Last Day of the Tour–Sunday 6 May 2018

This was the last day of the tour. Tomorrow morning the bus leaves the hotel to take us to the airport in Managua. The time, 3:30 AM. I may post tomorrow, or I may not. If this the last post, just let me say it has been an unbelievably awesome and rewarding trip. For those who are hesitant to travel to Central America, we say embrace this region of the Americas, you’ll be glad you did. And now back to our regular progamming.

Something we have not had before with breakfast, plain yogurt topped with honey. Excellante.

We talked to the restaurant about how the rice and beans we both have come to love are made. Not difficult, but not simple. Definitely more to than just rice and beans. Linda is going to have a go at when we get home. But I strongly suspect there will be an email to Richard asking what he remembers about them. It is good to have friends in the right places. Forgetful Bob.

American tourist relaxing in Nicaragua?

Nicaraguan relaxing in Nicaragua?

The upside down trashcan lid holds what makes the sound when you shake a pair of maracas.

Maraca design carver. So fast his hands seem to blur. This workshop was a family enterprise. Everyone has a job to do. This order was for one thousand pairs being shipped to the Dominican Republic. This was another of the off the beaten tour path places that Richard treats his groups to.

Wash water outlet next to the street. It is how much of the rest of the world lives. Never travel, never experience.. Unless you read our blog. Bad Bob.

Husband and wife guitar shop. Apprentice in background.

 

Table saw. Sure doesn’t look like much, but it is not your equipment, it is your talent at making guitars that matters. They make several guitars for Carlos Santana every year. Enough said.

Our first ever close-up look at an active volcano. Fortunately the wind was blowing away from us our we wouldn’t have been there.

A day of firsts. Our first ever volcano selfie.

Seen along the road.

Lake in a crater. As Linda said, “It’s pretty but it sure isn’t Crater Lake pretty.”

 

Grackle photo of the day. May have to this one up when we return to Retama. I’d rather post a Chicken Bus photo of the day after we return home, but for some reason Chicken Buses seem to be on the extinct species list in the US. Bummed Bob.

With this being the end of the daily Chicken Bus photos, what could be more fitting that this point of view of my passion.

Visit to a family pottery operation. Father and son are the potters, mom the salesperson. Note, we are not talking merely selling here at the workshop. We are talking sales in other countries around the world.

Incised design. all the colors come from natural rock. There is no glaze. Each piece is hand polished to a glaze like finish. Yes we bought a small piece, no way could we resist. And Linda actually let me pick it out. Lucky me.

I have mentioned before about how the government will furnish the materials if the local people want to pave their road/street. That is exactly how this street was built. Those that condemn socialism at its mere mention have no conception of its different applications. Retama residents complained and complained to get the levee road potholes fixed . These people fixed the problem themselves. The world is a billion shades of gray.

A story to end the trip. It is 8 PM Sunday night as I type this. We are packed and ready to leave in the middle of the night. Looking at his photo you might not see it but we can. We very seldom if ever put our bags anywhere but on the floor of our room. Not so in this case.

Earlier I was working on the blog when I heard a shriek, and a very loud and long one at that. Looking around I could see Linda running in place. Not good I thought, not good at all. Not as bad as I first thought though, no snake. What she had seen was what she described as a mouse, and a very tiny one at that. I have no reason to doubt she saw one, but look as I might I could never find. Don’t ask me what I would have done had I found it, I haven’t a clue.

For now the mouse shall remain in our room awaiting the next guest. As for us, in seven hours we will be up and beginning our return to the US. Thanks for traveling along with us. Bad Bob and Lovely Linda.