We start our week end early, on Friday. It was a productive work week in the bamboo world, with meetings with Nicaraguan investors, the Ministry of Transport to start the certification process for bamboo houses, the University of Engineering Lab to start material testing, the US Embassy to get some background on prospective investors and most importantly, the submittal of a proposal to the former Prime Minister, who intends to shop around a proposal for bamboo housing to European Ambassadors in Managua.
Peta summarizes her week as “I had four hours of Spanish lessons, played with the kitten and went to yoga”.
So, clearly, we are in need of a break…
We decide to head North of San Juan del Sur, to Playa Marsella.
A storm is brewing as we drive to the coast.
Quick stop at the road side fruit stand to buy produce for our picnic. This includes monster Papayas, sweet bananas and a number of fruits we don’t usually eat, such as Nispero – a bit too sweet for our taste, but interesting.
Occasionally, we share the road with oxen-drawn carts and herds of cattle characterized by large horns and droopy ears.
It takes us only one and a half hour to get to San Juan Del Sur — much of an improvement since last time we drove, pre Sandinistas… the roads then had huge pot-holes for the last 25 km, adding
a good hour to the drive.
We are staying at a small place, called “Empalme de las Playas” which is run by ex Californians who built four rustic bamboo cabanas on stilts which overlook the forest.
The howler monkeys are close by and we watch them swing
through the nearby trees. The noise they make sounds just like the roar of lions. There are two types of monkeys here – “mono caro negro” and “mono caro blanco” – black or white faced. Apparently these monkeys rarely come down on the ground, out of the tree tops.
Most of the beaches on the Pacific in Nicaragua are crested coves, with white sand and an interesting combination of desert and tropical flora. Marsella beach is pretty much deserted except for the occasional net fisherman, stray dog and us.
Saturday we wait for the military style truck that serves as a taxi between the various beaches and the town of San Jan del Sur. Lunch was grilled lobster and fish ceviche.
Sunday while on the beach we hitch a ride with a boat that stopped briefly by. We jump on the old fashioned blue and white, (does have a motor) with the dogs… fifteen minutes ride to Maderas, the famed surfers beach. Love this beach… the water is completely clear (as there are no rivers that run into this beach as they do on some others), there are many rocky formations, some creating homes for flocks of birds. We spend a perfect day swimming, walking, eating grilled fish on the beach – doesnt get much better than this!! The beach provides good inspiration towards a new series of Nicaraguan paintings. (Stay tuned..)
Unbelievable!!
Reading your blog makes me happy….for you.
Quote: The beach provided good inspiration towards a new series of Nicaraguan paintings. DOES THIS MEAN YOU ARE DONE WITH DOGS???? :-)))
Fantastic! Reading your blog puts a smile on my face! Beautiful pictures, colorful updates… Love it…Thank you
Just great reading your blog..I love it. I am not sure I would like to spend a night in that hut !!!!! but I like all the pictures and your descripions of the week end…
Thanks for all the feedback! Glad you are enjoying…