by a former Nelsonite, Menlha and she has done such beautiful work in little San Jaunillo. http://www.sunvacation.org/index.html

After one night in a tent there, I met up with Annie in Nosara where I spent another night. It’s not that exciting of a place, basically just a big American project with American prices. However, the beach is beautiful and the waves are more than surfable. Furthermore, saw my first Howler monkey in Nosara…such funny looking dark brown creatures and they are not nearly as big as they sound when they howl.
Early the next morning I caugt a bus to Nicoya and on the bus was a local bartender from, Mason, and coincedentally we both had the same final destination of San Juan del Sur, so made the journey together. From Nicoya, a bus to Liberia and then from there a taxi to the border (which was a little crazy, but manageable—beware of the money exchangers, I definatley got ripped off a bit), and then another taxi from the border to San Juan del Sur. We found a place to sleep, dropped our gear off and then headed to one of the beachfront bars and enjoyed a couple cervezas for 15 cordobas apiece (17 cordobas is equal to a US dollar, aka CHEAP). It is a beautiful place and I think I will have no problem spending the week here.

Photos: me and I’m aaaallllright with my new camera…and the sunset at San Jaun del Sur horshoe bay.