Sun, Sand, Swimming, Sunsets, and Statues

March 16-17, 2016

My first stop in Nicaragua was the little tourist beach town of San Juan del Sur. It was cute and hot and busting with shuttle tours to nearby surf spots. I was content to laze around on the little beach on town.

I munched on fantastic chicken quesadillas at a little taco shop, had a smoothie, and was treated to one of the most beautiful sunsets of the trip so far.

The pictures of course don't do it justice, but there was an entire rainbow painted across the sky. From orange and yellow right at the water, through green and blue, to the darker blue and purple up high streaked with pink clouds.

It was magical.

The night was hot and filled with restless dreams, but my bunk was a whole double or full bed or something, so I had plenty of room to sprawl.

The next day I lazed, swam in the ocean which was the perfect temperature to not be too cold, but be a slight shock when you first get in, and went walking at sunset to the Christ statue on the hill.

Guidebooks told me its the second biggest after the one in Rio, but I found a sign there listing two between the two. Also there's three Christ statues taller than Rio which I didn´t know, in Vietnam, Poland, and the tallest in La Paz, Bolivia. It was impressive nonetheless, and had a fantastic view of town.

I walked back to town, and found the gringo-ist bar in town having a St Patty's day shepherds pie special, which sounded great for dinner.

It was, and I ate while watching half clothed gringos decked in sparkly green everything, body paint and glitter take green tequila shots. There was blasting techno music too.

I actually quite enjoyed the experience, from my unobtrusive vantage point, and felt like it qualified for not letting St Patricks Day pass unnoticed. Even if I didn't go anywhere near green tequila.

Instead I went and had myself a wonderful strawberry daquiri at a beachfront restaurant and listened to the waves. Much more my speed.

Then it was time to bid the beach adeiu, and head for colonial Granada. But not before riding the local dinosaur of course.