Whats up?

This morning we awoke to the humid air, yet beautiful surroundings to begin our first full day in Nicaragua. After enjoying breakfast together at our hotel we were prepared for a day full of activities. We set off to Cafe Las Flores to begin our zip line canopy tour. We received a warm welcome with free coffee to enjoy before we began our accelerating ride along the tree tops. Our guides then helped the group get geared up with harnesses, helmets, and gloves while Alina set off on her informative tour of the coffee plantation. The zip line tour took us all through the canopies and allowed us to enjoy the bio-diverse surroundings, in particular the presence of the howler monkeys. Adam vibrantly expressed his excitement as he raced through the tree tops. Charlotte and Luke tested their balance as they walked carefully between two wires. As a group we traveled together from one zip line to the other. Katie was apprehensive when it came time for the “Tarzan swing,” but made it apparent that she enjoyed the thrill. After completing our exquisite ride through the canopies we made a stop at the gift shop before heading to our next destination. Joey bought some chocolate covered coffee beans to satisfy his hunger while Aaron stuck with a traditional chocolate chip cookie.

Our bus then arrived to pick us up and drive us to the Garden Cafe where we received a delicious, yet nutritious meal of sandwiches and wraps. With full stomachs we were ready for our next activity, a city tour of Granada. Our informative guide, Gustavo, took us to several key locations in the city, including Granada's oldest Cathedral. He informed us of Nicaragua's devastating history, and it's gradual economic recovery. Sean and Tommy were very enlightened and provided our guide with several questions to test his knowledge. We then visited another Cathedral where we climbed a spiral staircase that led us to the city's highest view point. As we took in the surrounding beauty and examined the unfamiliar architecture, we suddenly found ourselves in the middle of a storm. I found it incredible to watch from a different perspective as the lightening flashed in the distance and the rain was swept away by the wind. Snow managed to become fully drenched in water, appearing as though he just took a shower. After experiencing such a breathtaking view we sat peacefully in the Cathedral as we waited for the storm to cease.

Our next objective was to hit the markets in search of items to bring to the orphanage. We split into two teams, determined to get the job done. Brenna and Abby were ambitious and succeeded to find nail polish and beads for the little girls. Jordan also displayed leadership as his team found sports equipment to provide for the young boys.

After an exciting, yet exhausting day we enjoyed another fantastic meal accompanied by live music. We ate as a group, reflecting together on our eventful day in Granada and anticipating our experiences yet to come.

We concluded our day by strategizing together the best way to pack all of our items that would accompany us to the orphanage. When the task was completed we were tired and ready to enjoy our last night sleeping in our wonderful, air conditioned hotel rooms.

Tomorrow will begin a new chapter in the book, as we begin our journey at the orphanage.

 

Goodnight!

Elizabeth