The last of Nicaragua

Beach and bougainvillea.

This is the last post on Nicaragua. Life has changed so much since then, it’s crazy to think it was only two months ago! I’m so glad I have a partner like Mike who is willing to head out on a trip with only a few days notice. He even did most of the planning! To be honest, it’s a pretty good deal for me. I say, “Hey, let’s go somewhere in Central America.” and he says, “Ok. I found a deal to Nicaragua. Should we do it?” and then I say, “Yes. I’ll book it.” and he says, “I’ll get the Lonely Planet… so this is what I think we should do…” Done!

We only stayed one night in Leon because we really wanted to sneak in a little more beach time. We took a taxi from the city to the beach town of Las Penitas. I still wasn’t feeling 100% but I was looking forward to our guesthouse that had great reviews. Mike made sure to book a place with a reputation for delicious food with tasty vegetarian options. Alas, we arrived on BBQ night and they were only serving meat. Figures!

Most of our time in Las Penitas was spent in hammocks, on the beach, or watching the sunset. (And also apparently taking photos of bougainvillea!)

The next morning we began what felt like an endless journey back to Managua. First, we hopped on a chicken bus to get back to Leon. Then a taxi to get to the proper bus station. Then, a mini-bus to Managua and another taxi to our guesthouse. The guesthouse was new and in a residential neighborhood so it took a lot of convincing our driver that it actually existed. Thankfully, the security guard at the gate filled in the missing details and helped us arrive at the proper place just as the proprietor stepped outside.

Selfies with my birthday “cake” in front of colorful walls.

We stayed at Hostal Monte Cristi which was the perfect place to spend our final night. Not only was it comfortable and close to the airport, the customer service was fantastic. Calvin, the owner/manager, drove us over to the Best Western (just a few minutes away) so we could spend our last afternoon at the pool. (It was free because Hostal Monte Cristi has a membership.) He picked us up when we were ready and suggested places to eat dinner in the area. The next morning, he drove us to the airport and wished us a safe journey. It’s not often that a guesthouse is so incredibly accommodating. Sometimes I feel like just inquiring about the wifi password is asking too much! I highly recommend Hostal Monte Cristi if you need a place in Managua near the airport.

Our flight home was fairly uneventful. We touched down in Seattle, drove back to Portland the next morning, and immediately shifted our focus to preparing for Korea. We had about 10 days before we were once again heading to the airport.

xo, jill