more and more and more

Where I hung out for part of the day today. Your basic palm frond shelter on the ocean!

Surfing at sunset on the Pacific ... I just played in the waves ... that was awesome enough!

Tah dah !!!

Isn't this funny?! Gotta love 'function' ... the basic goodness of plumbing! As many of you know the toilet system is: as a lady you're damn happy if you get a toilet seat, happier yet if there's toilet paper (which doesn't get put in the bowl - and you only flush IF necessary). Yippee!

Back to basics. On the beach at Montezuma ... sunrise.

Love to all,

"C"

Sunrise, 1/30/09, in Montezuma. This town only has about 3.5 hours of quiet and that would be between 2 and 5 in the morning ... otherwise, they love to party and sing and whistle and smoke sweet smelling leaves and ...

... and fish ...

A walk I took by myself to the canopy ... wow! Sooooo beautiful !!!!

Awww ... smiling with my mouth full of food ... hmm, looks like fresh fruit, granola, and yogurt. Most yummy!

Lunch time in Puntarenas the day before we left for Montezuma.

"C"

Just a small sample of what happens to some of the 'unwanteds' in Costa Rica...not much different than any place else ... poor 'mama earth' ...

Waterfall at Montezuma ... this was a trip 'C' took by herself ... there were more further in but, she was alone and dusk was approaching annnnd, it was a bit slippery on the rocks. Her Teva flip flops are great, but ... she'd hate to navigate new terrain in the dark ... plus, one older guy was rambling away, wandering around the falls in his underware ... where is an escort when you need one ??

Same trip to the waterfalls ... can you see the Howler monkeys ??? They are aptly named, by the way ...

I laughed out loud when I read this sign. I had to take a picture. It reminded of me when I went to the Grand Canyon with Luke and Adrian (and Mathesons). Roughly translated it says, "Danger! People die here!" Okay, then ...

Your basic country bus stop ...

"C"

This bird (a little bigger than a bluejay) is a sugar-thief!  He flew down on a lady's table at a restaurant-while she was still sitting there-and took two packets of sugar!!  He then flew to a branch, opened the packets, and ate the sugar.  
'A' & 'J' enjoying their unique form of social bonding ... 
A & J looking for treasures on the coast of Montezuma ... it's gotta be about 90 degrees ... ultra hot ... !!!
Street in Puntarenas - the port we took a ferry from to get to Montezuma.
View from our hostel room in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.  This was a town we felt like we needed to be safely in our room before dark ... nice enough, but the men seem a bit more, ummm ... attentive ???

Tico Psyche

Internet cafe full of macs listening to Christina Agulera and Britney Spears alternating....
We're not in Nicaragua anymore, Todo.

Perhaps after full recovery of our venture into Costa Rica happens you will be able to read all about it, but thoughts need to bake in the oven a bit before being revealed to the public, tee hee.

At any rate, Costa Rica has a completely different national psyche, it seems more familiar, yet more sterile, more expensive, more tourists, more pride on the shoulders, but still breathtakingly-beautiful.

But I need to go lay in a hammock by the beach to formulate my thoughts on the matter, no big deal.

(photos on the way)

Adios!
Jessi.

Images

In Rivas, Nicaragua waiting for the ´special´ bus to take us to Costa Rica! Either because we misunderstood or because we were misled we took a 45 minute ´walking tour´with full packs, during the hottest time of day, to go 2 blocks to our bus station ... guess we needed the excursion ...

Gosh, Bob (Bourne), Alka Seltzer - curing hang overs internationally¨- it seems ... not that we´d know ... tee hee !!!

Golly gee willikers ´A´ ...

Oh, shit ...

Sorry everyone else ... this one´s for Special K ... missing your voice !!!

Love to all,

JAC

miss adventures in costa rica

dearest friends,

last night we went south of the border into costa rica, it was quite an .interesting. experience to say the least... but! with our magical energies working together we found a safe place to rest our eyes and nourish our bodies.

we are in puntarenas for today and tonight, then perhaps heading to the penninsula, monte verde etc... tomorrow. a lovely friend we found in san juan del sur offered to show us around his surfing oasis while we are here.

the country side has changed, long ocean streches and mountainous terrain has caused my face to plaster the bus/taxi windows.

so... now we are here, time to explore.... yes!

xo
a

To Dad (RLB)

You´re the best, Dad!!! I love you!! Thanks for supporting us !!!

XOXOXO, ¨C¨

More San Juan del Sur

We found our ´Ho´away from Home - El Gato Negro - bookstore plus cafe !!! Needless to say, it´s our first stop in the morning!!!
No worries ... just a little surgical procedure! It was either a small thorn or a new mole - but, now it´s gone thanks to a little needle ¨C¨brought along !

¨VK¨ your daughter said you´d love this one !!!

Sunset

Feelin' it.

Ahh life, so sweet, so strange.
Our plans for San Juan didn't pan out exactly as we had thought, but a break in plans is not always altogether unwelcome.
I got hit with various mild afflictions-- but nobody wants to hear about a rash on my torso so I won't even mention it--and therefore forced to rest my body in all sorts of horizontal positions; on the beach, in my bed, a hammock outside, oh woe is me.
But a certain mental power is necesarry to take unplanned events and not let them overrule your mental world and the residents inside, so to speak. So even in this period of seemingly unproductive convelescence, I find lessons learned.
So sweet, so strange.
Jessi

comments

Hey, all! We three just want you to know that we´re loving the comments you make to our site. Keep them coming.

¨C¨

San Juan del Sur - Nicaragua

So, I absolutely don't like this picture but "J" said something really funny and I said I'd post it (the picture) ... sigh ...

Our room - which looks more like a prison cell - at Casa 28. Dirty lime-green walls and a door with no handle and one of those slide bolt locks ...

Fuzzy picture of A and J in the Pacific Ocean ... J's first time ...

This one's for you "TK" ...

Beauty Meets Function

Perhaps it's a result of having been reared, for a short term, in rural Mexico (or not) that I've maintained a fascination with currogated metal roofs (such a funny word). Actually, it's been ... more like ... say, a covetous relationship. I want one (desirous emphasis on 'want')!!! I have lived under a metal roof for a few years and it was fabulous! However, currogated metal, in any condition, is the visual stimulation that really 'wows' my architectural passions ... well, enough of that .. whew!!! The point is I'm quite thrilled to currently be residing at an establishment that espouses said roof-type in a variety of expressions and applications! Lucky me!

The host of this elevated protector is the hostel, Casa 28, at San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua. The roof is best admired from the courtyard - which is complete with community bathroom, kitchen, lounge, and mango tree. The individual rooms are accessed from here as well. There must be palm trees as well - I've not looked down their trunks ... to see where they're planted ... maybe they are in the neighboring courtyard ... but exist they most assuredly do. My first night here, after having been seductively lulled into the nocturnal habit of sleep, I was startled awake by the 'cymbal'ic crashing of a coconut falling onto the METAL roof and rolling down the METAL roof to thud and roll across the cement walkway til it's journey was halted by the ... DIRT!! This recurrent event manifested itself numerous times and only after I had fallen back into slumber. Beauty AND function ... gotta love it!

Oh my!!!
"C"

f o t o s

J and C on our bus to Masaya

sun set ocean san juan del sur

C exposing her ´snake´

laughing on the bus with a little nica boy

´´hi´´

a blog by andrea karas.

Mostly Granada

This was at The Bearded Monkey ... the loft we chose NOT to stay at ... can you imagine?

Church in Granada at sunset.

... practicing ´safe´ debauchery ...

(oops, sorry this is sideways)

¨A¨ being domestic at the Monkey Hut !!!

Color galore !

Oops ...

Sorry all! I was going to post more photos, but this internet cafe does not have the capabilities that would enable me to download them. I'll try another one tomorrow.

Here's another oops ... in the 24 hours that we've been in San Juan del Sur I've managed to whollop and bruise my right elbow and my left knee. What does that imply? I can venture a few possibilities.

Looks like we won't be working with the schools or orphanage (special needs kids) here in San Juan. It's summer vacation and we won't be here long enough to qualify to help at the orphanage. But ... our contact here, Brooke, has a coupld other projects that might be available. One is helping out at a sustainable house-building project and the other is a music festival that would benefit a local village. We'll keep you posted.

somewhat clumsily,
"C"

Delights

I believe my biggest delight so far is the complete enjoyment of the wind. It is so soft! Wow! Does that ever sound corny. Ah, well. The thing is - is that the scents that are carried on the breeze change as the sun crosses the sky. Sometimes the same scent just different in its intensity. And the intensity of the breeze combined with its temperature. Wow!

Next time I access the internet I'll download some more photos ... I think I've finally got it figured out. I did load a bunch on my 'facebook' account for those of you who partake ...

Love to all,
Charlotte

Venture

Back in Granada for a hot minute, waiting to catch a bus to San Juan Del Sur.

La Laguna was beautiful, and the perfect place to break our stay coming from a North American state, at 8 degrees when we left. But, to be honest, some occupation in SJDS will be refreshing; too much time to think and reflect is probably not good for the sanity of three lovestruck women.....

At any rate, some time spent on the pacific coast is certainly something to look forward to. I also hear that the annual Harley Davidson festival will be taking place in SJDS whilst we are there, who knows what one will find during those festivities.....

Okay, I'm off.
Mucho Amor!
Jessi

dear sweet blog following people,

my skin cringes as my hair is swept by the wind over my shoulders, vitamin d overdose is clearly the suspect of such a crime.

safe debauchery and glorious sounds, indulging in the faces of beautiful nica children smiles.

san juan del sur is the next destination, anticipation to start working flowing through our minds.

posting photographs soon.

ciao
a

Hustle and Bustle

Boys in Granada

We ´re on the last day of our paradise five days in La Laguna, I´m currently sitting in a very green cyber cafe in Masaya, a very busy and bright city.
We got off the bus in the midst of the municipal market, stares and whistles everywhere.
I saw chicken ovaries.
It was surreal.
Its a complete juxtaposed reality when we step out of our haven of a hostel and little village we´ve been in, perhaps its the white skin, blue eyes, blonde hair, complex that suggests either that I have money for their pockets or am a sex goddess there for the eyes of Nicaraguan adolescents. It´s degrading, I take it bending over, so to speak, but I´ve come to expect it, nothing personal.
But the truth is, it´s beautiful here, the culture is rich, sometimes eccentric, and it feels good to be immersed in something so different than what I am used, parallel universes, new ways of doing things, fresh perspectives, life is good. Granada


Tomorrow we leave for San Juan Del Sur, more beauty to come.
Love.
Jessi

Andrea @ Best Western in Managua - Jan. 16
Charlotte journaling on the deck at the Monkey Hut
Michael, Andrea, and Jessi in Granada - Jan. 18
The Monkey Hut from the beach / La Leguna de Apoyo