On the Beach

First class to Managua without a hitch yesterday. Landing at 1:00 PM, I loved the place as soon as I stepped out from the airport, felt the heat on my skin and smelled the air. A driver had come from the Spanish school I am attending to pick me up. A bus would have been cheaper, taken twice as long and involved two connections. As a veteran of third world transportation, I considered a direct trip in an air conditioned car to be a wise investment. It also allowed me three hours of conversation with Victor, my driver. By the time we arrived I knew the layout of the town, all the significant landmarks, amenities and upcoming events, as well as the names and particulars of all the people with whom I would be dealing. Our speed rarely got above 60 kilometres per hour, due to roads that are badly potholed and in some places completely broken up. And this was the main highway.

San Juan del Sur is exactly what I expected; a kilometre long beach lined with small hotels, thatch- roofed restaurants and bars to serve the few hundred foreign tourists in town. Fortunately, the gringos are not so numerous as to be annoying or radically change the flavour of the place. Fishing boats bob at anchor in the bay. It is a small town of about seven thousand and amenities are basic, but they are here. A few doors down from my accommodation is an Internet cafe and the Spanish school supplies unlimited wireless connectivity. There is also a gym that I plan to investigate tomorrow.

I am staying with a family for my first month here, about a ten minute walk from the beach. My room is spartan, but very clean, neat and private. A monk's cell that suits me fine. After dropping off my bags, I walked down to the water and started to get my bearings. Heavy rain started suddenly and stayed for half an hour, although it didn't keep the local kids from continuing their soccer game on the beach. This is the dry season and rain used to be a rarity at this time of year, but I am told that climate change is making such anomalies more common.

I have two days to find my way around before starting classes on Monday. Tomorrow morning I will be up for a 6:00 AM run and then have a wander through town before the day begins.