Life in San Juan del Sur is busy, noisy, chaotic, charming, colourful, hot, interesting, challenging and forever Spanish. A fishing village that is still the major fish distribution centre for Nicaragua, the town now attracts tourists for it’s nearby beaches and fabulous surfing. The new Costanera highway links 26 beaches along the coast. Many are pristine with white sands and fairly comfortable access. Some have restaurants, bars and beach facilities, some are just sand and surf. A visitor can visit and experience the town, get lost, never find themselves and be perfectly happy. There are no big developments on the seafront, only restaurants and bars, beach volleyball and reclining chairs. The chaotic streets full of motos and noise and trucks can be mesmerizing.

These last few months I’ve been painting a birds picture for my sister, and then a wild attempt at the vital, expansive tropical forest trees that surround us. Turned into the Tree of Life and this second painting is still in process.