Got into Chicago midday on the 3rd and headed to Skokie to get a car and then down to Wrigleyville to get Lucy. Stopped off and had a beer and dinner with cousin Tom and his girlfriend Krista and watched up to the 7th inning of the Cubs Giants game. Grabbed the dog, had a shot of Flor de Cana and hit the road. Compared to the weather in Leon, Chicago felt like they had the air-conditioner on. Maybe Mayor Daley has a deal with some air conditioning magnet to keep Chicago attractive in the summertime; you never know with that dude.
I have to admit I was a little nervous at how I would feel coming home, thinking of the reverse culture shock I would encounter. This country is sooo clean, or at least Chicago is exceptionally so. Some facet of newness always strikes me on the return, be it the ridiculous newness of cars or buildings, it always seems to be something of the ability of us all to live in such cleanliness and freshness. The clean streets and lawns of Chicago were a long stretch from the dirt and shacks of Goyena. It all feels a bit silly sometimes.
It was a nice time in Galena with my parents and Lucy. Did some fishing, played golf and ate some good food. My body is pretty unsure of what is being digested these days, but it will just have to deal. Almost shot in the 80’s on a very hard course, so I was pretty happy with the golf game; more to come in August after I get back from Brazil. It felt a little hypocritical to be living in such convenience and luxury after Nicaragua; I don’t quite know how to handle that all yet.
Nicaragua was a great experience as it begins to settle in my mind. It seems overly distant as I sit in a Thai café at the Chaing Mai airport waiting for my next flight to Mae Hong Son (more on this in the next entry). I want to go back many times and for longer stretches for sure. It was just beginning to grow on me, and I look forward with great anticipation to my next jaunt there.
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