Yesterday, I saw a post on the FB Page Life in San Juan del Sur which sparked my interest. It was about the relocated Indio del Sur Coffee Shop. So this morning John and I decided to find it and check it out. There are no addresses in Nicaragua as we know them. But once I knew where to look, from the fb post, it was easy to spot. It’s tucked in around the south side of the church. As we glanced back out the door from our seats, John pointed to Cristo (note the Rio de Janeiro-esque statue on the hillside in bottom picture). “Look,” John said. “He was pointing our way right to it.”
John first craved a smoothie, but decided to order two different drinks instead: a hot latte and a cold mint lemonade. These two, in case you are wondering, he took turns sipping. I had the mint lemonade, which I only knew they had after reading a comment on the aforementioned post. It’s not on their old menu and they don’t have their new menu made yet. both were delicious.
Cesar Alberto Morales Rivera, the owner, was there to serve us, and like most Nicas he has a fabulous smile. I asked him for the story behind his business. He said that until recently it had been located in the front part of Josseline’s restaurant on the beach road. But he owns this location. So, when the tourist traffic died down and his former tenant moved out, it was perfect timing for him to move his business back home. The previous tenant, Cesar said, had sold smoothies and American clothing in this spot before moving back to the States to help care for her ailing father. But we’d never met her nor been into her store.
I suddenly remembered Cesar’s graciousness from almost a year before. Our book club had shown up at Josseline’s one rainy night right after Tropical Storm Nate. Josselines was a wreck from the storm. It’s palapa roof was caved in in places, and Cesar’s coffee shop wasn’t in a whole lot better shape. But it had a roof and he was open. Cesar quickly pulled tables together for us and made our book club feel right at home.
Here’s a toast to you Cesar in your new location. May Cristo keep pointing people your way!
