Quick summary of the #RickyRenuncia movement

The governor participated in a chat full of comments that were hateful towards basically everyone including homosexuals, women, people with disabilities, and even Hurricane Maria victims. There were also admissions to corruption. The island demanded his resignation, and the hashtag #RickyRenuncia (Ricky Resign) was trending basically throughout the entire 12 day protest.

Ricky’s the Bad Guy

It was hard to watch the protests from afar. My friend Maria wrote a great article about “Diasporicans,” watching from the mainland. I chose to show my support in the form of a Bad Guy parody. Enjoy. (PS here’s the original song by Billie Eilish.)

Don’t get it? Let me explain

Again, I’m not going to do a deep dive here, but I will try to explain each line briefly.

“You’re a corrupt guy

sexist and stuck up guy”

The #RickyLeaks chats revealed alleged corruption. Participants in the chat were indicted on 32 counts of money laundering, conspiracy and wire fraud. (Source). The chat was also full of misogynistic comments and Ricky Roselló mocked the poor as well as victims of Hurricane Maria.

“JUNTA lovin’ schmuck guy

really fucked shit up guy”

La junta is the colloquial name for the financial oversight board of Puerto Rico which is was created through the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). Promesa means “promise” in Spanish, which makes it all the more insulting that their money saving “solutions” were based on shutting down huge amounts of public schools, slashing university budgets, and cutting healthcare. These decisions were made after la Junta paid some insanely expensive “consultants.”

“You’re the bad type

make your party sad type

make the pueblo mad type

disappoint your dad type.”

Ricky Roselló’s own party abandoned him pretty quick. They either stayed silent or actively called for his resignation. The pueblo is a colloquial term for the people of Puerto Rico who were, understandably, pretty freakin’ mad about not just this chat, but decades of corruption. This chat was just the final breaking point and proof of the corruption they always suspected. As for disappointing his dad, Ricky is the son of Pedro Roselló, a former Puerto Rican governor who was basically forced to resign from the party in disgrace due to this scandal.

“It’s time to go now

the Pueblo’s in control now

You’re food for the crows now

Puerto Rico ain’t your home now.”

After 12 days of peaceful protests, Ricky Roselló was forced into resignation, which is when the hashtag #RickySeFue (Ricky left/Ricky’s gone) began trending. He may have officially resigned, but the Pueblo (and many news outlets) reported that he was kicked out, or essentially given no other options. The “food for the crows” line is a reference to a particularly terrible exchange from the chat. It said, “Now that we are on the subject, don’t we have some cadavers to feed our crows?” The cadavers they were referencing were the bodies overflowing the morgues after Hurricane Maria. So yeah, it’s pretty freaking disgusting. At the time of this writing, many of Roselló’s family members have already left the island and Primera Hora reported that on August 2nd, Ricky will leave the island as well.

You’re the bad type

Homophobe don’t care type

Can’t be friends with mayors type

Greasy slicked back hair type

The chat included a lot of blatantly homophobic comments. As for “can’t be friends with mayors type,” this refers to a desperate grasp for supporters. At one point during the protests, Ricky was asked if he could name just ONE person who supports him. He said the Mayor of San Sebastián supported him. The mayor was quick to basically say, “nah dude.”

Some of you may be wondering why I banged on a pot at the end of the video. Banging on pots became a unifying thing across the island. Not only did protesters bring them to the streets, every night at 8pm around the island, people took their pots and spoons outside, hung off their balconies, or walked into the streets to bang on pots and call for Ricky’s resignation. It’s beautifully Puerto Rican.

What’s next?

Ricky Roselló’s resignation goes into effect August 2, 2019 at 5pm. I know I said Ricky’s the bad guy, but the corruption goes much deeper than that. His second in command was also involved in the chat and resigned, so the Secretary of Justice,Wanda Vazquez, will become governor. However, the people of Puerto Rico want to clean house of all the corruption, and Wanda allegedly has some serious issues of her own. #WandaRenuncia has already begun showing up, so the fight is far from over. Maybe another parody song is on the way? Let me know if you have requests!

Pro travel tip: read your itinerary

 I’ve been traveling regularly for well over a decade and let me tell you, I still suck at taking my own advice. I’d like to invite you all to join me for the tale of the time I ventured into a remote rain forest with no electricity without actually knowing where the hell I was going, what I’d be doing, or even how I’d be arriving.

I am not outdoorsy

I cannot say this enough, and yet, I am constantly getting myself into situations where I am forced to attempt outdoorsy things while being wildly unprepared. At least I was accompanied by my good friend, Ayngelina. We have unwillingly made showing up to travel situations insanely unprepared our personal tradition. We are the queens of hiking in flip flops, going into dangerous areas we told our readers to avoid, and other such nonsense. It’s like our own game called “How many times can I hike in flip flops before I die?”

We started our journey to the Bribri community on a 1.5 hour ride in a dugout canoe. We were vaguely aware of the canoe plan, but for some reason assumed it was just to cross the river, not to actually take a journey down the river that separates Costa Rica and Panama. This wasn’t our only stop on the trip, so we both had rolly carry-on bags. Do you know how stupid you look stumbling through the mud and loading a rolly bag into a dug out canoe? Had we properly read our itinerary, we could have made arrangements to store our bulky luggage at a hotel in town, but, alas, that’s not Ayngelina and I’s style, so we were just the divas with way too much stuff for a 2 day experience.

That view though

The ride was embarrassing, but beautiful. I tried to focus on the bright green plants reflecting in the river as some poor guys literally pushed and pulled our canoe through a shallow river. When we arrived, a guide offered to carry my bag for me and I practically screamed “no!” at him as I attempted gathered up my last bit of dignity by owning up to my own stupidity and carrying my bag over my head as I hiked for 20 minutes to our final destination.

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Learning about the Bribri community

Once I dumped my bags in my cabin we were able to take a guided walk around the community and sunbathe for a bit on some rocks in the river. We walked on a questionably stable bridge to get great views and enjoyed a simple but delicious lunch of chicken, rice, and yuca. The first day we learned about how the Bribri have maintained their land over many generations by barring anyone who is not part of a Bribri clan to own land. Outsiders are allowed to visit and even marry in, but only someone with a Bribri clan name can ever own land or attend any of the sacred ceremonies. The part I loved most was that in this community, the women hold the power. Clan names are only passed through women, so a woman can marry an outsider and her children will still have a clan name. A man, on the other hand, could marry an outsider, but his children would be clan-less and unable to own any land. New clans cannot be created and a few have died out.

After sundown, we ate by candlelight, as there is no electricity in this community. We sat with the other visitors and chatted about the huge differences between marriage and weddings in American, Canandian, Italian, and Swedish cultures compared to the Bribri ceremonies. Bribris keep it simple, preparing food and drink in mass and basically inviting anyone within the community, while the rest of us shared horror stories of paying a small fortune simply to attend a wedding in our home countries.

No electricity means all the more darkness for the creatures to hide in

Am I afraid of bugs? No. Am I afraid of the prehistoric crustacean–bug hybrids that live deep in the undisturbed depths of rainforest? Fuck yeah I am. After living in Puerto Rico, I developed a healthy fear of deep woods critters. You think you know what a centipede looks like don’t you? Oh a tiny little creepy thing with 100 tiny legs? WRONG. That’s amateur hour. Caribbean centipedes will eat your family. They will take over your house and stare at you with their demon eyes while they laugh at the machete you are wielding because they know that chopping them in half will only make them stronger. That’s right – CHOP A ONE CENTIPEDE IN HALF AND NOW YOU’VE GOT TWO FUCKING CENTIPEDES!

The point of this terrified rant is to tell you that right as we were leaving dinner to walk back to our cabins, our hosts smiled and told us not to worry if we find that are sharing our cabins with scorpions or other creatures and to simply leave them alone. Ayngelina and I turned on our cell phone flash lights and nervously giggled/squealed all the way back to our cabin before diving into our beds and tucking the mosquito nets tightly around us.

Stop trying to get me to go on a hike

We survived the night, though I did see a massive jumping spider in the bathroom that I kindly didn’t tell Ayngelina about until much later. The next morning the other visitors had specific plans so one of the hosts started trying to recruit Ayngelina and I for a hike. He laughed heartily as we outright refused and told him we would not fall for the “it’s just a short walk” line again. We agreed to a walking tour of the community. I had told the guide about my time in Puerto Rico so he incorrectly assumed I might recognize quite a few of the plants. I informed him that I know the names of approximately 5 total plants and spent the rest of the tour shamefully responding with “I think I’ve seen it but I don’t know what it is” every time he asked me about something.

The people were incredible

Learning how to make chocolate, weave a roof, and shoot a traditional bow and arrow* was all very cool, but it was the people who made this experience so incredible.(*See my Instagram Costa Rica Highlights for video of this) They were kind and open, not to mention incredibly tolerant of two girls who wouldn’t hike and kept asking about trying traditional booze. Sidenote, we never got that booze. They just told us they often make chicha, which is a corn-based alcohol I tried once in Colombia.

I was fascinated by the balance of traditional and modern activities. The younger guides explained that almost every Bribri person leaves to attend university, but the grand majority of them come back to live in the simple community. Education is incredibly important to them and they have a well-stocked library on site as well as a variety of cultural classes to keep younger generations in touch with their heritage. The contrasts were so interesting, you’d see a kid blasting Bad Bunny on his phone (charged by solar panels) while building a bridge or a girl rapidly texting while cooking traditional foods over a fire. One of our guides, who was 21, said he spends some weekends in town with friends so he can go to bars and surf, but he ultimately preferred to get new books from the Bribri library and read late into the night.

This experience truly made the trip to Costa Rica worth it. If you ever have a chance to visit these people, work with Lokal Travel and do it. But maybe bring a light backpack and some shoes you can hike in and leave your rolly bag at home.

So what’s the problem?

I’ll keep this brief. Basically, a few years ago I started gaining weight and having a lot of other issues. I’m still seeing doctors (I’ve lost count but it’s probably 8+) and trying to treat things, but so far I know I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Premenstrual Dysmorphic Disorder (PMDD), Endometriosis, MTHFR Gene Mutation, and a bunch of side effects related to those things such as vitamin deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, etc. In short, my body, particularly the section with lady parts, is doing a real trash job of being a body. I’ve gained a lot of weight and the issues make losing that weight extremely difficult.

If you are now tempted to give me diet or exercise advice, do me a favor and don’t. Especially if you are man who wants to say shit like “Calories in, calories out!” No thank you. Hard pass. Goodbye.

via GIPHY

What does this have to do with travel?

It’s been difficult for me to write about this, because in some ways it seems trivial. But I realized that is part of the problem. No one talks about these kinds of things. Frequent travelers are expected to travel effortlessly like pros who never hit a snag. Women are supposed to simply toss some sun dresses and a pair of skinny jeans into a carry on and look fabulous in every Instagram shot. I could write 10 articles about female travelers and the pressure to look great in photos, but this is about body issues, anxiety, and how it affects my travels.

Packing is 10x as difficult as it used to be

I am a carry on-only kind of traveler, so my packing strategy was always to simply toss in staples like tops, jeans, bras, and a ton of underwear. I trusted that the clothing I wore on a regular basis would work on a trip, and that if I needed anything, I could always pick up new clothing while on the road.

Body issues have changed that. I no longer trust my clothing, ever. My closet is my greatest anxiety trigger. A top that I loved 2 days ago might make me cry today. A dress that I was sure looked great on me might send me into a panic attack when I see myself in the mirror. Between the physical issues, including extreme bloating and weight gain, and my emotional issues, such as the panic at seeing how my facial structure has slowly but surely changed thanks to PCOS, are enough to trigger a meltdown even when I am in the comfort of my own home. So, when I am packing, I am constantly trying to prevent a freak out on the road. I have to try on every item I pack to make sure it feels ok in the moment. Then I have to pack several more back up items in case the main items end up making me feel uncomfortable when I try to wear them a few days later. It’s exhausting, and usually makes me feel miserable.

Dressing during the trip is tricky

All too often, I end up in a backup outfit that includes leggings and a top that’s a size too big because I cannot handle the feeling of cloth clinging to my unfamiliar body. Dresses that I packed when I was full of hope remain rolled up in my bag, untouched. Pants with buttons are tossed aside. Hoodies are zipped over tops.

I know these don’t sound like big problems. I know some people will think I’m being dramatic, and that everyone changes their mind about the clothing they pack sometimes. But I doubt that every person spends time in the bathroom, taking deep breaths, repeating “It’s ok, don’t cry. It’s ok, it’s ok” several times on every trip. Most people can accept the clothing they chose for the day, and just go about their business. I, on the other hand, might deal with perpetual regret all day as I tug at clothing that feels like it is attacking me.

I avoid photos, then feel guilty about it

I didn’t used to mind photos. If someone pointed a camera at me, I’d smile or make a face. I’d stand next to friends without worrying about the angle of my body, the print of my clothing, or the positioning of the camera – but not anymore.

Now, I avoid photos all together. Seeing photographic evidence of how much my body has changed can be overwhelming. Being able to compare current pictures to those from before is dangerous, because then I might torture myself and pinpoint every part of my body that has betrayed me. I might see a photo and burst into frustrated tears, wondering why and how I lost control of my own body.

Of course, if I don’t show up in photos, I scold myself for my vanity. I lament the fact that I let an incredible experience pass by without getting a photo of myself enjoying it. Guilt over my insecurity, vanity, and foolishness will hit me as I scroll through photos of my trips. So, basically, photographs are a lose-lose situation for me.

Here’s an awesome castle I visited with some friends. I was too self-conscious to get a photo of me in front of it.

Traveling with body issues is hard, but not impossible

The changes in my body and the emotional turmoil that comes along with those changes have definitely made traveling more difficult for me. However, traveling has always been my center. Travel is what heals me and makes me feel sane, so I am not about to let my anxiety and insecurity get in the way of something so important – and neither should you.

Whether you have health issues, body issues, anxiety, or whatever else – I urge you to fight through them and travel anyway.

Give yourself permission to overpack

If packing 10 shirts for a weekend trip makes you feel more at ease, do it – and don’t beat yourself up about it. Try to bring outfits that you consistently feel comfortable and confident in and don’t be afraid to repeat them. I once packed over 2 weeks worth of clothing for 10 days in Colombia and then wore the same outfit at least 5 times. That outfit allowed me to feel good and focus on my experiences, so who cares how many times I wore it? PS if you are going somewhere sweaty, get some fabric spray and/or detergent!

Know your triggers and workarounds

I know that putting on an outfit that I thought was going to look great and realizing that, for whatever reason, I currently hate it is a dangerous situation for me. The longer I twist and turn in front of the mirror, the more likely I am to freak out and potentially ruin my mood for the day. So, if I don’t immediately like how I look or feel in something, I toss it right back in my suitcase and grab a backup outfit.

Trying to get a good photo of myself is also problematic. It can be demoralizing to keep taking photo after photo in an attempt to get a great shot, so I make a rule. I will take/have someone take a photo no more than 3 times. If I don’t like what I see, I move on. There will be other photo opportunities, so I let it go. I often travel solo, so selfies or photos taken by strangers are my only option, but if I am traveling with someone else, I talk to them about pictures. I ask them to let me know if I’m standing at an unflattering angle, if the lighting is off, etc.

If you’re traveling with friends, don’t be afraid to ask them to direct you and hype you up. On my trip to Nicaragua and Mexico City with Ayngelina, I asked her to help. For this photo, she simply said “put one leg in front of the other.” That small change made me love the way I looked in the photo. Sidenote, this was my 3rd outfit of the day and I was mad at myself for going to a loose-fitting backup top. In the end, Ayngelina said “I’m so glad you ended up in that top. It works perfectly in this photo.

 

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I absolutely love tiles like these. #MexicoCity is a great place to just walk around and discover beautiful things like this!

A post shared by Rease Kirchner (@indecisivetraveler) on Jun 11, 2018 at 1:16pm PDT

Whatever your trigger is, accept it, and try to be aware of how you can work around it. This goes for things unrelated to body issues as well. For example, if you know that getting lost totally freaks you out, have a game plan in place for when it inevitably happens, like always keeping cash and your hotel’s address on you so you can grab a cab and bail. There is no shame in bailing. Take the time you need to relax.

Know that no one is as harsh as you are

This is a cliché, but it’s true. The problem is, anyone with body issues has part of them that knows they are being way too hard on themselves, but also can’t quite get that message to prevail. On that same trip to Mexico, Ayngelina and I went on a mission to get great photos in this incredible kiosk. I put on something I always feel great in, and was very happy with the photos Ayngelina took of me. Then, a week later, I went to post a photo on Instagram. I stared at the photo and the criticism began. I decided that this top, one that I had always felt so confident in, cut my back in a strange way. Usually my midsection and face are the main problems for me in pictures, but as I looked at this photo of my back, I was suddenly full of disappointment. I thought I worked out often enough, lifted heavy enough weights, and properly toned my back and shoulders. In fact, up until this moment, I was pretty damn proud of my muscular shoulders. But in that moment, I was sure that the top cut into my back. I was positive that my bra was digging into my skin, and that fat was flowing over the band. I zoomed in on the photo and tore myself apart. Over the next couple of weeks, I kept trying to post the same photo, but always ended up bailing.

Then I decided to just be honest

I realized that I am not the only person who has ever agonized over something a trivial as posting a photo. I thought of all those perfect Instagram shots of girls in flowing dresses, holding a large hat, and somehow laughing beautifully. I remembered how annoyed I get when my feed fills up with those unrealistic photos and how happy I get when someone posts a real photo. So, I chose not only to post the photo, but to also share the struggle.

 

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I have almost posted this photo and then changed my mind so many times, but in the end I think it is important to share travel photos of myself that maybe aren’t my favorite. If you’re only interested in travel info, skip til you see the flag. If you’d like to hear something personal, read on. I stared at this photo for a long time, on many different occasions. I hated it. I stared at my body, something that has become increasingly unfamiliar to me over the past few years. I have written about some health issues a couple times, though I haven’t focused too much on it, because it is not necessarily travel-related. But the truth is, it affects every part of my life, including my travels. I have seen more than 8 doctors, and each one finds more issues but not solutions. It is not just mysterious weight gain, it is a change in my facial structure, and unfamiliar issues that make my own body seem foreign to me. It makes packing for trips difficult, because I never know how clothing will fit me or how I will feel, physically or emotionally, on any given day. It makes me fear being in photos, because I never know what I will see. I wish I could tell you that I am over it and that I look at photos and cherish the moment, regardless of how I look, but I am not there yet. All I can say is that I fight hard for my body, and my body seems to fight against me, but I try to see the beauty in every photo I am in, and I hope that by sharing this, other people will feel ok with photos of themselves that they don’t love. Location: Mexico City The 1st time I visited Mexico City I stayed in Centro Histórico, which is beautiful, but touristy. The 2nd time, I stayed in a more residential area, Santa Maria La Ribera. It was very interesting to hang out in an area where people actually work and live. Kiosko Morisco is beautifully elaborate and the design is not traditionally Mexican.The design is Islamic-inspired, but the kiosk was created to represent Mexico in international fairs such as the 1902 World Fair in St. Louis, MO (my home town!) &was relocated a few times before ending up in the Santa Maria La Ribera neighborhood.

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You can struggle and keep moving

I keep hoping I will be able to tell my whole physical and mental health story from start to finish; that someday I’ll have a nice packaged story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. I’m in the process of coming to terms with the fact that this isn’t a story with an ending, it’s just a journey. This is something I will have to live with, so I’m trying my best. Here’s hoping that sharing my journey might help you keep fighting through yours.

Street art is always changing, so I of course cannot guarantee that you will see the same pieces that I did, but I purposely chose areas that are street-art dense and also include some permanent pieces so you are sure to see some impressive pieces along the way. Make sure to Pin this image to save it for your next trip to San Francisco.

This Google Map marks all the main attractions I cover in this post, but there is art all over the place, so if you see something you love, go explore it. You can always loop back around to this route.

Iconic San Francisco Street Art in Clarion Alley 

Start at Clarion Alley and Valencia Street, turn left down the alley.

A victim of police brutality

Clarion Alley is very well known, but don’t let all the tourists posing for Instagram photos turn you off. This alley is part of an art project called the Clarion Alley Mural Project so the art is always changing. I first visited in 2013, so I was excited to go back in 2018. Unsurprisingly, the art had gotten a lot more political. The alley was full of murals demanding affordable housing and protection from eviction, both huge problems in San Francisco. There were also several murals dedicated to victims of police brutality.

In orange: “One dot represents a housing unit unit served with a no-fault eviction notice. Actual Number of displaced people is significantly higher due to other forms of eviction and multiple people per unit”

Sycamore Street

Once you finish Clarion Alley, walk up one block and turn right on Sycamore Street

Sycamore street is less organized than Clarion Alley, but still covered in art and worth a stroll up the block.

San Francisco Women’s Building on 18^th Street

Walk up Valencia street until you hit 18^th, turn right. You cannot miss the Women’s Building

This place is an absolute must-see. The entire building is covered in incredible art dedicated to women of different generations and cultures. The building is so tall and thoroughly decorated that it is difficult to photograph, but it’s amazing to take a lap around and really soak in the details of each piece.

Guerrero to 24^th street

This part of the San Francisco street art tour is the lightest on street art, but it’s a good route to get to the gold mine that is 24^th Street. Of course, Guerrero offers some great views as well. This is the hilliest part of the walking tour, but I promise it’s not too bad! I think it was worth it for the classic San Francisco views of colorful houses, flowers, and steep downhill views into the city.

The street art may not be as dense on Guerrero, but you’ll still catch some interesting pieces along the way. I found that a lot of corner shops had murals, so be ready to zip back and forth from one side of the street from the other. Guerrero also had quite a bit of stencil street art on the sidewalks, so don’t forget to look down.

San Francisco Street Art Tour final leg – 24^th Street

Turn left on 24^th Street and get your camera ready.

I was not prepared for all the art on this street. I was running out of time before my flight, so I didn’t get to duck into every alley or fully soak in all the pieces. You could very easily do an entire San Francisco street art tour centered around 24^th street and all its heavily decorated side alleys. However, if you’re looking for highlights, this is a great start.

Once again, you’ll need to be prepared to pop back and forth on either side of the street in order to see all the street art 24^th street has to offer. You’ll often want to cross the street just to be able to get a full view of a building that is painted from the ground all the way up to the roof. There are also a ton of side alleys such as Osage Alley, Lilac Alley, and Cypress Alley that are completely covered in a mix of murals, graffiti tags, and creative street art.

As you cross over Folsom Street, 24^th street turns into a Latin Cultural Neighborhood, so you will notice that the art starts to reflect Latino culture and history. You’ll also hear a lot more Spanish and start smelling amazing food. If you’ve got the time, grab some authentic cuisine to snack on while you check out the art!

Not sure what the House of Brakes did score all this amazing art, but the detail is incredible. In person, the houses look real at first glance.

You don’t really need a map for this area to find amazing street art, but there are a couple of iconic pieces that you should make sure you hit up. There is a massive mural on the corner of South Van Ness Avenue and 24^th. It features a wide array of cultural icons and references, such as Mayan and Aztec art, Caribbean musicians, salsa dancers, tropical birds, religious figures, and more – all over the background of the Golden Gate Bridge. On the same corner but a different building, you can check out one of the most impressively detailed and realistic murals I have ever seen. At first glance, it looks like a couple of blocks of classic San Francisco houses, but it’s actually all on one flat building. There are more Latino cultural icons spilling into the streets between the painted houses. I don’t know what the “House of Brakes” did to deserve this masterpiece above it’s place of business!

Balmy Alley, Treat Avenue, and Harrison Avenue

Walk up 24^th street towards Balmy Alley.

After you soak up South Van Ness, keep walking along 24^th until you come to Treat Avenue on the left, where you’ll see a building with the entire side painted. One block up on the right you’ll come upon Balmy Alley, which is one of the better known and most visited alleys along 24^th. Balmy Alley got its start in the 80s when artists used the area to express outrage over political and human rights issues, mostly within Central America. Now you can find a wide variety of styles that cover issues ranging from human rights to local gentrification. One more block up on Harrison Street you can check out 2 buildings whose sides are completely painted.

Notice the skull that says “ICE.” The skull next to it says “FEAR” and beneath that, it says “Unjust Immigration Policies”

How much time do you have left for your San Francisco street art tour?

Here’s the choose-your-own-ending part of the tour. As I said before, 24th street is jam-packed with art, so you could definitely keep going along the street and discover more street art. I, however, was walking further and further away from where I was staying and I needed to walk back so I could pack my bags and head to the airport. I was able to pack in one more impressive stop along the way: Harrison and 19th Street.

If you turn left on Harrison Street and walk to 19th, you will come upon a mural that takes up the entire block. The building will be on your left and it is mesmerizing. I obviously couldn’t photograph it all, I ended up taking video of most of it, but here’s one of my favorite sections:

From there I walked back to 16^th street where I started. The whole self-guided San Francisco street art tour took me around 2.5 hours. You can adjust it to fit the time you have. This is by no means a comprehensive tour of the hundreds of murals and impressive pieces of art in the Mission District of San Francisco, but it’s a very beautiful and interesting walk that doesn’t include steep and lengthy hills that will destroy your calves.

Do you have favorite corners or streets in the Mission District for street art?

Did you discover something new along this route that you think others should check out? Share your tips in the comments! Street art is always changing, so it’s great to get updates and know what has changed and what new pieces have gone up!

I was very sad to leave Nicaragua much earlier than planned, but Mexico is one of my all-time favorite destinations and Mexican food happens to be my favorite cuisine, so I wanted to make the most of my change of plans. Tacos are absolutely everywhere in Mexico, which is great, but it can also be overwhelming, especially if you aren’t familiar with the different types of meats and fillings that are available. Tasty Bites Food Tours was kind enough to invite Ayngelina and I on a walking taco tour in the La Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City.

How the Mexico City Taco Tour Works

For a flat fee, a Tasty Bites Food Tours guide will take you through a set route. We chose the La Condesa neighborhood tour, which included stops at 5 taco stands, a Mezcal shop, and an ice cream shop. The tour included a taco at each location, a bottle of water, 1 beer (at the shop of our choice), a shot of Mezcal, and a scoop of ice cream. That’s pretty damn amazing, guys. It’s also incredibly filling so make sure you arrive hungry.

I’m going to tell you every stop along the tour so, yes, you could technically do this tour yourself. However, I have to say that I truly recommend you take the tour with Tasty Bites Food Tours. Full disclosure, they did not charge me to take the tour, but all of these opinions are my own. Our guide, Rob, was so incredibly knowledgeable, not only about the tacos themselves but about the neighborhood, history, and even other neighborhoods in Mexico City. I could barely keep up with all of the information he was spouting at us. He answered questions and provided a lot of recommendations for things to do and see in the city outside of the tour. Ayngelina and I ended up using quite of few of his Mexico City tips during our stay, so I really appreciated our time with Rob. He also was on-point with offering to take photos (and actually framing them so you didn’t look like a hog with half a taco hanging out of your mouth). All of the tour guides speak English, so no worries if you don’t speak Spanish!

Mexico City Taco Tour Stop #1:

Tacos Hola: El Güero – Chile Relleno

This taco shop specializes in guisados or stewed meats, so it’s best to get here earlier in the day when everything is extra fresh. This is also one of the few places you can get guacamole on your taco. Many people think that guacamole will be all over everything in Mexico, but that’s not actually the case. Mexican food does incorporate avocados, but not all that often in the form of guacamole. So if you’re all about the guac, this is the place to get it.

Tacos Hola: El Güero had a variety of taco options, including 2 vegetarian options. (If you want to do a fully vegetarian tour, Tasty Bites does those too!) I was intrigued by the vegetarian Chile Relleno taco, so I chose that one. The menu states that all tacos come with rice, which I assumed would come on the side. I was wrong. To be honest, I was both surprised and disappointed when I was handed a taco with a massive scoop of rice and heap of guacamole on top. For me, the beauty of street tacos is that they are small and simple. This taco felt more like someone tried to shove burrito fillings into a tiny corn tortilla. I also didn’t care for the chile relleno. I love a chile relleno with a crispy fried outside and gooey cheesy interior. This chile relleno was not fried, and the cheese was pretty solid. This ended up being my least favorite taco of the day, but don’t let that discourage you. There were around 7 other tacos I could have eaten at this location alone, so my advice would just be to go for one of the meat options.

Mexico City Taco Tour Stop #2:

El Tizoncito – Al Pastor

The next stop was El Tizoncito, which has a massive sign that claims they are they “Creators of Tacos al Pastor.” That claim is only partially true. Al Pastor tacos were created when Lebanese immigrants arrived in Mexico in the 1900s. When you take a look at the spit of meat used for al pastor tacos, you’ll see the obvious resemblance to shawarma. Al pastor basically means “in the style of the shepherd,” which is a reference to the lamb used by the Lebanese, but Mexicans adapted it and use pork.

So, it’s a stretch to say that El Tizoncito created tacos al pastor, However, El Tizoncito was the first place to

Al pastor meat spit with the pineapple on top

incorporate the pineapple on top of the spit, which is a pretty essential aspect of the classic al pastor taste. Tacos al pastor are my favorite street taco, so I have eaten a lot of them, which meant El Tizoncito really needed to wow me. They did not disappoint. It was the greatest al pastor taco I have ever had. The meat was cooked perfectly and the addition of the pineapple really topped off the taco. As an added bonus, all tacos at this shop come with a little salsa tower that of course includes the typical variety of salsas, but also comes with a hot bean dip and fresh tortilla chips. I really wanted to lick that bean dip bowl clean, but I knew I had a lot of tacos to go, so I showed some restraint.

I also chose to have my beer here because they actually kept them reasonably cold. (My never-ending search for a truly cold beer in Mexico City is a whole other story).

Mexico City Taco Tour Stop #3:

El Grifo – Mezcal

At this point we took a taco break and stopped at a small but impressive Mezcal shop. El Grifo boasts an impressive collection of artisanal mezcals and beers from around Mexico, many of which are not exported. We were each given a shot glass of mezcal along with orange slices, dusted with worm salt. Yes, you read that correctly – worm salt. Mezcal is made with a worm from the plant, and those worms are ground up into a spicy salt which is often added
to the rims of drinks or put on orange slices. It sounds gross, but it’s not. This was fancy stuff so we were encouraged to sip, not just throw it back like we were on Spring Break in Cancun. The Mezcal was really delicious and the sweet and spicy orange slice was the perfect way to top it off. Ayngelina and I enjoyed this part of the tour so much that as soon as we finished all our tacos, we walked back to El Grifo and asked to taste a few more mezcals. They started us out with a few of their recommendations, but as we described what we did or didn’t like about each one, they made suggestions for other bottles to taste. In the end, Ayngelina and I both walked away with a bottle of Añejo Mezcal Don Rey.

Mexico City Taco Tour Stop #4:

Tacos Don Juan – Carnitas

Tacos Don Juan started out as a butcher shop, so they really know their meats. They offer a different type of taco depending on the day, so this isn’t the best place to go if you have your heart set on a specific kind. However, the schedule is set, so you can always pop in and check what they have on each day. That being said, these dudes were butchers, so you can trust that you’re going to get some high-quality meat regardless of the day.

Super friendly shop owners!

The day we visited was Carnitas day. I enjoyed watching the men joke around as they chopped up fresh meat. As soon as they noticed us snapping photos, they hammed it up for the camera. When Ayngelina and I received our tacos, we immediately regretted not splitting one. The taco was much larger than a traditional street taco, so if you’re ordering for a meal, start with just one or two! Don’t forget to visit their salsa bar, which is organized from mild to hot so you can customize your level of spiciness. To be honest, I liked this taco, but I did not love it. Personally, I like my carnitas a little closer to the guisado style, slow cooked and extra juicy. These were tender but didn’t have the juiciness I prefer. Of course, that’s just my personal preference. I can say that the meat was really high quality, you won’t run into any gristly bits here!

Mexico City Taco Tour Stop #5:

El Pescadito – Camarones

As the name suggests, El Pescadito (the little fish) is known for fish tacos. You can choose from a few different kinds, but our guide recommended the camarones (shrimp) because, unlike most shrimp tacos, these were not greasy. You can watch the cooks fry up the breaded shrimp in bubbling oil and then take them over to their impressive toppings bar which had coleslaw, tons of veggies, and, of course, a whole lot of salsa. These tacos were a little tricky to eat with your hands, but they were truly delicious. I immediately made a note to go back to this place on my next trip.

Mexico City Taco Tour Stop #6:

Taquería El Greco – Arabe

This was the most unique taco we had on the tour.

I really loved that the tour included such an untraditional taco and also that it was not just some new wave fusion, but a taco made by a local who has stood at the spit every single day for 40+ years. The tacos are large and served on a filling

Half an arabe taco

pita, so I recommend you start with just one. Since we were nearing the end of the tour, Ayngelina and I opted to split one, and half was plenty! As you can see in the above photo, seasonings are worked right into the meat on the spit, then shaved off, placed on a pita, and topped with gooey cheese. It wasn’t like any taco I have ever had before and I loved it.

Pro tip – El Greco is open until 4am, so if you are out late and dying for a taco, this is a great place to hit up.

Mexico City Taco Tour Stop #7:

Clemont Helados – Ice Cream

I cannot think of a better way to end a taco tour than with artisanal ice cream. If you don’t know this about me, I really freaking love ice cream. Seriously, it is tattooed on my body. Ice cream is life.

Clemont Helados offers a good variety of flavors and they have no problem letting you try as many as you like before you make your decision. I think Ayngelina and I collectively tried 6 or 7 before we could commit. I ended up getting 2 scoops because that’s how I live my life, regardless of how many tacos I have just shoved into my face. I chose Queso cream (kind of like a cheesecake flavor) and plain vanilla. I love pairing a richer flavor with a classic vanilla.

Mexico City Taco Tour – Was it worth it?

I mean, duh. I was very excited to go on this tour and I have to say, it exceeded my
expectations. I loved all but the first taco, and I thought that the added bonuses of mezcal and ice cream really set this tour apart. The locations were really well spaced out so you never had to walk too long between locations. I never felt tired or bored, which are usually my biggest complaints when it comes to guided walking tours. I appreciated all the information our guide offered about the tacos themselves, the history of the neighborhood, and recommendations for other sights and food to check out in Mexico City. If you have 3 hours in Mexico City and a love of tacos, do yourself a favor and take a tour with Tasty Bites Food Tours!

I was so excited to see Nicaragua. It has been on my “to visit” list for years and I had made a goal to see at least one new country in 2018. I had also been trying to organize a trip with my good friend Ayngelina for a couple of years. Our birthdays are both in June, so when we got a chance to spend the first 2 weeks of June together in Nicaragua, we booked it without hesitation.

But isn’t the Civil Unrest in Nicaragua dangerous?

Listen, we weren’t oblivious to warnings about safety issues in Nicaragua. Yes, we had heard that were some problems. Ayngelina had visited 8 years prior and confirmed that the capital, Managua, was pretty shady and recommended that we simply land at the Managua airport and immediately head out to another city.

We had both heard some chatter about civil unrest in Nicaragua. We were aware that citizens had recently hit the streets in protest, demanding that their president, Daniel Ortega step down. In 2013 ,Ortega removed the part of the Nicaragua constitution that placed term limits on presidency, so 2018 is his 11th year in office. Here’s the thing though, guys, lots of Latin American countries have a similar story. Corrupt politicians, shaky so-called “democracy,” , protests – nothing I hadn’t seen before. We had both spent a lot of time in Latin America, both as travelers and residents. We brushed it off, knowing that a less-than-desirable government isn’t reason enough to avoid an entire country.

Travel warnings? Whatever, let’s do this.

We booked our trip in March 2018, back when Managua was the only city making the news. Even then, saying it “made the news” was really generous. If you weren’t looking for news, you wouldn’t find it. We heard through social media that the protests were getting more intense in Managua. The people of Nicaragua were speaking out, saying that “president” Daniel Ortega, was more of a dictator. Ortega did not like that, and reports of him authorizing police to use excessive force with peaceful protesters were trickling in. Travel warnings were starting to pop up on airline websites and embassy webpages. But hey, whatevs, am I right? I was never going to stay in Managua anyway. Every country has dangerous cities. Many countries have shitty presidents (including my own), so why should I let that stop me from visiting a country that I had always heard was full of great people and interesting culture? I wasn’t letting a president-turned-dictator ruin tourism for the whole country.

Apparently the price of my personal safety is around $500 bucks

By the end of May, we had heard a few more troubling reports, but details of civil unrest in Nicaragua struggles still weren’t making national news, so it was hard to gauge just how bad the situation had become. Again, I am constantly told that countries are unsafe only to find that the “dangers” are basic things like pickpockets and sketchy areas – issues every country in the world have. My hometown and current city, St. Louis, Missouri, is consistently named the Murder Capital of the USA, but here I am, not getting murdered, day after day. I have traveled to and lived in many places that are considered “dangerous” (Like Puerto Rico, Argentina, and Mexico), and generally found that, as long as you stayed away from certain areas, things were mostly okay. So, I didn’t take the warnings very seriously.

Still, Ayngelina and I were texting, wondering – should we cancel the trip? We were both hesitant to cancel a trip we had waited so long to take, but really it came down to our non-refundable flights. We figured, if the airline was still willing to fly us to Nicaragua, it couldn’t be that bad. As the trip grew closer, I very purposely ignored any warnings because I wasn’t about to lose $500 bucks just because a country might be unsafe.

Here’s your welcome crew – Masked protesters with homemade weapons

As soon as Ayngelina and I got to Managua, we grabbed a taxi to the nearby bus station so we could get on a micro (van/bus) to León. As we drove through Managua, she and I silently took in the graffiti around the city, surreptitiously elbowing each other to point out billboards or signs that were covered in words like “no more deaths!” and pictures of the president with the word “ASESINO” (murderer) scrawled over his face.

When we were getting close to León, we ran into a tranque, a barricade made of bricks and further blocked off by trucks, guarded by masked protesters. Suddenly, our van was surrounded by about 15-20 people with bandanas over their faces. Some of them were holding morteros, home-made weapons made of pipes fused together, which I later found out were used to launch something similar to a homemade grenade. I obviously did not dare take a photo. However, I had nothing to fear. These were normal citizens, protesting and fighting for their rights. The bandanas and t-shirts covering their faces were there to protect their identity from the government and military, not from us. They meant us no harm. They even gave the bus driver directions on how to drive through a field in order to get all of us safely into the city of León. Still, it was a rough way to begin the trip.

Managua se levanta. Barricadas en varios barrios de la capital: Larreynaga, Puente El Edén, Barrio Costa Rica y Barrio Ducualí. Tránsito cerrado. #Artículo66 #DerechoAInformar #Nicaragua #SOSNicaragua #GritoPorNicaragua pic.twitter.com/s8acGYcJfm

— Artículo 66 (@Articulo66Nica) June 11, 2018

What are you gringas even doing here?

When we arrived at our hotel in León, the lone employee immediately told us, “You are our only guests. If you had not made a reservation, we would have already shuttered our doors. You are very brave to be here.”

Cool cool cool. Super solid welcome. I feel great about all of my choices. On point. 10 out of 10 for responsible decision making.

He went on to say that he recommended we be back at the hotel by dark each night, so that they could lock up and keep up away from any “issues” in town. He added that if things started to get worse, they would arrange transport to take us to a small beach town that would be less likely to be affected.

I mean, at least they have a game plan? This is all fine.

Bugs and bombs

Our first night, we sat by the hotel pool, sipping Toña beers and listening a mix of evening insects and the far-off sounds of small explosions. We learned that on the edges of the town, civilians were already preparing to defend their city. Nicaraguans were making something similar to hand grenades, but with much less fire power. The small bombs can be launched by hand or with the homemade pipe-guns, morteros. When they hit their target, they make a loud BANG then hiss as the wick fizzles out. All night long you could hear the whoosh, BANG, hiss of the small explosives shot through the morteros. But we weren’t scared. We had seen the masked protesters, and they didn’t want to hurt us. They were preparing to defend themselves against police and military armed with AK 47s while they themselves were armed only with rocks, slingshots, and the small explosives shot through the morteros, which do not cause fatal wounds, only burns and smoke irritation.

Granada in flames

Our original plan had been to spend some time in León, head to the beach town of Las Peñitas for a couple days, then travel to the picturesque city of Granada. Ayngelina was regularly checking a Facebook Group of travelers and residents in Nicaragua. As of June 4th, everyone reported that Granada was fine during the day. We were told it would be safe to travel there as long as we stayed in after dark.

On June 5th, we were packed and ready to head to Las Peñitas. Ayngelina checked the Facebook group one last time while we were on hotel wifi.

Granada city hall had been burned down. Other buildings throughout town were scorched or still burning. Barricades had increased. The fight between civilians and police/military was in full force.

It should be noted that everything I have found online reports that the police and military were responsible for the fires. There are many reports and photos of local firefighters trying to save their cities.  This article is in Spanish but contains several videos and photos of Granada around this time.

Granada, Nicaragua yesterday. 2 dead, one a 14 yr old, 70 injured, the mayor’s office burned along with many other buildings, looting, and rioting. This is catastrophic! #SOSNicaragua pic.twitter.com/XAspmCdRP7

— Debbie (@Mygypsytoes) June 6, 2018

In one day, a city that is known for its beauty was set aflame. In 24 hours it went from relatively safe, to unpassable. The extreme escalation scared us both. We were in shock. The city was not gone, plenty of structures were fine, but if city hall was burned down and people were taking to the streets in daylight, we knew we could no longer visit Granada. The people of Granada had bigger things to deal with than a couple of travelers.

It’s quiet here. TOO quiet.

We headed to Las Peñitas to figure out our next steps. Before we left, we begged our hotel in León to take a reservation for 2 days later. They were hesitant, saying that as soon as we left they planned to shut down. In the end, they agreed to re-open for us upon our return. Imagine how bad it has to be for a hotel to consider turning away their only guests.

When we got to Las Peñitas, it was late afternoon, and a large amount of hotels and restaurants seemed to be closed. We found a hotel and the receptionist lowered the nightly price twice even though we were not haggling. She seemed shocked that we were there.

Once we checked in, the receptionist immediately told us that the restaurant would be closing at 6pm. We figured our hotel was just weird, so around 8pm we ventured out into the night. It would be more accurate to say we ventured out into the dark void because absolutely everything was shut down. We walked down the street, banging on the doors of hotels, hostels, and restaurants, asking if we could get a drink and some snacks. They all shook their heads at us, saying they closed at 6pm. Eventually, we ran into a guy who told us that one place at the end of the road was always open. A friendly stray dog perked up and started walking with us. She seemed to know what was up and trotted along side us, leading us down the long, dark road until we got to literally the only open bar in town.

Last night this stray dog lead to me the only restaurant open so I could get pile of French fries & bottle of rum. That beautiful bitch even acted like my body guard then hung out all night, enjoying the food I tossed her, then went on her way. miss u girl pic.twitter.com/LIUcIlSIXX

— Rease Kirchner (@IndecisiveRease) June 6, 2018

We didn’t hear any sounds of struggle that night. Las Peñitas was definitely calmer than León and other cities, but the half-deserted town gave off a semi-apocalyptic vibe. The large hotel had maybe 3-5 rooms occupied. When we walked through town, we tried to decide how many of the restaurants and hotels were closed because it was low season or because tourists simply weren’t coming to Nicaragua.

The decision to leave

While in Las Peñitas we learned that AeroMexico was waiving change fees for travelers in the midst of civil unrest in Nicaragua. We had both flown on AeroMexico and had the same layover in Mexico City. Over the past 3 days we had been monitoring the #SOSNicaragua hashtag on Twitter, which seemed to be the best way to get actual news from around the country. Every few hours, reports of police and military infiltrating a new town would pop up. Photos of more barricades throughout the country littered the feed.

Translation: This is how the town defends the town of Nicaragua against the murderers who use high caliber weapons. 

Así es como el pueblo se defiende el pueblo de Nicaragua de los asesinos que usan armas de alto calibre. pic.twitter.com/9ogzhMsIKv

— Anónimo. (@sharkbooy_) June 20, 2018

As the fight continued and more barricades were built, news of fuel shortages and more violence trickled in. Cities were keeping tourists inside the hotels, 24 hours a day, in order to protect them. We realized that if we didn’t leave soon, we may no longer have the option to go. We made the decision to take AeroMexico up on their offer to change our flights. We were able to get a flight out for 2 days later, on June 8th. However, we were in Las Peñitas, and the airport is in Managua, a 2 hour drive under normal conditions. We had the flight, but we still had to actually get to the airport. We still had our hotel reservation in León for the 7th, so we took it one step at time, focusing on getting back there.

This is war. Again.

León is only about 30 minutes from Las Peñitas, so we had no trouble contacting the same driver who had taken us to the beach town 2 days prior. However, he arrived almost an hour later than planned and explained that he had been in Chinandega, a town about an hour away. He reported that Chinandega was burning and that there were 2 more deaths that he knew of from that morning alone. He also told us that radio stations were being set aflame, “probably so we can’t get any news,” he added bitterly.

He went on to tell us that he had lived through the civil wars of 1979 and 1989. “I never thought I’d live to see another war,” he added sadly. He explained that he paid taxes that were meant to go to public schools, but those schools were falling apart and the government had nothing to say about the dire need for repairs. He seemed stuck between bitterness and disbelief, chuckling and shaking his head, mumbling more to himself than to us.

News and noise – insomnia in a concrete room

We made it to León without incident, but our driver was well-informed of the barricades and knew how to get around them. We asked if he could get us to Managua the following day and he said we would need to leave no later than 6am so that we could hit the road while protesters and police slept. We agreed to leave as early as needed.

That night, we had to be in our hotel room by 6pm, as usual, but this time it felt a lot more ominous. We did not sip beers by the pool, we holed up in our room, eating Pizza Hut, because that’s what was nearby and open. Both of us obsessively checked Twitter for news. We showed each other photos of barricades and reports of fuel shortages. There was nothing we could do but wait and see.

We both tried to sleep, but throughout the night, the blasts persisted. The once far-off sounds of morteros had gotten much closer. I swore I could feel them, but I knew I was just half-asleep, being awoken by the BANG, hiss of the explosions. I considered waking Ayngelina, but realized we were already inside a locked hotel, within a concrete room with no windows. We were as safe as we were going to get, so why frighten her? I found out the next morning that she was lying awake, having the same debate with herself.

Getting to Managua

We were ready before our driver arrived. We said our goodbyes to the only employee working at the hotel, who wished us a safe journey. Our driver was confident that he knew how to get around the known barricades, but 5 minutes into our drive, we hit a brick wall that had been constructed overnight. We got around it fairly easily, but it didn’t bode well for the 2+ hour trip ahead.

The closer we got to Managua, the more loops and turns we made. Our driver was good, he really did know how to get around a city that had become a labyrinth. Every time I saw protesters or stack of bricks, I held my breath, wondering, will there be a way around?

As we wove through narrow neighborhood streets, I couldn’t help but laugh as a series of motorcycles shot out from behind a bus, leaping onto the sidewalks, going against traffic. The ever-resourceful locals were using motorcycles to get around barricades. Our driver explained that the main road to the University had been cut off, and all the motorcyclists with backpacks on were on their way to class. Can you imagine the dedication? To drive through barricades and violence to get to your classes?

It’s over for me, but not for Nicaragua

We made it to the airport without any real incidents. We were perfectly fine and our privilege allowed us the option to leave. It was the right choice for us, but it’s not a choice that is available most of the people in Nicaragua. This fight is far from over, and everything I have seen on social media shows that it is only getting worse. I am appalled that, worldwide, news outlets have been shockingly silent. When I arrived in Mexico City on June 8th, I called my mother, finally ready to let her know that she didn’t need to worry about me because I was safe in Mexico. When I reached her, she had no idea what I was talking about. She hadn’t heard a thing about anything happening in Nicaragua. I called my boyfriend and he confirmed that everything he knew, he knew because I had told him. I had naively hoped that escalations such as city halls in various cities being burned to the ground would have caught the interest of some national news outlets, but I was wrong.

As I finished out my trip in Mexico City, I continued to monitor the #SOSNicaragua hashtag and share what I could on my social media channels. I am continuing to read tweets every single day, and my heart breaks more and more each time I scroll through the feed. I have kept the tweets embedded in this article as PG as I could, but trust me, there are horrifying photos of young people bleeding in the streets, clutching nothing more than slingshots, but shot to death by automatic guns. There are photos of homes burning with people inside. There are photos of children wearing bandanas, both to protect their identities and to protect themselves from tear gas thrown at them by police and military. This is a crisis. I feel helpless. I have tried to find places where I can donate, but this situation escalated within only 2 months, so there hasn’t been much time for organizations to put anything together. If I find anything, I will update this article. For now, I hope to share the news and raise awareness about Nicaragua.

Translation: People of Masaya resist against the government paramilitary attacks. Attacks by the butcher and murderer, Dictator Daniel Ortega. 

#PesteRojaEnLATAM#SOSNicaragua#19jun
Población de Masaya resiste ante los ataques de los antimotines y paramilitares del Gobierno. Ataque del Dictador Carnicero Daniel Ortega Asesino @ONUHumanRights @Europarl_ES pic.twitter.com/3PJDCRGyMy

— Cassy* (@LaCastadivaTSc) June 21, 2018

Yes, this is my story about fleeing Nicaragua during civil unrest, but the real story, the important story, is that Nicaraguans are fighting for basic rights and being shot down in their streets. If you want to know more about how this began, here’s an article written in English by a Nicaraguan-American and another article about the current situation at a University in Managua. Most news is in Spanish and shared on Twitter, so I will also continue to share translations on my Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook periodically. Remember: travel is a privilege, and it’s not always pretty.

Strawberry Vegan Pudding Pops

Refreshing Strawberry Lime Popsicles

Coconut Strawberry Blackberry Popsicles

Visiting Eckert’s Farms

Eckert’s Farms is a favorite for tourists and locals alike. It’s a family-owned and run farm, restaurant, and country store that is open year round. There are several “pick your own” seasons, including apples, pumpkins, strawberries, peaches, and even Christmas trees. If harvesting isn’t your thing, they have plenty of fresh produce for sale in the store, along with other sights and activities. Their restaurant features fresh food and recipes honed by the Eckert family throughout many generations. Their frozen custard is so popular that they sell it at a custard stand right next to the restaurant for anyone who just wants dessert. When the weather is nice there are free concerts, and when it’s not there are always indoor activities like cooking classes and wine tastings. They stand behind their motto of “always in season.”

Strawberry Season at Eckert’s Farms

Strawberries have always been my favorite fruit, so I was very excited that this year was was extra special for Eckert’s, as they were celebrating 50 Years of Strawberries (their 50th anniversary of Pick Your Own Strawberries.) The day was sunny but not too hot, perfect for plucking juicy strawberries right off the vine. Before we loaded up on the tractor, we were offered boxes that I later learned were “half peck” boxes that held about 5 lbs of strawberries each. I insisted that my boyfriend, Pedro, take his own. I had a lot of recipes planned and wanted a lot of fruit to work with.

The strawberry fields are less expansive than the pumpkin rows and apple orchards I was used to seeing at Eckert’s, but there was still plenty of fruit to be picked. We splashed through mud and crouched down to peek through the leaves for bright red strawberries. It was fun at first but, I’ll admit, the whimsy of picking your own strawberries wears off after awhile because there is a lot of crouching down. However, we did have a good time calling out to each other anytime we found either a picture-perfect strawberry or a totally weird looking one. We also enjoyed watching people give up after only getting a couple dozen strawberries, or parents constantly chasing down their children who were spending more time in the mud than picking strawberries. We enjoyed it long enough to nearly fill two half pecks, which ended up being around 8 pounds of strawberries. I was pretty pleased, as you can see.

So what do you do with 8 pounds of strawberries?

Listen, there were plenty fo people who picked a pound or two then just had lunch at the restaurant or took their kids around the children’s area, but I had a mission. My mother is a professional baker and our baking traditions, such as our annual cookie weekend, have instilled a love of baking within me. Recently, I have been on an incredibly restrictive diet at y doctor’s request (health issues are the worst), so all of my usual recipes were out. So, I started off by altering some that I had found online such as this Grain, Dairy, Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Jam, and some simple coconut milk tapioca pudding topped with fresh strawberries. I was trying to decide on a recipe that I could play around with and make my own, and then it came to me: POPSICLES.

I live for hot, sunny weather – frozen treats are important.

I decided to make three different kinds, ranging from “light, refreshing, and sugar free” to “rich and creamy” with a one flavor hovering in the middle. All three recipes are completely grain, gluten, dairy, corn, and soy free! Two of them are completely sugar free as well, so if you are Paleo or Whole 30 Compliant, the first two will work for you. All of them have been taste tested and I can promise you, they are delicious.

Refreshing Strawberry Lime Popsicles

These are the lightest AND the easiest to make. You’ll only need 3 ingredients – Strawberries, lime, and coconut water.

Full recipe here

Coconut Strawberry Blackberry Popsicles

Only 4 ingredients! All you’ll need is coconut milk, strawberries, blackberries, and maple syrup if you want to make them a little sweeter, but you can easily leave that out if you want.

Full recipe here

Strawberry Coconut Vegan Pudding Pops

As an ice cream lover, I was most excited and worried about these. I wanted them to be extra creamy but also wantedto keep them 100% vegan. I did some experimenting and I was very happy with the result. This recipe has a few more ingredients and steps compared to the other two, but you definitely don’t need to be amazing in the kitchen to make these.  If you crave a ice cream/pudding texture, these are totally worth the time and effort.

Full recipe here

These are very simple to make and with one small adjustment can be made Paleo & Whole 30 compliant.

Coconut Blackberry Strawberry Popsicles Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (13.0z) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 3/4 cup strawberries
• 3/4 cup blackberries
• Optional 1/2 tbs pure maple syrup (Leave out to make Whole 30 compliant) 

Instructions

1. Put everything into a blender and blend.
2. Pour into popsicle molds and let freeze for 5-6 hours
3. Enjoy.

Seriously, these coconut blackberry strawberry popsicles are ridiculously simple to make. I admit, I was hoping they would lean more towards the creamy side, but if you really want that ice cream like texture, you’ll have to put in the work for the Vegan Pudding Pops version. However, these still have a lovely flavor, with all of the fruits coming through nicely.

When I decided to experiment with my abundance of strawberries and new popsicle molds, I ended up creating a range of sweetness/heaviness. This recipe is the lightest and most refreshing. This lime & strawberry popsicle recipe is also 100% Whole 30 and Paleo, no alterations required! If you don’t care about Paleo or Whole 30, don’t worry, these are also just light and delicious. Perfect for scorching hot summer days.

Super Easy Lime & Strawberry Popsicle Recipe

Honestly it’s hard to call this a recipe, but here we go.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chopped strawberries
• Juice of 2 lime wedges (about 1/2 a medium lime, but if you love lime, add in extra)
• 1 cup coconut water. *

*I find that so many recipes call for just the cream at the top of the can of coconut milk, which leaves you with the leftover milky coconut water. For that reason, I wanted to create a recipe that used the leftovers. (If you want a recipe that calls for cream, try my my Vegan Pudding Pops recipe). However, if you don’t have any leftovers, you have two options. 1. Buy some high quality coconut water. 2. Freeze a can of coconut milk for 6 hours, then scoop out the cream. Boom, you now have leftover coconut water.

Instructions

1. Coarsely chop up the strawberries (you don’t have to make them too small, this is mostly so you can more accurately measure them into 3/4 cup)
2. Pour entire can of coconut milk into blender
3. Toss in strawberries
4. Add lime juice
5. Blend until smooth
6. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 5-6 hours.
7. Enjoy!

It really is that easy. If you want to kick this up a notch, mix in a bit of vodka for a boozy treat. Otherwise, you can make some very light, healthy, and super easy lime & strawberry popsicles in just a few minutes (minus the freeze time.)

I wanted to make a creamy ice cream like dessert that incorporated fresh fruit and was completely vegan. You can also make these vegan pudding pops Paleo and Whole 30 Compliant by leaving out the sugar!

Strawberry Vegan Pudding Pops Ingredients

• 2 (13.5oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk
• 1.25 – 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, chopped into small chunks
• 3 tbs sugar
• 5 tbs arrowroot powder (If you are OK with grains you can substitute cornstarch)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Put 1 of the cans of coconut milk in the freezer for at least 6 hours. I know this is a pain, but it’s a key part of making these vegan pudding pops thick and creamy!
2. After the first can has been frozen, open the second can of coconut milk. Measure out 1 cup and side aside in a small bowl. Pour the rest of the can into a medium saucepan.
3. Open the frozen can of coconut milk. Carefully scoop out only the cream which has settled on top and put it into the saucepan. Be careful not to get any of the coconut water that should have settled at the bottom. Save the leftover milky coconut water. You can either use it for smoothies or for this other popsicle recipe. 
4. Add sugar and sea salt to saucepan, heat over medium-low heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolves. *
5. While sugar and salt are dissolving, whisk arrowroot into the the coconut milk you set aside. Whisk until smooth.
6. Add strawberries to saucepan. Stir and cook until the coconut milk gets a little pink from the strawberries.
7. Whisk the arrowroot and coconut milk mixture into the saucepan. Make sure you whisk continuously for 30-60 seconds. Your mixture should thicken up a bit, but you don’t want to cook it past 60 seconds, as it could break down some of the arrowroot.
8. Turn off heat. Whisk in vanilla.
9. Let cool to room temperature.
10. Once cooled, pour into popsicle molds and allow to set for 5-6 hours.

*If you want to make this recipe Paleo & Whole 30 compliant, you can skip the sugar. However, if you do this, I recommend adding an extra half a cup of strawberries and letting them cook for a little bit longer in step 6. This will allow some of the fruit sugars to release into the milk mixture, giving you more sweetness without the sugar. 

I know what you’re thinking. That’s a lot of steps, can’t I just mix coconut milk with strawberries? I thought the same thing, and tried a similar recipe, Strawberry Blackberry Popsicles. It’s much simpler and certainly tasty, but it’s not going to give you that creamy ice cream like texture. I absolutely loved these vegan pudding pops, and I’m a total ice cream snob that loves dairy. So, I think they were worth the trouble. Also, as an added bonus, if you have any leftovers, you can eat that pudding as well. Bonus dessert with no freezing required.