Nicaragua, land of Tranquilo

Upon first arriving in Nicaragua and picking up a fresh coconut water on the side of the road while driving from the airport, I knew I was going to enjoy my stay here. Our destination, San Juan del Sur, was about a 2 hour drive southwest from Managua international airport. The city of SJDS is a thriving small town community offering a mecca to surfers, backpackers and casual tourists alike. Although tourism is certainly the top grossing industry, agriculture would appear to be a close second as evidenced by the daily fresh and local produce, meat, fish and dairy that filled the markets and supplied the daily menu at every restaurant in town. My 5 day stay in SJDS was filled with active adventures such as taking surf lessons at nearby playa madera and hiking up Mt Christo as well as relaxing and unwinding at the local yoga studio and watching the sunset from our hotel balcony. All in all contributing to a peaceful, invigorating and restorative trip. Although SJDS is a small beach town, the cuisine could rival any metropolitan city. Delectable meals we sampled included wood-fired pizza with locally grown arugala (Mauricio's), grilled seafood caught steps away that morning (Bambu Beach) and mediterranean-inspired dishes with a local flavor (El Calibre). Even local breakfasts in the market consisting of fresh fruit and gaillopinto or eggs were local and fresh. True farm to table cuisine. Besides the local food, the local community brings together their own flavor to create a relaxed and friendly energy. I was fascinated by the amount of gringos, mostly American ex-pats, who came down at some point or another and decided to call this home. Singles, couples, even families who are building businesses for both themselves and the community to prosper. From the coffee shop to the real estate office to the yoga studio it definitely made me think about my own future and the endless possibilities of building a life in a non-traditional setting. The week concluded in typical Caulkins' form with a live blues jam session at one of the beach-side bars, courtesy.of the super-talented "Canadian James" and crew on my last night. A perfect way to seal the laid-back vibe. Although I probably consider this leg of my adventure mostly a vacation, thanks Dad, I was certainly able to practice my beginner Spanish skills in preparation for more to come ahead. Below are some snaps of highlights from my trip, enjoy!

View of the beach and town from the balcony of our hotel

Coconut water from the coconut...on the side of the road, literally

The local pool hall

Extra long board for the beginner...I did actually stand up though!

My expert coach for the day, Anna, from Holland, who happens to be the girlfriend of Rex Calderon, top-ranked pro-surfer in Nicaragua.

Mt. Christo, Dad and I hiked to the top 

Chabad House, yes in Nicaragua, just opened 2 weeks ago!

You can take the girl out of NYC, but you can still find a bagel.....well anywhere it seems

One of my favorite spots in town, the local coffee house, El Gato Negro

I´ve landed in Santiago, more to come on that soon!

Namaste Series: Zen Yoga, Nica Yoga

During my stay in Nicaragua, I had the pleasure of practicing at two different, but equally special, spaces. Zen Yoga is located in the center of town in San Juan Del Sur. They offer daily classes, multiple times a day very similar to an American style studio. The space is peaceful and calm and is run by ex-pats so most students seem to be travelers or local "gringos." The first class I took here was a fairly standard vinyasa flow led by Kristin, an American originally from Philly who has lived here permanently for about a month. She led the class of 8 students (a mix of Australian, American and British men and women) through an hour of challenging poses and flows. Kristin spoke about the Sanskrit terms which translate to Strength and Surrender and how it´s important to find the balance between these two forces both in our practice and in our everyday life. I really connected with these thoughts as I view part of my journey as the discovery of how I can better let go and accept what is around me, while still pushing forward, showing strength and taking a clear direction. The yoga palapa was open on 3 sides lending itself to a gentle breeze in the afternoon heat as well as a view of the rooftops of town and the mountains beyond. If I lived here, I would probably practice at Zen Yoga daily.

The second space I took a class at was a retreat center just out of town called Nica Yoga. Nica Yoga is a yoga resort and studio with a wonderful yoga palapa overlooking the residences on the property and the beautiful saline pool. This class was also led by Kristin, the teachers in town tend to bounce from one studio to another. Since it was a morning class, she slowed things down a bit which was perfect for waking the body up. These past few days have been perfectly hot and sunny, but there is definitely a strong breeze which was blowing mats and items around quite a bit. I can´t complain though as the wind felt amazing! The best part of the class was probably when the roosters started squawking at the end of our shavasana, it was like as if they knew they were supposed to wake us up..only in Nicaragua.

 Namaste.

Where I Rest My Head: San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

Hola from Nicaragua!

One of my wise, well-spoken and well-traveled friends, Tina, gave me some inspiring words before I left on my journey. She told me, "take pictures of all your homes and doorways, everytime they change, you´ll have a diverse montage of where you laid your head to rest and have documentation of where your dreams started to be in Spanglish." With these wise words, thank you Tina, I´ve decided to dedicate a brief entry to each new place I find myself sleeping at night, the places where my dreams stay open and within reach....

Location: San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
Accomodation: Park Avenue Villas, private guestroom with bath. This quaint and comfortable hotel is run by a husband and wife team from Texas. Their hospitality transcends among all the guests and staff. When guests aren´t out on an adventure, walking through town or enjoying a nice meal on the beach, they can often be found chatting or enjoying a beverage and the spectacular panaromic view on the communal balcony (see sunset image above). Although geared to anolder adult tourist (most of the young surfers snd travelers are found in hostels around the town center or on the beach) this was a great place to stay and conveniently located in town and blocks from the beach. It´s no wonder my dad continues to call this hotel his home away from home each year.
Length of Stay: 5 relaxing nights