As usual, we met some people here last year that became friends. Brien and Marci Adams along with Ken and Joy Hoyt.
These are old sailing buddies of Patrick’s from the British Columbia.
Unfortunately, Joy passed away a couple of months ago. She was a pistol. Red hair, quick wit and truly encompassed her name…Joy.
Although we only got to know her over the week we were here last year, she was one of those people you don’t forget.
We kept in touch over Facebook so we knew about some of her health issues. It still didn’t stop the sadness when we heard of her passing.

The plan was for all of us to meet here again at this time of year, but Joy’s health wouldn’t allow travel. We heard a rumour that her husband of 60 yrs was making the trip to Gran Pacifica….by car!
Sure enough, Ken showed up yesterday in his Buick Lucerne, having driven some 7800 plus kms through the US, Mexico and Central America. People often ask us about Nicaragua and how safe it is. Well, it is one of the safest countries in the Americas, with some of the best roads.
Guatamala, El Salvador and Honduras…maybe not so much.

So it is with great joy that we saw Ken at the breakfast table in the Sea Salt Restaurant sitting with Patrick and Andrea this morning. We’ve been sending many prayers for safe travels for a non Spanish speaking senior driving here without GPS. Ken is old school, so maps and a compass are his way of navigating.

We spent the morning listening to his adventures and I’m sure there’s many times my mouth dropped open from the tales he shared with us. He travelled alone for 3 weeks, so to be able to talk to someone was evident.

Tonight, the five of us joined another couple that live here year round, Gordon and Pita Black, for drinks and supper. What a grand time of sharing, laughing and catching up we had tonight.

Arlene and I both acknowledge, this is one of the main reasons we keep returning here. Hopefully, we can continue in the future. The property is catching on as a go to place to build a house close the ocean. And the road we’ve described previously in this blog will soon be paved completely. When that happens, the property values will double or triple. If we had the cash, we’d invest right now.

Yesterday, we spent some time checking out more of the acreage owned by Gran Pacifica. I believe only half is developed, but lots are being sold in an area just north of here with some of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever experienced. Long stretches of great sand and surf that’s a favourite of surfers when the conditions are right, which is most of the year.

We also checked out a clinic that’s been built with the help of Help Them Help Themselves, a foundation Patrick is involved in.

Remember the fuss when Winkler and Morden merged into Boundary Trails? Well consider having to travel major distances on substandard roads just to see a doctor.
As previously mentioned, most roads are very good, but the outlying areas have to deal with less than ideal conditions to get to those roads.
Also consider the mode of transport is sometimes horseback, horse and cart or ox cart.