Nicaragua May 2009 - Part 2

May 1, 2009 Managua, Las Penitas Nicaragua

Soundtrack: The Dandy Warhols

I arrive into MGA at 11:15am. It's hot, it's sticky, and humid. My ride, we'll call him Dr. Val, is the cousin of Mauricio Morales, my real estate agent in the Las Penitas/Poneloya area. Dr. Val picks me up with his wife in an old 80's Datsun and we make the 2.5 hour trip to Las Penitas. It's an ugly trip through Managua. Managua is a chaotic, shit hole of a city. It's a shame that this city is the capital as it's a true representation of Nicaragua. Dr. Val speaks great English so we have a great conversation about the revolution, Sandanistas, his job, his niece's wedding, and his life in general. He's a great guy and a good resource to have here in Nicaragua.
We finally make it to Las Penitas and I check into Playa Roca Hotel. The hotel is amazing. For $35 a night, you get a private room on the beach with en suite bathroom. The beach is at your door! The hotel also has a nice little beach bar/restaurant. It's just a great place to kick back and relax.
So I meet the owner, Cookie Cardin. She and her husband from CA bought the hotel about 4 years ago. Cookie is an amazingly nice hostess who goes out of her way to make your stay the best! We have a quick conversation before I head to my room to drop my bags off. After that I head over the bar and grab a Tona, a Nicaraguan beer, and 2 Cubre Libres. Flora de Cana, the Nicaraguan rum, is the best on the planet. So after a few drinks I decide to hit the surf. The surf is about 5 ft. and really good. I paddle out and the first ride I get drilled and pull a muscle in my back. I was in a lot of pain and dizzy in the 81 degree water. No more surfing for today. The fact that I had 3 hours of sleep the night before, the drinks, and not ready for the ocean really kicked my ass. Time for rest. So I take a nap for a bit and rest off the pain. Wake up to sound of the ocean and decide to grab some dinner. Cookie and Max, the hotel's handyman and all around great guy, are hanging out so the 3 of us decide to have some food. Have fresh red snapper in ranchera sauce and it's amazing.
Some beers and great conversation with Max and Cookie make for a great evening. I think I'll call it a night.

Part 3 later.....