Beach and bougainvillea.

This is the last post on Nicaragua. Life has changed so much since then, it’s crazy to think it was only two months ago! I’m so glad I have a partner like Mike who is willing to head out on a trip with only a few days notice. He even did most of the planning! To be honest, it’s a pretty good deal for me. I say, “Hey, let’s go somewhere in Central America.” and he says, “Ok. I found a deal to Nicaragua. Should we do it?” and then I say, “Yes. I’ll book it.” and he says, “I’ll get the Lonely Planet… so this is what I think we should do…” Done!

We only stayed one night in Leon because we really wanted to sneak in a little more beach time. We took a taxi from the city to the beach town of Las Penitas. I still wasn’t feeling 100% but I was looking forward to our guesthouse that had great reviews. Mike made sure to book a place with a reputation for delicious food with tasty vegetarian options. Alas, we arrived on BBQ night and they were only serving meat. Figures!

Most of our time in Las Penitas was spent in hammocks, on the beach, or watching the sunset. (And also apparently taking photos of bougainvillea!)

The next morning we began what felt like an endless journey back to Managua. First, we hopped on a chicken bus to get back to Leon. Then a taxi to get to the proper bus station. Then, a mini-bus to Managua and another taxi to our guesthouse. The guesthouse was new and in a residential neighborhood so it took a lot of convincing our driver that it actually existed. Thankfully, the security guard at the gate filled in the missing details and helped us arrive at the proper place just as the proprietor stepped outside.

Selfies with my birthday “cake” in front of colorful walls.

We stayed at Hostal Monte Cristi which was the perfect place to spend our final night. Not only was it comfortable and close to the airport, the customer service was fantastic. Calvin, the owner/manager, drove us over to the Best Western (just a few minutes away) so we could spend our last afternoon at the pool. (It was free because Hostal Monte Cristi has a membership.) He picked us up when we were ready and suggested places to eat dinner in the area. The next morning, he drove us to the airport and wished us a safe journey. It’s not often that a guesthouse is so incredibly accommodating. Sometimes I feel like just inquiring about the wifi password is asking too much! I highly recommend Hostal Monte Cristi if you need a place in Managua near the airport.

Our flight home was fairly uneventful. We touched down in Seattle, drove back to Portland the next morning, and immediately shifted our focus to preparing for Korea. We had about 10 days before we were once again heading to the airport.

xo, jill

I feel like I owe you an apology.

We left Casa Maderas before I had fully recovered from the food poisoning episode. We needed to get to Leon so we could stick to our itinerary. In some ways, a 5 or 6 hour van ride was the perfect thing. I could sit and relax for a good chunk of the day. In other ways, it was pretty uncomfortable. I was stuck in a van without much fresh air and I’m prone to carsickness. In the end, we made it to Leon, but I was not in the mood to do much exploring.

Mike ventured out while I elected to nap in our hotel room. I stand by my decision, it was the best one for me. However, I’m pretty disappointed that I didn’t get to see more of Leon. It has plenty of museums I was excited to visit. It was also Mike’s favorite stop on this trip.

I mainly saw the areas around our hotel, the main square, and the restaurant where we ate dinner. The good news is that those places were beautiful and interesting to look at. I’ll get you next time, Leon!

xo, jill

So good, but so bad.

Mike and I took special consideration when we booked our stay at Casa Maderas. We wanted to be in the perfect place to celebrate my 30th birthday. After much deliberation, we decided to book a little bungalow at the gorgeous eco-lodge. When we arrived, it did not disappoint. Our room wasn’t ready so we spent a few hours lounging in hammocks and full on relaxing. After getting into our room and getting settled, we jumped on the free afternoon shuttle to the beach, Playa Maderas.

It’s possible to walk to the beach from Casa Maderas, but the road is rough and uphill. We both appreciated the convenient shuttle, especially since Mike was carrying a surfboard. The beach itself was lovely, full of people but not too crowded. Mike did a little surfing while I read in the sand. After a few hours we jumped on the last shuttle back to town and returned to the eco-lodge for dinner.

Our little blue bungalow surrounded by bougainvillea.

Check out this adventurous cat. I love how effortlessly it clings to the tree.

Oh man. That dinner. Ok, so the food was good…on the way down. Not so much on the way back up. Yep. Food poisoning. I was up all night and into the morning. It was not the way I planned to wake up on my 30th birthday! I spent the day relaxing by the pool in a hammock and sipping on ginger ale. It was pleasant and unpleasant at the same time. The worst part was getting food poisoning and being stuck at a resort with only one restaurant. My faith in the food was shaken, but there was no way I would survive the 45 minute bumpy truck ride back into town for different dining options. When I was ready for food again (dinner that night), I crossed my fingers and ordered the most bland item on the menu. (All went well!)*

So. Yeah. The birthday bungalow was great. The day itself? A little rocky. Thankfully, there’s no rule against stretching out the celebration as long as possible. Mike made sure to get me a make-up birthday dinner a few nights later when my appetite had fully returned.

xo, jill

*I don’t really fault Casa Maderas for the food poisoning. I don’t 100% know if it came from their kitchen and Mike didn’t have any issues whatsoever. On the whole, the food was pretty good. I wouldn’t let my experience dissuade you if you are thinking of booking at the eco-lodge. It’s a really beautiful, reasonably priced, and relaxing place!

Take me back.

Oh my goodness. Laguna de Apoyo. The highlight of our trip to Nicaragua. If only we booked more time there! The laguna is a crater lake that is located between Granada and Masaya in a designated Nature Reserve area. The warm and clean water makes the lake a popular spot for swimming, kayaking, and scuba diving. We were told it’s the cleanest water in Nicaragua.

We stayed at San Simian, a gorgeous and secluded eco-lodge right on the lake. I highly recommend it!* Our little bungalow (Papaya) was beautiful and the bathroom (including outdoor shower) was gorgeous. Seriously, we are still talking about this bathroom. Sorry future accommodation’s bathrooms. You will always be judged against San Simian.

The property was quiet and encouraged relaxation. We spent our time reading in hammocks, sitting on the dock, floating on the lake, or out in a kayak. It was amazing. I want to go back. Right now.

Current favorite Jill + Mike photo!

This is one of the few places I’ve felt sad to leave. Usually, I’m ready to move on to the next adventure but not this time. After a delicious breakfast and one more swim, we reluctantly took a taxi back to Granada and headed on our way to the beach.

xo, jill

*Just a little more helpful info on San Simian. It was the nicest place we stayed during our trip. We loved it and I truly wish we had stayed longer. Our clean, comfortable, and beautiful bungalow with private bath was only $50USD (+tax) and included breakfast. Private transport to San Simian from Granada was $10USD. We were happy to pay it.

Going up.

Our second day in Nicaragua we hired a guide to visit Mombacho Volcano. To be honest, the guide wasn’t really necessary. However, it was nice to spend the morning chatting with him and learning more about his life in Nicaragua. As a young father, he recommended we wait until our mid-30s to get married and have kids but warned that we will be more like grandparents to our children. I had to chuckle a bit at his advice. He also provided detailed information about the volcano and cloud forest that enhanced our experience.

There are two hiking trails at the top of the volcano. We hiked the shorter of the two that circles the main crater. The longer hike may have been more interesting, but it required more time and hiring an additional guide. I’m pretty happy with the route we took, although the hike was fairly easy.

Looking down into the crater.

The view of Lake Nicaragua was a definite highlight of the excursion. Driving up and down the incredibly steep side of a volcano  in the back of a truck was pretty fun too.

xo, jill