Helen and I sent the girls off, back to the states to start their spring break and two hours later......Emma arrived!!
We spent our first night in Leon at Hostal Clinica. A very clean very basic place run by the very wonderful DoNa Blanca. On the rather long walk from the bus station to the hostal we stopped and Emma experienced her first of many traditional nica meals; gallo pinto, fried plantain, and chicken. yummy.
The next morning we did the first third of a walking tour, untill we became bored or gorgeous old churches, and spent the rest of the day doing our own exploratio0n. We walked into the outskirts of the city and discovered delicious street food.
We're currently staying at Rancho Esperanza. A very tranquilo hacienda north of Leon. The trip here was quite a journey and I was a bit glad for the male presence of Michael (our friend and travel companion). Highlights of the journey include an extradordinary feast as we sat on the bus waiting for its departure and seeing more of nicaragua from the bus window. Low points; the gaggle of teenage boys who refused to refrain from staring at us and taking photos during a two hr busride and the drunken man who, we finally understood, was very interested in taking emma home with him. When we finally arrived we dropped our bags and dove into the pleasantly warm ocean. At night your body sparkles from the bioluminescent plankton.
Rancho Esperanza= lyining in hammocks, LOTS of swimming in the ocean. I'm a bit scraped up from being pummled by waves but deffinately worth it. Last night we celebrated a fellow traveling birthday with a campfire on the beach. Shane took me for my first motorcycle ride and tonight I'm getting a lesson!!
We going to head back to leon tomorrow so we'll be able to get to managua to catch our flight on wednesday.

Tamarind

Whenever I travel i seem to become obsessed with a strange and foreign fruit. Bolivia's fruit was paquai, Nicaragua's fruit is tamarid. Ok, not quite as foreign as Paquai, i'd definitely heard of it before, but never eaten it fresh. Anyhow, tamarind is not a particularly inviting fruit. A small barky pod encases a dark orange leathery pulp. You knaw at the pulp and produce two small brown glossy seeds (perfect for making a neclace). The pulp is tangy and sweet and chewy and delicous. I end every breakfast with a heaping pile of husks on my plate.
Today is our last night at our tranquilo Hacienda Merida. We've taught our last classes, seen our last sunset, and said our final goodbyes. And we had tamarid juice with our very last dinner. Needless to say I was thrilled!!

"Out of the mist of beautiful lake Nicaragua sprint two beautiful pyramids clad in the softest and richest green, all flecked with shadow and sunshine, who pierce the billowing clouds. They looked so isolated from the world and its turmoil, so tranquil, so dreamy, so steeped in slumber and eternal repose."
-Mark Twain describing the aproach to the Island of Omotepe (where i am now!!)

Update pre siesta

Hi everyone,

Its hot and sunny here. Definitely working on the flip flop tan line. At first I was ambivalent about the opressive midday heat but i'm growing to love it. It give you an excuse to lay back and relax (hopefully with some fresh maracuya juice) for two hours everyday.

I just got back from taking a group of the girls to eat with a host family. After the hot dusty walk home I'm about ready to climb into a hammock and doze. I'm so glad the group is leaving the bubble of the hacienda and venturing out into the 'real Nicaragua'. Sometimes its definatly awkward. The girls have limitted use of spanish and can be shy about asking questions. I struggle to hold back my own enthusiasm for talking with the families and lte the girls fine there own way.

There is a pier here is perfect seating for watching the breathtaking sunset. Last night after dark I lay on the dock and watched the stars and the clouds for hours. I got up early this morning to watch the day begin; the sky turning from dark grey to pink to blue. What a wonderful way to start the day.

Last night I spent two very satisfying hours working with two guys (20 and 28) practicing English and learning about each other. When they first approached me i was a bit intimidated but after clarifying that 1. yes, i have a boyfriend and 2. I am not interested in having another they were wonderful students. I'm hoping they will be back again tonight.

meeting other tourists, night swimming, coconut icream, and trying to catch an enormous frog have been other highlights.

Amor a todos!

I'm on the island of Omotepe staying at a very beautiful and tranquilo hostel. with 13 teenage girls. The girls arrived in Nicaragua on Saturday and we traveled here sunday. Today they had their first try at teaching English.

The owner of the hostal organizes a rather informal bilingual school. High school students come in the morning, primary school students come in the afternoon and a random groups comes at night. Travelers who are staying for twoo weeks can teach formal classes and others are welcomed to simply speak with the students and give them a chance to practice their english.

The hostal is a bit of a bubble. Delicoius food, lots of nice hamocks, a pier into the lake, and flushing toilets. Today for lunch we left our bubble and were hosted by local families for lunch. My group of students had a wonderful meal. Fresh fish, beans, rice, corn tortillas, yuca, platano, carrots, salad, and fresh squeezed refrescos. It was wonderful to be able to introduce the girls to real life in Nicaragua and as the translator to provide a link between the two cultures.

I'm being jumped on by three adorable little girls so i have to go.

Love ya!

I´m in Nicaragua. I´m not sure what to write so I´ll write a few random unrelated things.

I´m in Granada right now. A beautiful old colonial town on the edge of Lake Nicaragua. One of the more developed tourist hotspots. Luckily most of the tourism in concentrated in a  few blocks to I can still duck into the market and be the only gringa around. 

Nicaragua is hot and humid and vibrant. It is so different than Bolivia while still reminding me of it. For one, there are NO public phones here (i found this out the hard way). In Bolivia there is at least  one tienda with a few public phones on every block, but here there are NONE. Luckily one of the people whom I asked not only gave me an ^are you stupid?^ stare but let me use there phone.

Its hard to eat when it´s hot and humid. Plato tipico is just not so apealing when the surounding air is as hot as the frijoles. But i have made one great food discovery pawpusas. masa de corn tortillas filled with beans and cheese (you can get them with meat, too). There´s an ensalanda which is kinda like pickled coalslaw that you can pile on top. You can get two plus an ice cold fanta for less than $2. perfect. Juicy mandarinas can also be purchased in the local market: six for fifty cents.

Today I helped Helen get some last minute details worked out for the girls arival and then had the afternoon to myself. I made the mistake of walking around in the hotest part of the day and am now very ready for a siesta.

Love to everyone!! (enjoy the snow, i can´t even begin to imagine snow right now)

p.s. my friend Emma is goign to come down for a week after the girls leave!!!!!