This morning I was a little pink on anything that isn’t already brown. They joys of vitiligo. Our mission today was simple…find a hat and stay out of the sun. I already have a hat, but not near enough coverage with a ball cap to shield me from this sunshine.

Breakfast was simpler this morning. Typically breakfast is served between 8 and 10 here. At 8:05 we were probably a little optimistic to sit down expecting a meal. 8:15 rolled along and the antsy German couple got up and started toasting some of their own white bread. 8:25 and our cook and maid arrived. Right on Nica time. Shortly after her arrival we had a fruit salad with watermelon, dragonfruit, and cantaloupe. Added to that was a side of yogurt and granola. Add a black coffee and breakfast was complete.

Considering we were in no rush, Melanie headed back to the room and I sat there contemplating life. Why do we make things complicated for ourselves. Over the years Melanie and I have done a good job of making things easy and simple…and every now and then we complicate them with new ventures and ideas. Simplification is the key and it may be a couple more years before we get back to that.

I got chatting with our hostess here. A German girl just looking for a little something different. She started in Mexico sometime in 2016, and had plans of heading down to Peru. 10 months ago she landed here in San Juan del Sur and liked it enough to start volunteering at a hostel. That quickly turned into a management gig which she does here for all of $300USD per month, plus room and board. The wage isn’t great, but it is a Nica wage and she is happy. Life is simple. She just bought a tiny lot with an even smaller house just outside of town so she will have a getaway for her off days. She knows she doesn’t need a lot, so this might be where she stays…assuming that permanent residency thing can be worked out.

The day was getting warm. If we were to get out and wander the streets, now was the time. Melanie fetched me from my pondering and chatting, then we departed for town. Our expectations for finding a hat were low, but we had all day to look for something that might work. Melanie likes shopping anyways.

We entered many shops. Some stinking hot. Others were burning precious electricity on multiple fans. We might have been the only gringos shopping because the hot streets were not all that full of tourists looking to spend their hard earned dollars on nicknacks and crap. We found lots of hats, but all with some really ugly embroidery. Wide grass hats. Cheap paper hats. Knitted beanies in the traditional Jamaican red, yellow, and green. All of them were not working for me, although an army print fishing style hat with Nicaragua emblazoned across the front of it was looking more like a winner than the alternatives.

We found a hat. A tiny store we have walked by a half dozen times and never walked in. Tucked off to the side, three stacks of hats that were different than all the other hats we have seen in this country. One of them was destined to be mine…if the price was right. There are no price tags on any of these items and haggling is the norm. Now the lady that runs the shop is there from early in the day until late at night. I am sure she is seasoned at wringing every last dollar our of a sale and she could see that finally this was something I wanted. The price, 200 cordoba…or about 8 of our Canadian dollars. I countered with 150 and she came back with 180. A minor sacrifice which i was still happy to pay.

With my new accessory, we headed out to celebrate over lunch. Today, a tasty chicken burrito a couple of hibiscus ginger iced teas. Just enough food in our bellies to swim comfortably for the next few afternoon hours. When the clouds moved in to give us a little break from the heat, we headed down to the water to watch both the sunset and crews patch up some of the boats that washed ashore. Still a bit of clean up to do, but that should all be done in time for the busy season start in a few weeks.

We were set on Thai food tonight, but the place didnt open until late…so we ended up at the same place as last night. Drank mojitos and ate large helpings of stirfry. No complaints here, but it also meant that by 7PM we were ready to head back for the night.

So here we are. In for the night. Maybe a little less pink than yesterday. Priming ourselves for a beach day tomorrow.