We decided to extend our stay in San Juan Del Sur an additional two days (all our schedule would really allow). The surf at Playa Romanso, just south of San Juan, captured Chris’ attention and we returned there every day of our seven full days except for one. He got in a good six days of surfing, and is feeling more excited about surfing in Portugal in a few weeks. I was even able to get up on a couple of waves myself. Chris held Jackson while we were out just deep enough to guide me through catching the white water on a big long board. I wouldn’t say I got any rides, but I was upon my feet twice. Jackson continued to have fun playing in the waves too, saying over and over “here comes a big one” and “cabloowee” (his excited noise for splashing).
During our stay in San Juan, we also hiked up to the enormous statue of Jesus that resides on the hill overlooking the village. Quite impressive, and supposedly protects/ blesses the town. We experienced a little of their rainy season, getting caught out around dinner two nights in a row to fantastic thunder/lightening and downpours. It has rained every night, but usually later or early in the morning. They seem to have an emergency power shut off to the entire town when the rain gets heavy, as it turned off and then back on at the same times each night / morning.
Our last night in town was a lot of fun. I celebrated Mother’s Day again, which apparently is the last Thurs of the month, and we saw the best sunset of the trip (see pics). But the best part of our stay (except for the surfing) was our visit to a Nicaraguan Circus – Circo Infantil de Americano. Billed as “the best circus acts in the world” – we would argue that just a little (you have to see some of the pictures we took). Granted, we did not stay until the end - as it was a child’s circus that lasted way past 10pm and we were literally melting away inside the circus ten. T – so we missed the anticipated performance of the very pathetic looking lion they had in a cage at the enterance. The comedy acts were obviously in Spanish, but the kids and adults around us seemed to enjoy them. We were most/least entertained by the “straight from Costa Rican” dancer (aka stripper) who shook her booty with not a single acrobatic move – just inappropriate dancing for children. Eeek!
The only other eeek has been the bugs – not mosquitoes as I had feared, but big, BIG flying ants that invaded our room daily. One night it took the majority of a can of Raid to take care of them, but they still returned in smaller numbers each day. Jackson became an expert at identifying their hiding places and stomping a few himself. Welcome to the tropics.
I’ve been debating whether to share any of the real negatives about our trip on this blog, because everyone wants to hear about rum drinks on the beach, the great suntans we’re getting (which we are) and how relaxed we’ve become starting out on this six month break. But I have to be honest, traveling with a two year old, off of his usual routine and without familiar things is a lot harder than we expected. It’s definitely a “working vacation”. He’s always been a happy guy who we thought was flexible, sleeping anywhere and eating anything. Maybe it’s two, maybe it’s all the changes, likely it’s a combination of both. He seems to need unending entertainment and we do not have the proper toys and distractions we are used to. In addition, we are in someone else’s setting and have to supervise him constantly, whereas at home he can busy himself and we don’t worry about what he has gotten into. He is regularly throwing tantrums for the first time and appears only willing to have Chris console him. Very upsetting to Mommy! It appears to be an adjustment for all of us. I’m trying to remain confident that things will start to settle down once he is secure that both parents are not leaving him despite all the other changes. In between his periods of frustration, though, are wonderful excitements and giggles. He appears to be a joy to most everyone we meet here. All the women pick him up and all the men play high-five and fist-bump. He seems to be a nice buffer to more easily engage with the locals and have us stand apart from the usual American tourists. Other than a few expat families who live there, you do not see couples traveling with children, especially so small. So we continue, day by day, moving on with our agenda, and hope we all start to enjoy it as much as we had planned.
