Today is a down day. Catching up, napping and getting the energy levels up.

Had breakfast with Patrick and his son Spencer this morning. It was good to get caught up again.

One of the reasons we came this time of year is because it’s rainy season. Now when I say rainy season, it rains maybe once a day for 30 minutes to an hour.
I’m hoping to capture some lightning from the storms as they move out over the ocean. I see the rain as a bit of a reprieve from the hot days.
It’s still warm here, ok for me it’s hot, mid 30s with humidity. Thankful for a/c in our condo.

There are other Canadians here and Patrick is organizing a Thanksgiving dinner for us tonight.
We’ve also noticed an increase in staff that speak fluent English. It all just adds to the ease of these vacations.

It’s a pretty chill place, so if you’re looking for a place to let your brain drain while taking in some breathtaking ocean views, Gran Pacifica is for you. This is what it looks like a majority of the time.

This here is a bag of turtle eggs. Aside from helping build schools and a clinic, Gran Pacifica houses a sanctuary for turtles. Instead of the locals finding the turtle eggs and selling them off, they are offered money to bring the eggs here, where they are housed in a protected area allowing for the eggs to hatch and the little guys make it safely back to the ocean. 

We were able to see a hatching take place on visit last January. Pix can be seen here:

http://www.merlepetersphotography.com/Travel/Nicaragua-2016/Turtle-Release-Horseback-on/

Well that’s it for now, clouds are rolling in, so you never know…

Not much transpired from this other than some interesting colors and haze coming off the ocean.
We took a short walk on the beach before supper and came across some men who were probably looking for their supper.

It’s humbling and inspiring at the same time. Humbling in that here we are at a wonderful resort with wonderful amenities and food contrasted against locals who go out each day to catch food for their families. Not throwing a guilt trip here, just a total shift in thinking. The locals we’ve met seem so content with their lifestyle. Relaxed. Simple pleasures.
The skills these guys possess are a treat to watch. Stealthily tracking fish in the pounding surf, then launching a single line or a net and more often than not coming up with a catch.

The resort contributes by purchasing local, giving jobs to locals and affiliating themselves with a foundation called Help Them Help Themselves. They also work with a group called Travel To Do Good. Google them and you’ll see what kind of work they do here.

Last night we sat down with some old friends and met some new ones. As mentioned Patrick arranged a Thanksgiving turkey dinner for us. They did a great job of melding traditional turkey with some Nica stuffing, rice and roasted zucchini.
It was a great time of sharing stories and adding another layer to our friendships.

I have to show you this. It’s a totally solar powered vehicle shipped here from China by our friends Gordon and Pita. The panel sits on top. The batteries take about 5 hours to charge, however, during the daylight hours it’s constantly charging. It has a top speed of approx 45 km/hr and will handle about a 20 degree uphill grade. So not a monster truck by any means, but, economical transport for in a town or city for that matter. I haven’t sat in it yet, but Gordon says there’s lots of legroom. 

I’ll sign off with a picture of another Nica sunset. I’ve mentioned before that we all try to gather at the pool to watch the sun go down. It’s different every time. Must be a prairie thing.