Last night was my first visit to a coffee plantation. Our host says she is too old to drive the 4×4 Toyota Hillux up the steep mountainside. She trusted me with the drive, probably about 1500 elevation again, up roads that feel like they were made for mountain goats. I loved it.

We had a bonfire, great food & live music. The humble people of Jinotega have given us their deepest thanks. I loved everything about last night, including the amazing rainstorm that chased us to shelter. When it wasn’t raining, the fireflies looked like a curtain of dim Christmas lights hung through the gardens.

Ryan and I had an opportunity to walk through the market yesterday afternoon.

We saw the parks, stopped in the cafe, and spent a lot of time meandering through the small storefronts. Many of the storefronts are lines of storage shops with metal roll-up doors. These people weren’t pushy sellers. I don’t think they get tourists down their streets.

Back at the hospital, I was struck by a couple of really cute kids that came through the pediatric ward. Photo credit to Ryan Frederick for catching these moments.