http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Nicaragua , San Juan Del Sur en-us Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:34:06 +0000 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:34:06 +0000 Alright...so the day we left Ometepe it was a lame national holiday that no one celebrates and all of the transportation on and to and from the island was at the whim of the workers. So what should have takend only a few hours took from 11 am until 630 pm. I didn't want to stay at the same place Brandi and I stayed because I didn't want to mess with the memory. So we walked down the street t http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-453012.html Vorerst....Fotos gibts spaeter weils gerade Probleme mit dem hinauflauden gibt.In Nicaragua waren wir bisher in 2 Staedten und haben danach ein bisschen Natur angeschaut. Zuerst sind wir nach einem Hickhack mit Geldwechseln und Ein und Ausreisegebuehr bezahlen in Leon angekommen. Leon ist die Stadt in der die Revolution in den 50ern angefangen hat und dementsprechend ist auch der Flair hier... http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-450507.html Excuse me while I dust off the old 'you couldn't make it up' cliche but that really is the name of the ex President of Honduras who was unfortunately for him removed by military coup a few months ago.However it wouldn't have felt like an authentic trip through Central America if there wasn't some kind of large scale political turmoil underway so hats off to Honduras for stepping up to the http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-438596.html Today we attempted to surf. We hooked up with a surfing local named Mope who owns his own shop. After paying the fee we loaded up in his truck and proceeded to drive all over town to pick up several locals who wanted to chill at the beach. We picked up a German lady Katalina Lisa's teacher a friend of Katalina's her husband her 2 year old son her 100 pound wolf dog and finally on the way http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-438526.html RUMSpent the day on the beach located near our hostel drinking rum and soaking up the sun. We're both a little burned and tipsy but very happy. The rum here sure is good. I Lisa did my first cartwheel of my life Sara my sister would be proud. Only problem is I did it in a wave and it was an accident. In the water we were also constantly hit by rays on our legs and feet and would screa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-438522.html Friends and familyThis is Valentin and Lisa writing the La Estrella hostel in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua. This has been the most pleasant and easily most relaxed pueblo we have visited thus far. Our hostel La Estrella is located a comfy 100ft from the beach and has everything we need a pet dog a turtle who enjoys bananas four walls and a balcony with an ocean view. Getting here involved a s http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-437727.html The next day we woke up ate breakfast packed up our things and were off to catch a bus to San Juan Del Sur. We caught one bus to Rivas and then a second to San Juan. A few hours in total. Once we arrived in San Juan we searched out a few different hotelshostels and decided on one called Hotel Azul. It was really nice. It was a little more pricey but the rooms were clean had AC and would fit http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-436080.html With yet another early start from Liberia we finally made it to the Nicaraguan border. With a huge queue we managed to blag our way to the front claiming that Poppy's arm was hurting and she needed to see a doctor. We then took our final few steps in Costa Rica and made our way to immigration control on the other side. We had never been so happy to get our exit stamps from a country.Nicaragua's http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-431179.html In Rivas een ferry genomen naar Moyogalpa stadje op het eiland. De volgende boot zou volgens een meisje rond 16u30 gaan volgens iemand anders om 17u ngo iemand anders zei 17u30 en dan nog iemand anders beweerde 18u. De boot kwam rond 18u30... Het was dan ook donker toen we een Brits koppel en 2 Ned meisjes uit Brabant aankwamen de 2 meisjes en ik besloten om samen te wandelen naar een hostel http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-422651.html We got into San Juan del Sur on Sunday and stayed sunday night in a nice little hospedaje. We met up with some other travelers we have seen several times and went out to a nice restaurant to treat ourselves before camping. The next day we caught a shuttle to Maderas which is the beach that everyone goes to surf. San Juan del Sur is a little beach town right on a bay so there isnt any waves. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-419228.html It's my last week of travel and guess who shows up at my door in Costa Rica Mi HermanaAll of my family did a great job concealing the surprise visit from Jackie. In some ways the shock still hasn't worn off yet. It turned out to be a bittersweet reunion for us. Sadly our dog Abbey passed away on June 20th and Jackie felt it was best to tell me in person. Our time together proved to be a peri http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-418889.html Isla de Ometepelta jatkoimme Antin ja Marian kanssa Tyynen valtameren rannalle surffausparatiisiin nimelta San Juan Del Sur. Olemmehan kuitenkin kovan luokan laineratsastajia. Ensimmaisena paivana suuntasimme nelivetojeepilla kuulemiemme vihjeiden perusteella etsimaan The Rantaa eli taydellista biitsia jolla ei muita turisteja nay jossa vesi on kirkasta ja hiekka lumenvalkeaavahan Lapin lisaa sa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-414649.html Hey guys...just got down to San Juan del sur in Nicaragua. Love this place so much i never want to leave it's got everything you hope to leave behind in the States and all the tropical feel you need on a holidayAs far as safety you guys don't need to worry at all....i'd say managua is just like all the other central american cities...not the nicest place and definately worth getting out of qu http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-409563.html Tuesday morning early we all took a private shuttle from Granada to San Juan del Sur which is on the southwest coast of Nicaragua on the Pacific side. Although it was hot and muggy in Managua and Granada the heat was not oppressive. Well San Juan del Sur was a good bit warmer and muggier. Fortunately there were breezes from the ocean at times but at other times there was no wind and it was http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-405699.html I had traveled for 8 years without ever really getting sick. That changed a few nights ago in Esteli Nicaragua. The same night Drew landed in Managua. Coincidence I think not. We took the Tica bus out of San Sal through Honduras into Nicaragua and jumped off in Esteli instead of going all the way into Managua. We had heard it was a great place to see the true country. It really was. We http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-404667.html I finally pulled the trigger and committed I bought my airline ticket to Central America for the summer. I'll be leaving San Francisco the night of June 14th 2009 on an overnight flight to Managua Nicaragua. As of now the plan is to head for San Juan Del Sur on the Southern Pacific Coast. I'll be staying at the Casa Oro Hostel to start while I brush up on my Spanish at the Nica Spanish Languag http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-401462.html Nous sommes encore le jour de Pques un venement trs important en Amrique latine une terre fermement croyante. Aprs l'obtention de l'tampe nica nous parvenons dnicher un bus dans toute cette dsorganisation. Vers la fin d'aprsmidi nous mettons enfin le pied San juan del sur station balnaire populaire auprs des locaux. La plage est recouverte de monde et de leurs dchets Un http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-394768.html When we last wrote we were in Antigua Guatemala. We got a very early morning bus from there and skipped right through El Salvador and Honduras and ended up in Managua Nicaragua. On the way Garry was in charge of changing the money at the border. I had calculated a rough guess so he knew what to expect yet he came back with US15 less because instead of dividing the local currency the cambio http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-392577.html Nineteen hours in a stiflingly hot packed unroadworthy chicken bus... hurtling along at ridiculous speed on potholed dirt roads... dealing with the chaos of Central American border crossings first from Guatamala into El Salvador then Honduras brielfy before entering Nicaragua. Doesnt sound too good does it. We didnt think so so we flew. Nice little hour and a half where we didnt fear for http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-389089.html Every day is a good day to go to the beach in San JuanI said goodbye to Isla de Ometepe and set of for some beach action at San Juan del Sur a beach town near the border between Nicaragua Costa Rica. After many discussions the previous night with my newfound kayaking buddies it turned out that we were all planning on going to the same place the next day so it was perfect timing as far as I http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-382909.html