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Published: February 26th 2006
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Terry and The Big Mackerel
While in Las Penitas Terry spent one morning out fishing with a local. He caught this Mackerel along with several others, a blue fin Tuna and some needlenosed looking thing. There was some lack of communication (imagine that) and what he thought was a $70 excursion turned into $100. Then he took the big fish to the hostel where we stayed and they cooked it up, charged us for the meal (slightly reducing the price) then kept the rest of the fish for their special of the day. The fish was good but I would have rather had the tuna, it had nice red meat. The captain told Terry the red meat was no good and that he would use it for shark bait, I'll bet he used it for his own dinner. Hola Familia y amigos,
Well we have completed another week of Spanish school in San Juan del Sur and we are still not speaking as well as we had hoped, however, our comprehension has improved greatly. With old minds like ours I guess it just takes longer. Actually I missed two days of school last week, home with a high fever. I had been battling some congestion in my lungs and sinuses for nearly two weeks and I think it developed into pneumonia or bronchitis. It has been extremely windy down here and the air is very very dusty, I have talked to other travelers afflicted with the same congestion. The fever seemed to help clear it up, that and I started taking grapefruit seed extract when the fever started. Don't worry Mom, if the fever comes back or if I am not feeling better by the time I am in Managua on Wednesday I will go have a blood test done to make sure it is not Malaria, which is a concern when you develop a fever while traveling in the tropics.
The School will let me make up the lost two days this week, so Terry signed
The Watermelon Lady
This photo was taken at the Bus Terminal in Leon. The buses are mostly old Bluebird school buses. We prefer it when we get one that was designed for the high school kids since there is a lot more legroom than the ones designed for the elementary kids. Unfortunately, you just have to take whatever comes along. Some have been repainted and decorated quite nicely. The bus we were on when I took this photo from the window was a very nice and comfortable bus, but the driver wins the prize for the scariest driver yet. We drove to Managua almost all the way in the left had lane at a high rate of speed. I am sure the oncoming traffic had to slow to allow him time to get out of their way.
At the terminals and at most regular bus stops there are always lots of women and children selling snacks and drinks to the passengers. It is really something to watch them carry their goods on their heads. Even the children have mastered the balance, although usually the children carry a large metal rings with things in bags tied onto it, you simply pull the bag you want from the ring. It is easier for them to squeeze through the crowded buses that way, rather than carrying their goods on their heads. The watermelon looked very quenching to me. on for two more days also. We really have learned a lot of Spanish, we just are not speaking very well. We need to practice, practice, practice. The school we went to in San Juan del Sur, the Latin American Spanish School (latinamericanspanishschool.com) is very very good. The quality of their teachers far exceeds the quality we experienced at the Escuela Horizonte in Esteli. My teacher in Esteli was really terrible, she made many errors. My teacher in San Juan has had to reteach me everthing that I learned wrong in Esteli. That week in Esteli was wasted for me, Terry's experience was not so bad.
They tell us the winds in San Juan have been stronger than usual, although they are used to wind this time of year. The air is so dusty and the wind just starts to wear on ones nerves after awhile. I think I have been in San Juan del Sur too long now. It is a small town and there is just not that much to do here, it is has been too windy to really enjoy hanging out at the beach this past week, you just get sandblasted, and the water is
Another Beautiful Church in Leon
Here is another photo of one of the beautiful churches in Leon, I believe I would call this one my favorite. cold compared to the water on the northern beach at Las Penitas. There was a surfing competition on one of the beaches just north of San Juan this weekend, that might have been fun to go watch, I am looking at a poster right now with the details. Had we known about that we probably would have gone. Oh well, when you snooze you loose, and I needed to snooze. I had been wondering why there were so many more young people in town this past week compared to when we were here last month.
We will leave on Wednesday and head over to the Corn Islands on the Atlantic Coast for a week. It shouldn't be as windy over there. That should be a good time for some R&R on the beach in the warm waters of the Caribbean sea. We will stay with the same family we stayed with last year. They have gotten internet service on the Island now so I should be able to post from there. I am really looking forward to getting over there. We have been spending a lot of time studying and working our brains trying to think and speak in
Enter the Church
Here is a photo as you enter the same church. I am amazed at how ornate these churches are and most of them were built in the 1700's. There is a lot of history behind the statuary in each church. Terry feels uncomfortable when I photograph inside the churches, however, I have been told it is not a problem as they are quite proud of their churches and like for tourists to appreciate them and do not find it offensive that I want to take photos to show others. Spanish. On the Island, although there is a lot of Spanish, the primary language is a Creole language, part Spanish, part English and something else all their own. It will give our brains a bit of a rest, as the language is understandable to us somewhat, plus it is entertaining to listen to their expressions, and they understand English.
Well enough whining, I guess you can tell I am a bit under the weather, eh? (Oh no, the Canadian speak is rubbing off on me, there are many Canadians down here escaping the cold) Here are a few more photos, I have not taken many in the last couple of weeks.
Thank you all for your messages from home, they have been appreciated and keep this blog fun for me. I would love to reply to each message, however, by the time I finish posting and uploading photos someone else is usually waiting in line for a computer. I would love to hear from someone in Paonia how the upcoming election is shaping up, are there any decent candidates surfacing?
Hasta Luego,
With love from Kathy (and Terry)
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Marvs
Marvin Malquisto
Your Story
Hi Kathy and Terry, How are you? I am Marvin working in an international company. I read your story and it helps me realize the advantages of traveling abroad. Our company produces e-newsletter wherein we feature different organizations, programs and some inspiring stories/articles. If you are interested sharing your story to some 270,000 active subscribers please email me at marvin@goabroad.com . As for me, I do not have any international travel experiences though and I am not thinking of one yet. Maybe sometime. One thing for sure, your story will something to be remembered when I will decide to go out and experience things abroad. Please keep me posted. Thanks Kerry and again nice story.