Author: Mel

Living aboard a sailboat, blogging about the places we visit and the adventures we have. Love hiking, cycling, scuba, animals and adventure.

Windy Season in San Juan del Sur

It’s been the windy season in San Juan del Sur. Basically since I arrived on this solo adventure, the wind has been blowing hard. Some days, and nights, are worse than others.  In general, for the 3 weeks I have been here, it has been very windy.

Dealing with extreme winds in SJDS

At the beaches, people use large rocks to hold everything down: surfboards and beach chairs included.  I have seen more than a few people running across the beach after hats and clothes. Usually they catch up to their belongings, and it offers us entertainment to watch! Until, of course, it happens to you.

And then there is the sand! It gets EVERYWHERE, including your eyes. Some days it is wise to just avoid the beach. Some days, like today, the navy closes the port because they don’t want boats on the water the wind is that strong!

Maderas Beach windy season in San Juan del Sur
You can see the rocks keeping the surfboards from blowing away on the beach
Continue reading “Windy Season in San Juan del Sur”

A Quick Tour of Rivas, Nicaragua – It’s All I Needed

The school took us on a field trip to Rivas. I try to do as many of the activities offered as possible to keep myself busy. When there was an opportunity to do a quick tour of Rivas, Nicaragua, I took it.

Rivas is the closest big town, between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of just under 50,000. Compared to San Juan del Sur, it’s HUGE.

About Rivas

Rivas doesn’t get a lot of tourists. It’s mainly a stopping off point to switch local buses from San Juan del Sur to Ometepe, Granada, and Managua. We took the local bus, aka “chicken bus” and stayed in Rivas.

bus
Our group from school on the bus, before it filled up

Taking the Chicken Bus to Rivas

The chicken bus cost 17 cordobas, which is about 60 cents US. We got there early so we could have seats. Glad we did because the bus left before 8am, was packed the whole way, and took more than an hour with all the stops to pick up and drop off. The return trip was a little better but not much!

Continue reading “A Quick Tour of Rivas, Nicaragua – It’s All I Needed”

Getting Some Exercise in San Juan del Sur

Besides walking on the beach, swimming, surfing, scuba diving, and climbing up the many hills around town, there are a few other ways to get a workout in San Juan del Sur. Here’s how I am getting exercise in San Juan del Sur.

Zen Yoga

The town has a lovely space to practice yoga, tucked away downtown just past the park.  A drop in class only costs $10 and everything is in English. Just show up a few minutes beforehand and you’re good to go. They even supply mats for those, like me, who like to travel light.

Zen Yoga’s classroom is on the second floor in an open space, so it is always full of fresh air and wind – like now, the windy season!

Zen Yoga exercise in San Juan del Sur

Exterior of Zen Yoga in San Juan del Sur
Continue reading “Getting Some Exercise in San Juan del Sur”