Canopy Tour and Around Town, Last Night In Nicaragua

We're waiting at the airport for our plane.  It's a few minutes late.  Sean is reading books at the book stand learning about Nicaragua.  Yesterday was a fun filled adventure.  We woke up in our rain forest house and then took a ride with Amadeo down to town for lunch at The Bamboo Beach Club.  I had the same Mahi Mahi that I had the night that we went there for dinner.  It was very good! The rain cleared up while we were having lunch so we decided to call for the Canopy Tour.  Jose came and picked us up and took us there.  The ride up the mountain in the jeep was super scary.  We were going up a very straight hill and lost traction and the way they got us up there was a guy jumping up and down on the hood to give it more weight up front.  I was so glad to get to the top! The views from the top were spectacular.  The zip lines were fun and crazy til we got to the one that had a fallen tree branch on it.  Eddie, one of the tour guides had to ride all the zip lines all the way back down the mountain and then take the jeep all the way back up, and then zip down to the one we were on and take a machete and chop down the branches.  I got some great pictures of him hanging upside down chopping up the large tree branches.  After that we continued on and saw a few monkeys! One was even in the same tree as us! They were howler monkey and were starting to howl because it was starting to rain.

After the canopy was over, Jose took us to the Pelican's Eye, a hotel with 2 restaurants and 3 pools on the side of a mountain.  The views were probably some of the best in San Juan del Sur and the infinity pool looked like it dropped off into the ocean below.  we stayed there outside by the pool and read our books for a long while.  Rain came and left us.

When it got dark we walked down all the steps and hills and headed into town.  We wandered around for a while and found a little bar on the beach.  There were some lights on so we sat in the chairs on the beach and I read my novel and Sean just took the scenery and the Tona in! Waves were crashing, the Cristo was lit up, the boats were in the harbor.  The employees came and built a small fire on the beach right in front of us.  Later the rest of the crew joined us for a round of drinks.  Then they headed back to Los Balcones with their carryout pizza.  A few minutes after they left a live band came and set up and played Reggae.  We just happened to be in the right place at the right time.  We picked the bar that had a little bonfire and live music.  we were probably there for 2 or 3 hours and just enjoyed the great breeze, beautiful scenery and awesome music for our last night in San Juan del Sur.  At 10 pm we called Amadeo and he came and picked us up and took us back up the mountain into the rain forest.

When we got to Los Balcones there was the security guard sitting on his tiny little stool at the foot of our driveway like he always was.  Even in the dark and pouring down rain he sits on a little stool there.  It's amazing.  The rain definitely doesn't faze them at all.  And once again, everyone we dealt with went out of their was to help us out.  Over and beyond, actually.  Everyone has been very welcoming.  It's a totally different vibe than in Mexico.  When a guy walked up to us to show us some jewelry on the beach he just kind of showed us.  No pressure, no fast talking.  He didn't seem to care if we bought it or not.  That's definitely the opposite of how it is in Mexico.  And when were getting rides from Jose from the Canopy Tour he told us great places to stay for next time.  Then he walked  us up into the Pelican's Eye and told the bartender we were going to have some drinks and that we wanted to use the pool.  When the bartender said it was $5 for the non guests, Jose called down to the other pool to see if we could go for free there.  Then he didn't even ask or act like he expected a tip.  He said Ok, Bye! We told him to wait, he had given us a ride to and from Canopy Tour and also called around and tried to find us a pool and then didn't expect $. The same with Amedeo when he took us into town.  We took out $10 since we didn't have to take a cab and he said, "No, no, I just like to get out of Los Balcones for a while."  But we insisted! He saved us cab fare and I rather ride with him than a taxi.  He also called us later in the evening when were at the Pier by the bonfire and said to call him at anytime and he will pick us up and take us back to Los Balcones.  It just amazes me how accommodating everyone is.

I'm leaving Nicaragua with a great impression of the people that live here, and I would like to come back!

Next stop..... Miami! And maybe lunch is South Beach!