Nicaragua: Volcanoes, Beaches, and Fireworks

Our Nicaraguan adventure got off to a good, but uneventful start. After an early flight from Phoenix to Miami we met up with our great friend Sam. We had just enough time for a beer and a snack before we boarded our flight to Managua. All of our American Airlines flights were on time and the skies were clear. That's always a sign of a good trip to come. We were even able to juggle our seat assignments so that the three of us could sit together for the 2 1/2 hour flight south. Upon arrival in Managua we were met by Roberto (Bobby) who will be our guide for the next few days and Sergio, who will be our driver. Both men are English speakers and appear very professional. We feel like we're in good hands. We've got our own van and Bobby and Sergio will accompany us to Leon and Granada, which are our first two stops. Tonight we are at the Contempo Hotel Boutique, which is a gorgeous, modern hotel in Managua. Adventure Life, our tour company, originally had us booked at another hotel. However, that hotel is under construction and we were moved to the Contempo. What a great move! This place is gorgeous! As soon as we checked in we headed for the restaurant where we enjoyed dinner of brie, goat cheese salad, and sea bass. Our server Carlos was full of great suggestions and quite a pro. If all of our meals in Nicaragua are like this, we'll be ecstatic. We even like the local beer, Victoria. We'll post pictures and updates every day of our trip. For now we are having trouble staying awake after our big day of travel. Buenos noches amigos y familia!