You know how sometimes you're just sitting reading, or sleeping, or doing not much of anything and you feel something tickle your foot or arm? You swear it is something crawling on your skin. You look down, and of course - it's nothing.
Well....9 times out of 10 down here when this happens to me... it is bloody something! This afternoon it was a large fuzzy caterpiller. I instantly exclaimed "Uh!!!" and shook my foot violently, flinging said innocent insect into the trees. Sometimes it's an ant, sometimes some other thing that I don't even want to know the name of ... large, black, with wings and really really ugly.
Fortunately, although I find having insects crawling on me to be startling and mostly very unpleasant.... I'm not really paranoid of insects, so these daily occurrences of being tickled do not give me bad dreams or anything. What they do do, is remind me that it has been a very long time since I lived anywhere near nature at all. When I was a kid growing up on a farm in the prairies... running into caterpillers, ants, and any number of other tiny and ugly creatures was pretty normal.
It's nice to be visited by nature again... I'm liking it. Just keep the little bastards out of my bed, please!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Canadians - 10, Rest of the World - 7
In what could have been called a 'grudge match', had it not been that it was actually requested by the reigning champions, Big Wave Dave's Cavemen beat the Bambu Blitzkrieg in San Juan del Sur's second ever street hockey game yesterday.On Canada Day (July 1) this year, the first ever street hockey game was held at the Sports Park, with Big Wave Dave leading a team of Canadians to challenge a team of players from anywhere else in the world. You can read about this game (and how it came to be) in our local newsletter, Del Sur . You can also watch a video. Of course I was still in Canada and missed this historic event, but followed it closely via Del Sur as well as personal accounts.
The Canadian team took that initial game, and everyone had such a fabulous time that they decided not to wait an entire year for a re-match, but held a second game yesterday. Again the Canadian team out scored their rivals. One rumour has it that the Canadian team would never have done as well if it hadn't been for some creative recruiting. Posters were apparently placed in a local hospedaje that is favoured amoung young French Canadians. Said posters even (rumour has it) featured the Montreal Canadiens logo. Consequently, the Canadian team was well stacked with fit young men who had grown up playing hockey. The international challengers didn't really stand a chance, given that some of their team members had never before even seen a hockey game.
I have to say it was the most fun I've had watching a hockey game (albeit it was the first hockey game I've watched in years) in a very long time and the only time I have ever seen hockey played in bare feet and flipflops. See DanCesar.com for a great slideshow of the game.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Social Life in SJdS
Contrary to what one might think.... it actually seems easier to have an active social life in this small town than it is in Toronto. Trying to schedule social events in the two months I was in Toronto this summer was a minefield of "how about a week from Tuesday between 7:15 and 8:45?" and "I'm up to my eyeballs in work... give me a call near the end of the month and let's try and hook up."
Monday nights there is a choice of two movie nights in town. Both hosted by different local bars. Tuesday nights there is at least one regular poker night / pot-luck dinner that we have a standing invitation to. This Wednesday afternoon there is a road-hockey 'grudge' match between the Canadian team and the 'rest of the world' team. Wednesday night we are having a few friends over for dinner (and we didn't have to schedule 2 months in advance). Thursday night our friends at the Bambu Beach Club are hosting a party and showing of the Batman movie; and again on Friday night the Bambu Beach Club will hold a pool party to inaugurate their new swimming pool. (The only pool on the beach in all of San Juan!) By Saturday night we will be badly in need of a night off! But you never know what excitement could come up!
Serving cake at John's birthday party at the Bambu Beach Club.
Monday nights there is a choice of two movie nights in town. Both hosted by different local bars. Tuesday nights there is at least one regular poker night / pot-luck dinner that we have a standing invitation to. This Wednesday afternoon there is a road-hockey 'grudge' match between the Canadian team and the 'rest of the world' team. Wednesday night we are having a few friends over for dinner (and we didn't have to schedule 2 months in advance). Thursday night our friends at the Bambu Beach Club are hosting a party and showing of the Batman movie; and again on Friday night the Bambu Beach Club will hold a pool party to inaugurate their new swimming pool. (The only pool on the beach in all of San Juan!) By Saturday night we will be badly in need of a night off! But you never know what excitement could come up!
Serving cake at John's birthday party at the Bambu Beach Club.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Yo tengo un 'jeep'
Yes.... I bought a 'jeep'! Well, not really a jeep.... a 1996 Toyota 4x4 Landcruiser that is 'jeep style'. This picture is not actually my Landcruiser... but mine looks just like it! It's white and rugged and by all accounts has been well taken care of by both it's previous owners down here. Now, we can haul anything we darn well want, anywhere we darn well want. YeeHa!
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Travelling with Dog
Last year when I travelled with my teen daughter (see http://travellingwithteen.blogspot.com ) I opted to leave my Yorkshire terrier, Bailey, at home. Well, not exactly at home. I twisted my sister’s arm, played the ‘if you love me’ card and shipped him out to Edmonton to suffer a prairie winter living at her house.
This year, with a commitment to live in Nicaragua for at least 6 months, I opted to bring him with me. Given that Bailey only weighs 5 pounds, this endeavour is not especially onerous. Nevertheless, there were (at least theoretically) a few hurdles to jump.
Number one: Can he travel on the airplane? While dogs are welcome in the baggage compartment of most airlines, the kicker is that in almost all cases the airlines will not allow this if the temperature at any stop along the journey is projected to be above 80 degrees fahrenheit. Given that all possible routings had transfer spots far south of say, Arizona... that option was definitely out. Fortunately, TACA (the Costa Rican Airline) still allows small dogs on board aircraft, if their carriers can fit under the seat in front of you as carry-on luggage.
On the leg from Toronto to San Salvador, the crew was very flexible and did not blink an eye when I allowed Bailey to spend the majority of the trip sleeping quietly in my lap. Since he whined incessantly in his carry bag, I reckoned the passengers next to me would prefer him quietly sleeping than whining annoyingly. On the short 45 minute journey between San Salvador and Managua the on board crew were much stricter and insisted that he stay in his bag with the bag under the seat. Fortunately the flight was quite empty so I don’t think his whining annoyed that many people and the flight was short.
Number two: Will he be allowed into the country? Research (while conflicting information was found) indicated that I needed two things 1) proof that he had had a rabies shot at least 30 days prior to arrival in Nicaragua and 2) a signed health certificate (preferably translated into Spanish, which I did not do) issued no more than 10 days prior to arrival. I dutifully acquired both documents, but was (rather unsurprisingly) not asked by anyone to produce said documents.
Number three: What will I use as a ‘kennel’? Bailey is accustomed to spending his nights and all hours when I am not at home in his ‘kennel’. He feels safe in it and it keeps him from making a mess in the house. His traditional kennel is hard sided plastic and much to big to bring with me. I considered buying a collapsible kennel, but resisted spending another hunk of money on yet another dog accoutrement. My sister pointed out that we might as well use his travel bag as his permanent kennel, as while small it is big enough for him to curl up in comfortably. Not to mention the fact that Bailey has never been real good at house training and has even soiled his kennel from time to time... our thinking thus being he might stop this nasty habit if his kennel was so small he would not be able to escape from his mess.
The only problem I had with this solution was that his Sherpa Bag collapses in the centre making his ‘home’ a little on the claustrophobic side in my opinion. Using a few cut-to-fit dowels and some duct tape I had hoped to reinforce the top of the bag thus ensuring his ‘roof’ did not collapse in on him. Numerous attempts failed. Apparently about the only thing duct tape will not adhere to, is the inside of a Sherpa Bag. Finally, after arriving here and mulling the problem over I have apparently arrived at a solution. Still using duct tape - this time as a material from which to fashion and then sew into the bag little ‘pockets’ to hold each end of the dowel... I have managed to create a ‘kennel’ that he seems relatively happy with.
Number four: Will he be eaten by the half boxer / half pit-bull Nica dogs that seem to be the breed of choice around here? So far, I am happy to report, Bailey is intact. I keep him on leash when we are out, and by and large the Nica dogs seem to ignore him... of course he makes as much noise as possible every time anything, massive Nica dog or not, passes by our little house... scaring the bejesus out of the workmen, the caretaker’s children and everyone else.
By and large, Bailey is fitting in well. He certainly entertains everyone in town, as it would appear that the vast majority of Nicaraguans have seldom seen a dog so small. Yesterday we got caught in a tropical downpour and both got completely drenched. He looked like the quintessential drowned rat with ears and garnered numerous chuckles from the wise locals taking shelter under every eave and porch as we passed by.
He is, as always, an endless source of amusement to me as well. I especially enjoy watching him jump back from anything that smells different to what he is used to (which, of course, is almost everything). The other day he encountered a large plastic soda bottle, as part of the typical flotsam and jetsam washed ashore by the tide, and was completely flummoxed. Apparently he had never met a soda bottle that smelled like the sea before and was sure it was an alien creature to be approached with extreme caution and then jumped away from quickly before it might rise up to attack him.
Similarly, two nights ago he appeared to discover an insect that was also worthy of extreme suspicion as he repeatedly attempted to sniff it, and jump away from it in fear. Last night he entertained us with his repeated attempts to capture a crab (about 2 inches in diameter) that had somehow found its way all the way from the sea to the top of our hill! I imagine we are in for a few weeks of similar amusement as both Bailey and I adapt to our new home.
This year, with a commitment to live in Nicaragua for at least 6 months, I opted to bring him with me. Given that Bailey only weighs 5 pounds, this endeavour is not especially onerous. Nevertheless, there were (at least theoretically) a few hurdles to jump.
Number one: Can he travel on the airplane? While dogs are welcome in the baggage compartment of most airlines, the kicker is that in almost all cases the airlines will not allow this if the temperature at any stop along the journey is projected to be above 80 degrees fahrenheit. Given that all possible routings had transfer spots far south of say, Arizona... that option was definitely out. Fortunately, TACA (the Costa Rican Airline) still allows small dogs on board aircraft, if their carriers can fit under the seat in front of you as carry-on luggage.
On the leg from Toronto to San Salvador, the crew was very flexible and did not blink an eye when I allowed Bailey to spend the majority of the trip sleeping quietly in my lap. Since he whined incessantly in his carry bag, I reckoned the passengers next to me would prefer him quietly sleeping than whining annoyingly. On the short 45 minute journey between San Salvador and Managua the on board crew were much stricter and insisted that he stay in his bag with the bag under the seat. Fortunately the flight was quite empty so I don’t think his whining annoyed that many people and the flight was short.
Number two: Will he be allowed into the country? Research (while conflicting information was found) indicated that I needed two things 1) proof that he had had a rabies shot at least 30 days prior to arrival in Nicaragua and 2) a signed health certificate (preferably translated into Spanish, which I did not do) issued no more than 10 days prior to arrival. I dutifully acquired both documents, but was (rather unsurprisingly) not asked by anyone to produce said documents.
Number three: What will I use as a ‘kennel’? Bailey is accustomed to spending his nights and all hours when I am not at home in his ‘kennel’. He feels safe in it and it keeps him from making a mess in the house. His traditional kennel is hard sided plastic and much to big to bring with me. I considered buying a collapsible kennel, but resisted spending another hunk of money on yet another dog accoutrement. My sister pointed out that we might as well use his travel bag as his permanent kennel, as while small it is big enough for him to curl up in comfortably. Not to mention the fact that Bailey has never been real good at house training and has even soiled his kennel from time to time... our thinking thus being he might stop this nasty habit if his kennel was so small he would not be able to escape from his mess.
The only problem I had with this solution was that his Sherpa Bag collapses in the centre making his ‘home’ a little on the claustrophobic side in my opinion. Using a few cut-to-fit dowels and some duct tape I had hoped to reinforce the top of the bag thus ensuring his ‘roof’ did not collapse in on him. Numerous attempts failed. Apparently about the only thing duct tape will not adhere to, is the inside of a Sherpa Bag. Finally, after arriving here and mulling the problem over I have apparently arrived at a solution. Still using duct tape - this time as a material from which to fashion and then sew into the bag little ‘pockets’ to hold each end of the dowel... I have managed to create a ‘kennel’ that he seems relatively happy with.
Number four: Will he be eaten by the half boxer / half pit-bull Nica dogs that seem to be the breed of choice around here? So far, I am happy to report, Bailey is intact. I keep him on leash when we are out, and by and large the Nica dogs seem to ignore him... of course he makes as much noise as possible every time anything, massive Nica dog or not, passes by our little house... scaring the bejesus out of the workmen, the caretaker’s children and everyone else.
By and large, Bailey is fitting in well. He certainly entertains everyone in town, as it would appear that the vast majority of Nicaraguans have seldom seen a dog so small. Yesterday we got caught in a tropical downpour and both got completely drenched. He looked like the quintessential drowned rat with ears and garnered numerous chuckles from the wise locals taking shelter under every eave and porch as we passed by.
He is, as always, an endless source of amusement to me as well. I especially enjoy watching him jump back from anything that smells different to what he is used to (which, of course, is almost everything). The other day he encountered a large plastic soda bottle, as part of the typical flotsam and jetsam washed ashore by the tide, and was completely flummoxed. Apparently he had never met a soda bottle that smelled like the sea before and was sure it was an alien creature to be approached with extreme caution and then jumped away from quickly before it might rise up to attack him.
Similarly, two nights ago he appeared to discover an insect that was also worthy of extreme suspicion as he repeatedly attempted to sniff it, and jump away from it in fear. Last night he entertained us with his repeated attempts to capture a crab (about 2 inches in diameter) that had somehow found its way all the way from the sea to the top of our hill! I imagine we are in for a few weeks of similar amusement as both Bailey and I adapt to our new home.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
New Digs
It has been a long time since I have settled in to a new home. I lived in my last house for almost 7 years, which is the longest I've lived in any house since I left my parent's home over 30 years ago.My new home is a rental, and it is unlikely that I will remain here for anywhere near 7 years, but nevertheless I will endeavour to make it home. It is not hard to feel at peace here... we live high on the hill overlooking the bay of San Juan del Sur on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. While it is a hard climb up the hill to get to, the wooded setting and lovely view of the bay certainly make the effort well worth it. During the day the sight of white boats bobbing in the blue waters against a backdrop of green hills is a better view than any art I could hang on my walls, and at night the sound of the waves crashing far below lulls me better than any musical composition could.
The house itself lies in a small development of 9 houses, each a fair distance from one another. While small, it is comfortable and pleasant and our spacious deck is a room of it's own. The entire building is about 16ft wide and 18 ft long and is divided into two halves... one contains the bedroom and bathroom, while the other houses the kitchen and living area. I could complain of the lack of comfortable lounging furniture... but instead I think I will just go out and buy a nice deck chair that we can use both inside and out and will provide a good resting place from which to watch TV. We already have a classic Nicaraguan rocking chair; table and four chairs and a desk.
In the coming weeks I also hope to buy a number of planting pots for our deck in which to plant herbs and leafy greens (lettuce, arugula, spinach, etc.) as they are exceedingly difficult to find in the market here.
Unfortunately all this shopping is going to be a tad difficult as the road to our house is so steep it is all but impassible to anything other than a 4 by 4; and we do not own any vehicle at all.... but I am sure we will work something out. Our next project is to get a large bottle of drinking water up here; and to find a carpenter to build me some frames upon which to stretch canvas, as I am eager to do some painting!
Stay tuned, for more adventures from Casa Pia, Nico Vale, San Jual del Sur.
The front door of "Casa Pia"
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