2018 Travel Adventures

At 5AM I start to wake up. That’s 7AM in Canada so my regular routine. At 5:30AM the sun is rising and the pigeons start to make noise.  The call they make from their nest is oh-oo-oor.   At 6AM I can hear the cleaners running water and moving furniture around as they mop the floors outside my room. At 7AM I head out for breakfast. I have to pick up my breakfast ticket every morning (boleto por la desayuno) Desayuno tipico de Nicaragua. I am a creature of habit. I have had the same breakfast every single day - 1/2 the typical nico breakfast. Made and served by these guys. From 8-12AM I spend 4 hours studying Spanish with Arleen from Spanish Dale. Followed by some studying in the sun. And a swim with friends. At 1:30PM I walk to the gym to work out with Joseth from 2-3PM Then out to visit some of these guys. Rocky Cynthia, Yader Gert I wish I had taken more pictures... Sean, Patrick, Tony, Tristan, Gerry and all of my other expat friends...

Today is yet another crazy day. The police have arrived and they are certainly not as welcome as you would hope. The police support the government and the people are trying to get the current president to step down. The fighting exists because there are those that support the current government and those that oppose it. It is actually illegal here for foreigners to get involved in any way...The group of expats I know are even warning others not to express any opinions.  My limited understanding is that the police have not had a regular presence here in Granada since the ‘revolution‘ if you call it that, started. I think they were attacked and their numbers were low so they retreated. However I do know that they were here earlier in June to break down some of the baracades and that resulted in a lot of violence and a young boy got killed. The police work for the government and it is the government that many of the people would like to change. They want President Ortega to resign. Th...

I have always known that in impoverished countries we need to be more careful than at home. It isn’t that people are naturally violent, they are just trying to survive. We have no idea what it is like to live like they do... without jobs, electricity, food... To date I have been very careful when I go out. I never carry more than $40, and usually leave my phone and iPad at the hotel. The bank is only a block away so when necessary I make a withdrawal and come right back to the hotel. I have paid all of my bills in full so that I do not have excessive cash in my room. Today I was meeting a friend to get a massage. I had the money I needed for our spa date plus a bit extra to pay my final bill at the gym. I had also decided to bring my phone and iPad so that I could help my friend with her computer set up. This was the first time I was out on the street with that much money and both of my electronic devises. I was very aware and holding my purse close. Three blocks from my destination my...

What I am seeing in Granada is that this has killed tourism and without tourists business are closing, will likely go bankrupt and it is putting everyone out of work. The streets are too dangerous to be out on after dark which is  6:30PM . From what I understand the threat is petty thief’s which is common during periods of low economy. To my benefit prices are very low because of everything so I have checked into a fairly nice hotel.  The Spanish school that I am studying with is associated with the hotel so the teacher comes here every day. We work in the common area of the hotel. We have the occasional visitor. I have made a few new friends at the hotel bar. These guys keep us company at the pool. And enjoyed some time at the spa with Fatima.  I also joined a gym and hired a trainer that works with me almost every day. Without the activity it was hard to get to sleep at night.  This tortuga i...

Things are a bit crazy here.  We passed through dozens of barricades between the Airport in Managua and my final destination of Granada.   The protesters are stopping the traffic by putting up barricades but what is not really being published is that they are also taking money. Likely to support themselves during this crisis.  The businesses have taken down their signs and boarded up their windows and doors Even the bank has put steel on their doors Gangs and protesters have ripped up the road in order to build walls This is certainly not the Granada I left a year and a half ago.

We spent a half day floating the river in New Braunfels  I

I followed the River Walk over 8KM today to Mission Concepción Confluence Park Hemis Fair Park Tower of the Americas View of Confluence Park from the tower A few other places I have walked to.