Anniversary Trip Part 1- Laguna de Apoyo, Nicaragua

Anniversary Trip Part 1 
Laguna de Apoyo, Nicaragua
February 8-12, 2015
Days 1-5 of a 12-Day Adventure

I wanted to go to Costa Rica for our honeymoon back in 2004- J was hesitant to leave the country.  But a lot has changed in the 11 years we’ve been married- J’s become more adventurous and open to new experiences. And I now see the value in taking a little time to unwind instead of packing in as much as possible into a trip. So when planning our 11-year ‘Prime’ anniversary trip I tried to find a destination that accommodated both our interests- local culture, outdoor adventure and pure relaxation in a tranquil setting.  Although we considered Costa Rica, I was somehow drawn to the energy of Nicaragua from the very beginning and the less expensive flight and accommodations helped to convince J. 

This is the very first international trip I’ve ever taken that I did not experience a weather delay, mechanical malfunction or other act of god.  In fact, this trip started off on a high point when the gate attendant complimented my passport photo and continued on throughout the rest of the journey- we had comfortable flights from CAK to ATL and ATL to Managua, saw another plane fly by at what seemed like a crazy speed at one point, easily passed through Customs & Immigration and found our driver in the swarm of taxi drivers holding signs or yelling out to score a fare. 

We arrived at our first spot- Hotel Selva Azul, a laidback retreat on the west shore of Laguna de Apoyo, a dormant volcano crater lake, around 10:pm on Sunday night.  We couldn’t see much of the property but we could hear the waves splash against the beach below our balcony.  The next morning I woke up early and looked out the window to see the sun rising over paradise.  Everything was so lush- green palms and ferns, yellow, red and fuchsia flowering bushes, sparking blue water- temperatures already in the high-70s but with a cool breeze off the lake.  The Laguna is a protected nature reserve and is said to be the cleanest water in the Americas- I’ve never experienced water so clear, seen so many fish and birds, or swam in water that didn’t make my eyes sting, my sinuses burn or my skin smell just a little bit.  



We decided to spend the whole day relaxing on the beach with no more than a handful of other people sharing the entire area- J moved in and out of the sun while I swam, dove off the docks, enjoyed the water. J usually doesn't like the water BUT I somehow convinced him little by little to first venture in waist deep, then to float farther out on an inner tube.  We enjoyed a peaceful day in the water together- we also got burnt to a crisp in the 90F sun despite slathering on sunscreen.  Luckily, the hostel had aloe plants so we could sooth our skin.  That evening we walked up to the corner store, a small open-air pavilion of sorts that had rice, beans, onions, drinks and snacks set up on shelves made of crates for our first of many bottles of Flor de Cana rum.  For dinner, we enjoyed an amazing pizza made in a large outdoor oven at the Monkey Hut, the hostel next door.  We paid for most food & drink in Cordoba but $USD is widely accepted.  

We spent Tuesday morning relaxing on the beach again, watching birds such as magpiejays, colorful motmots and lanky egrets, had a late lunch at the hotel and prepared for what turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip- a night tour of the Masaya Volcano National Park.  Our guide Gustavo from Tierra Tours picked us up and drove us to the park while giving us information about animals in the area, natural and national history.  We learned that there are several volcanoes at various stages of maturity within the park- from baby volcanoes which have yet to open up and grow at rate of about 1cm/yr. to dormant craters that have long ago collapsed into themselves- but the most spectacular sight is that of the active Santiago Crater, which constantly spews gases, and very occasionally ash and rock, into the air.  The week before our arrival, a landslide rendered the observation deck unsafe so we were not able to see the glow of the lava but just standing on the edge of an open volcanic crater was quite an experience.  Little did we know what was in store for us next.

They gave us hard hats and flashlights and led us down a small path to a small set of stone stairs that descended into an opening in the ground- an actual bat cave!  I thought we were just going to be observing the bats flying out of the cave at night fall- I had no idea we were going to hike about a kilometer deep down to an area where activities ranging from ancient human sacrificial ceremonies to people hiding from warfare during the revolution took place, all the while housing thousands of bats.  I could feel the flutter of bat wings against my skin but catch just glimpses of them flying in and out of the beam of our lights.  Gustavo explained that snakes hunted in this area, bats being their main prey.  Say what?  Snakes AND caves- my two favorite things- let’s get out of here!  What did we see just then?  A snake eating a bat!  It was neat in a National Geographic kind of way. 

Wednesday morning Gustavo picked us up again, this time set for Mombacho Volcano.  Mombacho is an inactive volcano with a few steam vents, lush cloud forest, dense vegetation, a coffee plantation, medicinal plants and orchids growing wild on the mountainside and exquisite views.  We hiked for about an hour and a half around the top of the volcano where we could see Granada, the Isletas (small islands formed in Lake Nicaragua from a previous eruption of Mombacho), Laguna de Apoyo and the Nicaraguan countryside.  On the drive back we stopped outside Catarina to take pictures of the Laguna from the crater rim high above our hotel- we could even see the two docks in front from the lookout point. 

We decided to enjoy the Laguna one last time and ran down first thing in the morning for a quick swim before getting breakfast, packing up and getting one last hour of hammock relaxing in before our driver Francisco of Transfer Nicaragua picked us up at noon on Thursday to take us to our next destination- the dock for the ferry to Ometepe Island.  Something I noticed early on: everyone- the drivers, the tour guides, the hotel owners and all the other locals were very proud of the natural beauty and cultural heritage of their country.  With good reason, too- the way of life of the local people seems to be that of sustainability due to necessity.  They collect rain water which is heated by sunlight.  They utilize the shoulders of roadways for grazing livestock.  They build roads around trees rather than cutting them down.  Horse and oxen-pulled carts are still driven down the same brick-paved roads as tour buses and taxis.  But instead of old ways and new times clashing, they coexist.  There is an appreciation of the simple way of life, cultural history, natural resources, a balanced ecosystem.  That attitude is exemplified in a natural beauty of Laguna de Apoyo and the area surrounding- it was a wonderful location to kick off our Nicaragua adventure!

Another Amazing Adventure in West Virginia

Another Amazing Adventure in West Virginia
Summersville & Lansing, West Virginia
October 17-19, 2014

Gauley Season in West Virginia is one of my favorite annual events.  In the late summer I started watching for discounts on websites like Groupon and LivingSocial and found a deal which included whitewater rafting the Lower Gauley and an adventure obstacle course.  As always, I made the most of the weekend by following country roads and taking in roadside scenic stops as I made my way into West Virginia.

My first attraction was the Big Muskey Bucket in McConnelsville, Ohio.  Although the sign says it is only 20-ish miles from the highway, I didn't know that it is along a 35mph winding country road- State Route 78.  Although it took me a while to get there, the autumn drive was just beautiful and I passed a bustling country flea market on my way.  When I got my first glimpse of the bucket (which is left of what was once the largest earth-moving machine in the world), I wasn't so much struck by the size of the bucket as I was the links in the chain which was attached- that was one giant chain.  To be fair, the bucket is big, too.  The area has views of the valley the equipment was once used to mine.  Although Ohio is not nearly as well known for mining as West Virginia, this area is Ohio’s memorial to mining, miners and the land on which it occurred. 

From there I took my time making my way into West Virginia, staying off the highway for the most part and following meandering mountain roads deeper into the state.  I made pit stops along the way enjoying the atmosphere of the little country store/gas station/community gathering spots I encountered. It was after dark when I pulled into Summersville and checked into the La Quinta. I had dinner at a Mexican place within walking distance and got to bed.

I’d chosen Bridge Day- a local festival held on the New River Gorge Bridge, which is closed for the day to allow rappelling and BASE jumping for the crowds enjoyment- for the date of my whitewater excursion.  Adventures on the Gorge is within view of the Bridge and was an amazing host for all the fun I had that weekend!  My rafting guide was fantastic, the other rafters were a fun bunch and the river on the last day of damn release was ruthless- I witnessed so much carnage!      

That night I met my friend Drew, who was passing through West Virginia on his way from Texas to Ohio, for dinner and drinks at a local spot, hit the hot tub to relax my muscles and fell asleep early.  The next morning Drew and I met up at TimberTrek Aerial Adventure Park for one of the highlights of the weekend- an obstacle course of bridges, swings and zip lines connecting platforms high in the trees.  Five options weave through the woods- I completed the yellow (Easy) course and two Green (Moderate) courses- my legs were shaking, I was sweating and at one point I fell but it was a blast and a half and I felt pretty accomplished to have made my way through.  Drew completed a yellow, green and blue (Advanced) which was quite impressive as the advanced course is about 50 feet in the air with some intense challenges.  I called everyone in my family as soon as I was finished to tell them of the awesome challenge I’d just completed and how I hope they can all do it one day! 

On the way home I stopped to take a few pictures at a scenic overlook and pulled off the highway at a small-town Custard Stand that boasted that they were what fast-food used to be. I concur- my chili cheese dog was delicious!  As always, my annual excursion to West Virginia proved to be a true adventure!

Sister Trip- Tour de Donut

Sister Trip- Tour de Donut
Arcanum & Dayton, Ohio
September 5-7, 2014

The Tour de Donut is one of my most anticipated events of the year!  We build a weekend around the occasion, visiting attractions in the Dayton area when not participating in the bike race/donut-eating contest. 

Last year Megan and I were late to pick up our race packets and almost missed out- this year we decided to pick up out bibs early on Friday afternoon.  When we arrived at the Arcanum Field House there was already a buzz of excitement in the crowd of fellow bike-riders.  We picked up our info, T-shirts and a list of nearby restaurants, deciding to dine at Pitsburg Pizza Grill just four miles away- we were famished.  We were not disappointed.  The pizza shop is a no-frills local spot with sparse décor, old booths and a bathroom door that was very hard to close but the service was friendly, the food was scrumptious and it was obviously a local favorite.  We loved it- we wolfed down quite a meal, carbing up for the race and all. 

Wegerzyn Gardens was our next stop, chosen mostly because it was on the way between the pizza place and our hotel.  But as soon as we stepped into the gardens we were amazed by the beauty of our surroundings.  Each garden has a different theme and we spent the evening exploring, captivated by the vibrant colors of the English Garden, taking in the tranquility of the succulent garden and wandering along the wooded paths that weaved between the garden plots.  From there we headed to our hotel to get some rest before the race.

We’ve done the Tour de Donut a few times now and have developed a strategy to optimize our performance.  No, it isn’t training heavily for the event.  We take a very relaxed approach to the whole thing. Instead of taking off with the pack when the starting gun goes off, we hang back for a while letting the crowd stretch out a little and cross the starting line about 15 minutes after everyone else.  As we were mounting our bikes to get our late start to the race, an older gentleman said ‘Are you two girls good and ready?’ We replied ‘We have a strategy!’ and set off.  It took just a few minutes before we were zooming past other participants in the 16-mile Mini Donut division of the race and we spent the rest of our ride focused on overtaking as many riders as possible.  About halfway through, the older gentleman we met at the starting line zoomed past us and commented that our strategy was working.  Megan and I enjoyed the ride through beautiful Ohio farmland at a good pace and ended up placing 11^th (Megan) and 12^th out of just over 120 women in our age group!

That afternoon we went to the Aullwood Audubon Center & Farm- I was pleased to find out they were currently hosting a quilt exhibit and was totally inspired by many of the amazing textile masterpieces.  We both relaxed in the bird observation area which had a huge picture window looking out to several bird feeders catering to many varieties of birds, including chickadees and hummingbirds.  Raptors were housed in an area a little further back.  We explored a few of the paths surrounding the center and followed one all the way to the Farm just about a mile away.  What a fun time!  I witnessed two pigs try to fit through one small barn door and get lodged in which was pretty funny.  They also had a huge vegetable garden, a culinary herb garden, horses, turkeys and goats- I love goats!  It was a crazy chill educational afternoon. 

At some point that weekend we’d gotten a crepe craving and, amazingly enough, Dayton has a crepe place in what has to be about the fanciest shopping center I’ve ever seen in Ohio.  That Crepe Place is one of many restaurants in The Greene Town Center in Beavercreek, Ohio- a multiuse complex that combines luxury living accommodations with high-end shopping and many dining options.  We parked on the outskirts of the commercial community and walked the few blocks past condos and retail stores to score two delicious crepes- one Bananas Foster and another Classic Parisian with butter and sugar.  They were worth the drive across town.

Our hotel, the Drury Inn and Suites Dayton North, hosts a happy hour each evening so we were able to enjoy a couple margaritas, glasses of wine and some snacks before settling in to relax after our full day.  We pulled chairs over to the window and enjoyed the view of the city in the distance as we relaxed for night.  As always, the Tour de Donut and the activities we use to fill up our weekend were a blast- we’re already looking forward to next year!

Midwest Reggae Fest

Midwest Reggae Fest
Clay's Park- North Lawrence, Ohio
August 1-3, 2014

The very first reggae band I ever saw was the Wailing Souls, for FREE at Nautica during FlatsFest way back in the summer of 1993.  They performed their radio hit ‘Shark Attack’ and I danced with reggae abandon as I did this weekend when the Wailing Souls were the Saturday headliner for the Midwest Reggae Fest.  Everyone in the crowd was loving the classic reggae groove- two-year-olds dancing with 80 –year-olds and people with cream, brown, gold and tan skin tones laughing and hugging and moving as one.  That feeling of unity reverberated through the crowd and throughout the weekend- this was easily the highlight of this year’s festie season.      

After music at the main stage was over on Saturday night we headed into the woods to a smaller side stage to catch a Florida rock/reggae band Sowflo’s set- it was late at night, there were probably a handful of people gathered, just chilling on the primitive benches.  It is hard to fully convey the magnitude of what happened next.  As soon as Sowflo started to play I turned to my sister and said ‘These guys rock!’  By the second or third song we were up and dancing, making our way to the front of the stage.  Before I knew it, what started out as like 20 people had turned into hundreds of people linked at the arms, singing together, swaying to the beat of the keys and horns and drums.  There was an energy running from the band and we could all feel it- we were truly connected by the power of the music and the harmony we felt with each other.

By the time SOJA headlined on Sunday night, I’d seen many of my favorite festie friends and met a lot of beautiful souls.  I sat around a campfire with some of my closest friends laughing hysterically about past experiences and planning future endeavors.  I could feel a special vibe the moment we pulled in and by the end of the weekend I’d had one of the most beautiful and transforming experiences of my life.  The attitude of everyone in attendance was one of unity which created an atmosphere of peace and comradery.  Reggae has a way of bringing together people of differing age, economic status, race or religion, giving us common ground and we can’t help but dance with each other.  I truly felt the meaning of ‘One LOVE’ that weekend.  

The Gathering at Chaffee's 2014

The Gathering At Chaffee's 2014
Girard, Pennsylvania
July 26-27, 2014

As soon as I arrived, everything fell into place.  I hadn’t been able to make it until Saturday afternoon but as soon as I pulled through the gate I found a friend, set up my chair at a campfire and headed up to the stage.  Although I was bummed to miss a bunch of great bands, I was really into seeing Jimkata that weekend and their set was spot on.  To make it even better, I was dancing through the crowd and came upon one of the most beautiful souls I know, Zach the nomad I met at Chaffee a few years earlier, the guy I was so thrilled to run into at Tribal a few months before.  I just love those chance encounters, especially when it’s with someone I adore.  Anyway, I spent the night dancing to Jimkata and Spiritual Rez and spending time with a few of my most favorite people- a wonderful way to spend a festie day!  

Girls' Trip- Geneva-on-the-Lake

Girls' Trip- Geneva-on-the-Lake
May 30- June 1, 2014
Geneva, Ohio

The first time I drove through Geneva-on-the-Lake was on a cold February afternoon but even with the piles of snow and most of the businesses closed for the season, I was struck by the atmosphere of the area.  The main strip reminded me of Key West with gift shops, arcades, bars and food stands mixed with clothing boutiques, wineries and a few upscale restaurants. Only an hour away, it was the perfect location for a girls' trip at the start of the summer.

Jan, Di and I drove together, arriving at Abigail's Cottages in the late afternoon.  Pulling up, it appears to be a small complex of cottages right on the main strip.  But just one step through the gate and the entire place opens to a huge grassy area surrounded by quaint cottages, all with breathtaking views of Lake Erie. There's a lower lakefront sundeck that offers a huge fire pit and a whole lot of places to sit, relax and watch the sunset.  Rocky steps lead straight out into the lake but in late May the water was still quite chilly.  Halfway up the hill, a gazebo perched on the hillside overlooks the lake, as well. That lakefront patio became our group's main hangout for the weekend.

Joanna, Megan and Tera arrived a few hours later after taking the 'scenic route' famished and demanding dinner. Luckily, there was a pizza place right across the street and we enjoyed a quick bite around the picnic table outside.  The cottage was perfect for a group of our size- Di, Jan and Megan all had rooms of their own, Tera slept on a couch and Joanna and I shared a room with 3 beds.  There were two bathrooms, one with a claw foot tub.  I don't know why- I'm not usually a bath-taker but for some reason whenever I see a claw foot tub I start to think I might enjoy it.

After dinner and watching the sunset we all set out to explore the strip a little.  Our first stop was a bar with dueling pianos and $4 shots of Patron.  After taking in a few awesome piano renditions of songs like 'Nuttin but a G-Thang' and 'Brick House', we moved up the strip to an arcade to play some ski-ball.  Now let me say that my Grampy was a ski-ball champion and that must be in our blood because I tore it up at ski-ball, too. I converted all my tickets into temporary tattoos and continued up the strip.  We found a cute little shop called Harmony Jade which offered just about all the hippie chick clothes a girl could want. Not to miss a hippie dress shopportunity,I dug through everything until I found a bright purple dress with a colorful tribal print to make my own.  We stopped for ice cream on our way back to the cottage and made wine floats.

The next morning we woke up, made breakfast and then headed down to the sundeck for a few Sun Salutations beside the water- what an invigorating way to start the day.  We drove to Geneva State Park and walked along the shore, following the coast away from the main beach to more secluded parts.  Then we jogged to the other end, crawled along the rocks and looked for sea glass before we strolled back to the car.  Megan and Tera went to do water slides while the rest of us stayed back to relax by the water after lunch.  Let me just say that I have a long track record of getting moderately to severely banged up on waterslides so when Tera returned with a harrowing tale of her own waterslide related incident, I was glad I'd chosen to relax on the sundeck.  In the late afternoon, most of us headed up the strip to play mini golf (I got a hole-in-one on the 18th hole!) and bumper boats while Di and Jan stayed back to grill up steaks and prepare a delicious dinner.

Now, I take all the blame for making a Tiramisu Trifle with so much homemade amaretto that it might have put us in an alcohol-induced slumber but shortly after consuming dessert and several bottles of wine, we all kinda headed up to bed early.  We woke up the next morning and took one last walk up the strip before packing up and moving out.

Geneva-on-the-Lake was a fantastic Girls' Trip destination- just a short drive away, the excellent location of our cottage enabled us walk almost everywhere we wanted to go but also provided a wonderful area to just relax if we wanted.  Gathering on the sun deck for morning yoga or evening chilling was the highlight of my trip and I'm looking forward to visiting again!

Tribal Connection 3 Art & Music Festival

Tribal Connection 3
Zane Shawnee Caverns- Bellefontaine, Ohio
May 15-18, 2014

I've been trying to think of a way to explain the events of this weekend for a while now. I guess I have to start way back at the Gathering at Chaffee 2012. While there, I met an awesome guy with a beautiful spirit and a love of travel and felt an instant affinity- i mentioned doing shots with a nomad in my Chaffee post- that was him!  So anyway, when I looked across the campfire at our site at Tribal and caught a glimpse of Zach's face on the first night I was instantly filled with a sense that this weekend was going to be amazing.

We reserved our usual spot- #63- and filled camp with a group of at least 15 friends. I decorated the campsite with lanterns I'd made of milk cartons so the whole place glowed at night. Every time someone wandered back and commented on the lanterns I just beamed.  One person said 'your spot just looks inviting!'- exactly the look I was going for! Even though the weekend was cold and rainy, our temporary community was warmed by a lot of LOVE... and a huge fire.  

Tribal always has an amazing lineup of musicians from many different genres performing on multiple stages- this year I enjoyed performances by many different acts including Tropidelic, Vibe n Direct, Minnesota, Funktional Flow and Crosby Sweater but I was most excited to see a band I LOVE- Moon Hooch- perform.  I danced and danced watching my green poncho spin around me and just loving the whole experience.  I was surrounded by friends and loved ones the entire weekend- amazing it was!