Travel with Penelope and Raphael to Colombia
How do I love thee, Colombia Let me count the ways. One: Visiting Colombia was my son Nick’s idea. He’d gone to Cartagena for a Triathlon and stayed in the colonial walled city. He told us it was perfect for us—charming, cultural, historical, and the Caribbean Sea...
Cartagena and the Caribbean Coast
Flying into Cartagena, we are greeted with the Penelope Ruth sign. Dramatically different weather, this is a Caribbean coastal city with the humidity and heat we hadn’t felt before. Our Hotel Bantu, a lovely boutique charmer, was located in the middle of the most...
Nicaragua, Winter Sunnyland
A Nicaragua Christmas Instead of a Winter Wonderland, how about a Winter Sunnyland? While San Diego is no slouch in the nice winter weather department, the Bernals are drawn to tropical locales for the winter holidays. We’ve been to Tulum, Mexico for Thanksgiving and...
San Juan del Sur: Beach Hammock Bingo
Beaches of San Juan del Sur Swooning over our spectacular navy blue bay view of the harbor and the tropical hillsides, we settled into our San Juan del Sur Airbnb. Our driver pointed out the landmarks and pointed to the downtown area close by. We could...
Isle of Ometepe: Lakes and Islands and Falls, Oh My!
Ometepe: Volcanos, Waterfalls, and Island on a Lake Geographically, Nicaragua is crazy diverse, with 19 active volcanos, a Pacific and Caribbean coastline, and a ginormous lake with an island. Which was our next stop. In the middle of Lake Nicaragua is the Island of...
Granada and Who is William Walker?
Colorful Granada Granada bound, we board the ferry at Moyogalpa in the nick of time. Entering Granada, cheerful, colorful homes brighten up the scene: brick reds, eggplant purple, turquoise blue, sunflower gold—mostly loud ornate colors (An HOA nightmare) with an...