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Keeping Busy in San Juan Del Sur

Proof that we both made the ascent to see the statue of Jesus.
Proof that we both made the ascent to see the statue of Jesus.

I kind of like this place.

That is definitely my impression after having been here a couple of weeks and finding our rhythm. As I sit writing this blog I can hear the music rolling down the main road from yet another gathering getting prepared for the day. It appears there is some type of martial arts competition going on today at the beach. The previous two days were beach volleyball and of course the daily futbol (soccer) games on the beach. The overall atmosphere is very positive here and everyone is very accommodating to everyone else’s activities.

Locals playing futbol on the beach. A pretty impressive skill set being demonstrated
Locals playing futbol on the beach. A pretty impressive skill set being demonstrated

 

Pick up game of volleyball in full swing.
Pick up game of volleyball in full swing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heck of a location for a competition. There was a lot of energetic skill being displayed by all age groups.
Heck of a location for a competition. There was a lot of energetic skill being displayed by all age groups.

Karen and I have started our morning runs on the beach again and it is wonderful. Especially at low tide, it is almost surreal the amount of beach you have to yourself.

This is the typical view of the beach when we are out in the morning.
This is the typical view of the beach when we are out in the morning.

We have our daily routine of shopping for food and supplies. The local market has an interesting selection of fruits and vegetables. The bakery we have found sells outstanding loaves and other treats. The shopping for meat I find the most entertaining as we (due to our lack of spanish language skills) stumble through communicating with the butcher how we would like our selection of meat cut. The man has amazing patience and a sense of humour.

Our source for dry goods. Pleasant staff and reasonable prices.
Our source for dry goods. Pleasant staff and reasonable prices.
At the far south end of Town behind the docks you find the fish market.
At the far south end of Town behind the docks you find the fish market.

The fish market is an event in itself. For 70Cordobas ($2.70US) per pound you get very fresh snapper. Be prepared though, because you get the whole fish. Ours was 5lbs all in, but don’t worry, you get it all. We watched in wonder as the fish monger removed the head and filleted it for us right there. Then proceeded to bag up the fillets, head, tail and bones and hand it to us with a curt nod. Never having been in possession of so much fish parts I am now looking forward to learning how to make fish stock. Should be entertaining, we will probably need another litre of wine from Sanchez for that project.

We have found a nice bar on the beach that is the perfect place to recover from all that walking around in the heat getting our shopping done. Everything in the photo below is 120Cordobas ($4.60US)

The best way to relax at the beach.
The best way to relax at the beach.

On Monday Karen and I tried our hand at surfing. Fantastic experience with a great company, http://www.sanjuandelsursurf.com . Dario and staff did an excellent job of instruction and keeping us safe. The video pretty well sums it up. The only thing it doesn’t show is the sore muscles and stiffness for the next two days.

The other activity we have undertaken so far is the hike up the south hill to check out the sights from the statue of Jesus.

The statue looks as impressive up close as it does when you view it from down in the bay.
The statue looks as impressive up close as it does when you view it from down in the bay.
Looking across the bay up toward the statue of Jesus on the south hill.
Looking across the bay up toward the statue of Jesus on the south hill.

The views from up top are well worth the effort. But be warned it is a hell of an incline to the top. Made for an awesome hills repeat workout later in the week.

Gorgeous view of the bay and Town. Gives one an excellent perspective of where everything is in Town and area.
Gorgeous view of the bay and Town. Gives one an excellent perspective of where everything is in Town and area.

Very much looking forward to the coming months here.

 

 

Welcome to our travel blog. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to say, "I'm out of here?" Well we did, and in 2013 we made it a reality. We sold or gave away all of our possessions other than what fit in our luggage and we set off on an endless adventure. Part of our goal is to share our experiences with others and hopefully provide some information, motivation, or just a moments escape. The general idea was to look for a place that would be ideal to settle down in. However in the meantime it is about experiencing life in different countries amongst different cultures and learning how to understand and appreciate each other. A large part of our time is spent housesitting which provides an excellent opportunity to experience more of the "normal" neighbourhoods as opposed to the tourist locales. Though we make sure to enjoy those as well. So through plenty of photographs and a running commentary come and share with us our life on the road.

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