Tie It Up With a Bow

That's what I kind of want to do here.  I don't like the idea of having an unfinished project out there.  So here are some pictures of the doors and dogs of Granada.  The city has a lot of charming colonial architecture.  For such a poor country the doors of some houses are much nicer than the actual houses.

Dogs are everywhere in Nicaragua; in towns, at border crossings.  There is an artist in Granada that paints local dogs.  The idea to photograph some of the actual dogs came to me kind of late so I do not have too many.

I have never seen a starving dog in person before.  It is heart wrenching to see their little hip bones poking out.  These are obviously not the starving ones.

Traveling in Nicaragua was an enriching experience and gave me much needed perspective.  I came home from Nica. feeling like a very rich American, appreciating everything I saw.  Everything is shiny and straight.   I hope to hang on to that appreciation in the long run.  You and I have it so good here in the U.S.A.  I took it for granted.

2 out of 3 adventures DONE.  On to the next one!

Panama and Back Again

Our scooter on Ometepe-main drag

It´s been a long time.  We made the trip to Panama and back on a Tika Bus.  What an experience for me.  I didnt really sleep on them.  But they had movies, McDonalds and air conditioning so it could have been far worse.  Crossing boarders was a learning experience too.  I didn´t know you had to basically check out and check in with countries.  And I will not have a problem with the TSA next time I fly becuase they are far less invasive than Panama´s equivalent.  No problems at all and on the way back I was a pro. So we have settled in to our temporary digs.  It is really nice to be cooking for ourselves again and getting into an exercise routine.  We have joined this local gym that we go to every day, sometimes twice.  I taught their first Zumba class last night and will teach every Thursday for the rest of the month.  I just offered becuase it would be fun but the owner said I could trade if for a spa service.  Massage anyone?  Just in time for my birthday month!

Here are some pictures of where we´ve been and what we´ve been doing for the past month.

Hospedaje Soma - great room, food and Javier

These flowers showered down this tree on vines.

petroglyphs are abundant on Ometepe

Nicaraguas version of a blue jay

Ojo de Agua-possible fountain of youth

Adios Ometepe. We loved you.

Lunch today

Casco Viejo, Panama

Panama City

Beautiful, but she didn´t dance:(

Part of the Panama Canal, Miraflor Lock

What a thing to witness!

Look at the size of that hog!

for cousin Wendy:)

Next time dogs and doors of Granada........

El Fin de Año

If you saw my facebook post you can just scroll down to the pics.  Fact, many people in Nicaragua LOVE fireworks.  They light them any old day of the year.  But on New Years Eve they burnt their stores.  It was beautiful and exhilerating standing on the roof eye level with the colors and noises.  You could tell it was seconds to midnight becuase the noise reached a new level.  There was a sense of frenzy in the air.  They wasted not one second past midnight to light up their Año Viejos.  That´s when I got really excited and then a little afraid:)
These are some of the Año Viejos that were around town...

Out with the old (Burn It All!!) and in with the new!

I am so glad we were here for the holidays.  I have never experienced another cultures traditions firsthand.  Ít was awesome!