Monterrico

A chance trip to Monterrico! The shuttle there wound through huge commercial sugar cane and corn fields, not jungle as I'd anticipated. The ride was 2 hours or so from Antigua and totally comfortable, in this cooler January weather.

We stayed at one of the cheaper hotels (gorgeously-plaited thatched roof of the terrace looking out to the ocean, seen above) and still could walk out to the beach and have dinner and drinks on the beachside terrace of a slightly more expensive hotel not far away. Most people go to release the baby turtles into the ocean........and since there isn't much else to do, we did that too....or at least my two friends did. I was a little sick from something I had at dinner, and spent the evening, comfortably enough, in my room with the fan on and the windows open.

We took a dawn trip into the river sanctuary. That was a beautiful trip, and included sunrise over the reeds [see photo] and trees, and a close look at their weird fish.....which have two sets of eyes, one for seeing over the top of the water, and "fly" or skip like a skipping stone across the top of the water. Pretty amazing to see.

I loved the town....all laid back and open-aired (unlike Antigua's closed walls on the street, which actually I also love)....and of course, pigs in the street. My favorite thing. [see photo]

The starving dogs in the street were not so cute. Despite my friends' advice, I had to go back to feed one puppy I saw. The cemetary was also unusual, colorful, and beautiful.

I could spend some time there.