Independence Day 2020: Nica Nugget #105

This year, Independence Day celebrations in San Juan del Sur didn’t include the grand parade I shared with you in 2018, but it did bring more local tourists to town and the beach than I’ve seen here in years.

It rained and was overcast. But that kept the temperature down and made it especially comfortable to walk on the beach and people watch.

I love seeing families enjoying themselves on the beach. It’s free. It’s fun. It’s foolish.

It’s seldom, if ever, I’ve seen an angry or annoyed or sad person at the beach. Everyone’s smiling or staring out over the water, or digging in the sand, or posing for selfies.

There’s soccer games. And beach volleyball. And baseball. There’s boogie boarding. And fishing. And just plain ole’ incessant dancing with the waves.

Three houses neighboring ours, which have sat empty for months and months, had vacation renters in them. And almost all of the vacation houses we pass on our morning walk appeared to be full, full, full.

There’s the scared child. And the fearless child.

The overweight. And the perfect bikini body.

The fully dressed and the scantily clad.

The grandmother and the grandfather. The mom’s and the dad’s with the brand new babies.

The dogs on leashes. And the dogs that are not. And the dogs with families but who are not even wearing a collar.

In the States I’d see beach chairs galore. And towels perfectly laid out. Coolers and umbrellas.

Here, those items are more infrequently seen. Most people just sit in the sand. And just make a pile of the things they’ve discarded before running into the sea.

Sometimes John and I carry our camp chairs down to the beach. Sometimes we swim and play in the waves, and come dressed to go straight into the water, just leaving our flip flops behind.

But mostly we walk the mile from one end of the bay to the other, and then walk the mile back. It’s just that this day, we were not alone.