Day 24 The Last Day

The view at breakfast

Breakfast this morning looked out over the beach.  It was completely serene, which is the antithesis of what was to follow.  After a quick lesson on the use of ATVs, we promptly hit the back roads of San Juan del Sur making sure to hit every oversized puddle and mud hole possible before reaching the statue of San Juan that overlooks the bay.  From there we tore off for the beach where we then proceeded to race back and forth and push our four-wheeled machines to their limits rather than take a dip in the ocean.  Once we returned our ATVs, several of us were so covered in mud that we had to shower before going to lunch.

 Countdown to total mayhem

The boys in black

Heading up the hill

How many people can say, 

"We were there...on ATVs"?

 Our playground

 About to shred

 Tearing it up

 Talking strategy for the next heat

 Engines roaring

After lunch the boys completed their program evaluations and we reviewed our student evaluations with them as well.  They then had some free time before we celebrated our last supper together.  Tomorrow will quite literally be a big travel day since we will take the bus to Managua, fly to San Salvador, and end up in DC the following morning.  Wish us luck.

Day 23 San Juan Del Sur

The statue of San Juan

In just under two hours we were in San Juan del Sur.  After dropping off our bags, we went to get lunch and enjoy one of the many infinity pools available to us.  The boys are staying in their own house in a deluxe resort.  For dinner we ate right on the beach.

 One of our houses

One of the infinity pools

 Dinner on the beach

 Sunset

another view from the hotel of 

the patron saint, San Juan

Tomorrow we ride ATVs on the beach.

Day 22 Mombacho

One of the many views from Mombacho

After a poolside breakfast in our beautiful hotel, the boys hit the road to go up the volcano Mombacho.  Getting up the volcano is one of my favorite parts since it requires these giant Mercedes Benz trucks.  There are times the road is so steep that you swear you will either never make it up or fall off the edge.  Once at the top, however, the boys checked out the observatory and got a quick orientation tour using a scale model.  While this is the third volcano we have seen this trip, this one is unique in that it is a stratovolcano, which means, while it looks harmless compared to the others we have visited, it is really the most dangerous.

 Getting to know some of the locals

 Watch where you step!

Another local

 One of the natural bridges created by the volcano

 Guillermo leading the way

 Hiking off into the clouds

While we planned to visit the Isletas after Mombacho, the tropical front just would not cooperate, so instead we came back to the hotel and watched the final game of the Gold Cup.  Hopefully tomorrow the weather will cooperate when we go to San Juan del Sur.

Day 21 Granada

The front of hotel Plaza Colon

While last night we said longer good byes to the host families, but this morning the good byes were much shorter since we had to get to Ganada, about a 2.5 hour bus ride.  Most of the boys worked on their summer reading.  Once we dropped our things off in the hotel Plaza Colón, we went out to lunch at El Zaguán, which was just behind the cathedral in the square.

 In the hotel lobby

 Walking the plaza

 David is impressed with the woden menue.

 Walking the colonial streets of Granada,

One of the oldest cities in Nicaragua

 Ordering lunch

 The Catedral across the park

Waiting on dinner

Most of the boys took advantage of siesta since there was a tropical front that has moved in and made it impossible for us to visit the Isletas.  We will just add the Isletas after our trip to the volcano Mombacho tomorrow.

Day 20 Despedidas

 Guillermo saying goodbye

This afternoon the boys were guests of honor at Aldea SOS.  Not only did they get to take part in some games but they also got to take turns hitting piñatas.  The students at Aldea SOS will certainly miss their guest teachers. 

 David learning about pinatas

 Finding his range

 Who is that masked student?

 Joaquin gives it a shot.

 Trying to appease the crowd chanting "Dance, dance, dance!"

 After a thorough warm up, Guillermo is about to give the pinata what it deserves.

 Reid looking for a home run

 David celebrates with his new headpiece.

 Reid getting some help picking up what was left of the pinata.

 Case sweeping up

To add to the goodbyes, the boys brought their host families to a Paella dinner where each boy got up and thanked his host family.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Granada.