I wanted to thank you once again for your kind hospitality at Mark and Dave’s last week. I wish I was sitting under the palapa with you this morning having one of Dora and Salvador’s superb breakfasts. Your efforts exceeded my expectations in every way. While nothing but God and fate can control the weather and surf, you have everything else to do with how your guests are accommodated, and you accommodated us on the highest order.
Being in a similar business for so many years I know guests are quick to tell you what’s not right about their stay. Instead, I’d like to mention a few things that will encourage me to return. Please feel free to share these thoughts with the owners and the California office.

* The greeting in airport was wonderful and welcome after a long delayed flight. The van was waiting and the driver amicable, despite the fact he also had to wait three and a half hours for our flight to arrive. You were thoughtful enough to put a few beers on ice in the van and although it was a little thing it took the edge off and put us at ease.
* The Hacienda was as clean and fresh on our arrival as if we were the first guests of the season and not some of the last. * The TV, music, wireless setup was unexpected simply awesome! I know the what it costs to maintain that AV gear (especially with strong onshore winds blowing salt directly into it) but our guys relaxed during the many hours of downtime because you made the investment in that gear and the effort to keep it up.
These things are difficult in an area as remote as southwest Nicaragua but they mattered to a bunch of soft gringos who are used to picking up a phone to quickly resolve issues.
* The food was wonderful and plentiful–very important, as you know, when guests are active and burning a lot of calories. There was always something “local” in the menu, a sauce, local seafood, something homegrown (like beets!). You realized that we can eat white bread junk at home anytime so you made the effort of authenticity and that was appreciated.
* Your staff could not have been better. The ladies in the kitchen never scowled when guys in the group wanted to be fed at different times. You took food from your own plates to refill ours when our appetites asked for more. Little things were important like large pots of coffee, a tank of Gatorade, a cooler that was always filled with cold beer. Adolpho and Santino gave us our space when we needed it but provided such confidence that it never felt necessary to lock a door or hide a stash of dollars.
* When the boyz got restless you let them use your mountain bikes. When the waves got small you said, hey take the longboards out for a few hours. When the wireless went down you fixed it. Your attention to detail was flawless. And the massage program… Oh My God! You know how I felt about that. But to think of the effort that Maria made to work all day in the hospital in Rivas, get on a motorbike and drive an hour through mud and overflowing rivers, make your fat white clients’ backs feel better before going home on a motorbike through the mud and overflowing rivers–and then getting up in the morning and doing the same thing all over again is a work ethic that is nothing short of remarkable.
* Finally, I want to compliment you both on your individual efforts as hosts. It has been a long time since my wife and I were expecting a child but I can still remember those days of delirious exhaustion and complete lack of focus on anything other than the impending childbirth. You showed none of that. Maybe this is a generational difference. Or possibly when things are so easy as they are in the States little things here become major distractions. Whatever, neither one of you showed your personal stress or anxiety during this incredibly important time of your lives. Marie, you are angelic in your pregnancy. Gustavo, I look at you and think that kid will be loved and protected. Thank you so much for being a part of our lives, if only for a short while. I will think of this week often.

With my warm regards,
Jeffrey

Recap For Sept. 22, 2010
By honeySC

This year a group of 20 American’s travel to Nicaragua to form into two tribes, the young and the old in this season’s Survivor Nicaragua. Jimmy Johnson takes control of the older tribe and finds resistance in Jimmy T and Marty. On LaFlor, younger tribe member Kelly B, an amputee, locates a clue to the immunity idol. The older tribe, Espada chooses not to use the Medallion, loses the competition and votes Wendy out at Tribal Council. Holly is unhappy to have turned on tribemate Wendy to vote her out with the rest of the tribe and feels the need to rethink her morality in the game.

Marty, from Espada, expresses concern that there is not a strong shelter in place. Espada holds a morning meeting to divide the chores. Jimmy T is very bothered by the leadership role that Jimmy J is holding. Marty decides to use the leadership role of Jimmy J and keep to the background and lay low.

NaOrka on LaFlor finds that she has a good rapport with Sash as he confides in her that he is of mixed race. He shares with NaOrka that Kelly B has the heart and mind, but her body will not keep up in challenges, and he is looking for the opportunity to vote her out.

Holly sees Jill eating snails and takes offense. Jill, an ER doctor, finds it strange that Holly would take their pot and dump their snails. The tribe discusses her odd move and she overhears them. As revenge, she takes Dan’s shoes, fills them with sand, ties them neatly, and then sinks them in the surf as payback.

Dan soon misses his alligator shoes and cannot locate them. He says that they were $1600, and went missing from his bag. Holly decides to come clean and explains that she took his shoes and put them in the water. Tyrone says that Holly is going crazy and decides to keep one eye on her and one on his shoes. Dan decides that he will not offer any forgiveness.

On LaFlor, Naonka cannot locate her socks and says they were in her shoes. She decides to take Fabio’s socks in retaliation. He wants to approach her to return his extra pair of socks, but she jumps in quickly and attacks him. LaFlor now talks about voting Naonka out at the first opportunity.

On Espada, Holly is having second thoughts about the game and talks about going home. She gets a pep talk from Jimmy J. He says that fatigue makes cowards of us all and reminds Holly that the tribe needs her. She hopes that the emotional meltdown that she had will help her as the game progresses, but fears it will hurt her.

The tribes gather for the challenge. Immunity is up for grabs. One member of each tribe will race through a mud obstacle course to a haystack to locate a ball. Upon returning with the ball a second tribemate will relay until all four balls are brought in. Then other tribe members will balance and toss the ball using shields from shield to sheild to get it into a barrel. There is a reward to this challenge. The winning tribe may choose between a tarp with rope or fishing gear, snorkle, fins, and a spear. The medallion is in play for the older tribe and if they choose to use it, they will begin with one ball in the barrel. This also means that they can sit out a weak member. They decide to use the advantage and Dan sits out. Now that they have played the Medallion, it will move to LaFlor until it is used by them.

The older tribe stays in the lead for the beginning of the challenge, but when one ball is difficult to locate, the younger tribe moves ahead. The older tribe with their one ball advantage finally moves ahead again and Tyrone scores the winning ball in the barrel. Espada wins immunity and they select the fishing gear as their reward.

LaFlor is very surprised to lose the challenge and must make a decision on which tribe member to lose tonight at Tribal Council.

Holly is very excited to win the challenge. Jimmy J says that Holly is doing extremely well now, but his past experience is that a person who has a personal setback will have a second one as well.

Inside the fishing gear they find a clue to the immunity idol and read the clue to mean 15 feet west of tree man. Upon a closer read, jill realizes that it means treemail and tells Marty. The two of them search and locate it. Marty has actual possession of it, but Jill reminds him that it is theirs.

Naonka finds it awesome that Kelly B was not slowed down at all by her leg in the challenge. The girls also realize that Brenda has formed a close friendship with Chase and they decide to break this relationship up. They talk with Shannon about the situation. Shannon goes to Chase and tells him that they want to send Brenda home, but Chase has made an alliance on the side with her. He has to choose where his loyalty lies and decides that he will vote Brenda out.

It is day 6 and LaFlor finds itself splitting. Naonka talks to the girls about taking Shannon out. Brenda decides to form an alliance with Naonka and discusses with Chase taking Shannon out. They think that they can join forces with Kelly Purple. Alina overhears the conversation and Fabio and she talk. They decide that Brenda is causing drama and redouble their efforts to take her out. Brenda feels she has an equal vote to stay. Chase is on the fence and can’t decide which way to vote. Chase admits his alliance to each of them and Shannon accuses him of lying. Jeff says that never in 21 seasons has one question opened up so much whoop-a*. Shannon tells him that if the vote doesn’t go his way Chase will be looked at as the next to go. Jeff reminds him that it might not be the best thing to put it all out there right before the vote and then Shannon opens another can of worms when he says that New York is full of gay people. People in his tribe warn him to hush and he continues to talk. Trust has become an issue and Chase is questioned as someone not to trust. Brenda says she is not plotting and thinks that they want to take out a strong threat. Naonka feels that they are tight and Jeff says that if she thinks the tribe is tight she needs to get out of whatever tree she is in. She admits she does not like Fabio and he says he tries. She says he does not try hard enough. Various tribe members groan and suggest that they get to the vote.

When Jeff asks, Kelly B says that she wonders what will unify their tribe the most. She says people will vote to unify the tribe. Jeff calls for the vote.

Shannon, Brenda, Shannon, Brenda, Shannon, Brenda, Shannon, Shannon, Shannon. The second person voted out of Survivor Nicaragua is Shannon. The tribe has spoken. Jeff gives his thoughts to LaFlor. He says that the biggest threat to this tribe is the tribe itself. He sends them back to camp.

Next week on Survivor Nicaragua:
LaFlor faces a game changing decision regarding the medallion. Naonka strikes saying that she is going to push Kelly B so far that her leg will fall off. Jimmy Johnson tries to regroup with his tribe, and works to recruit loyal members to support his agenda.

Shannon’s Last Words:
He feels that he was targeted unfairly and hopes that the tribe gets what they deserve

Evan Geiselman (New Smyrna Beach, FL), 17, also put in an impressive performance to clinch the ASP Grade-2 US Open of Surfing Pro Junior to solidify the title of 2010 ASP North America Pro Junior Series Champion.

Surfers competing in the US Open of Surfing are out to clinch the crucial ratings points on offer towards their ASP World Ranking while ASP Pro Junior surfers look to finish atop their regional ratings to qualify for the inaugural ASP World Junior Tour.

Simpson, who marched to a dream victory in front of his home crowd last year, surfed consistently throughout the event’s entirety to charge to a nearly unimaginable repeat performance to take his second consecutive US Open of Surfing title and mass of ratings points on offer towards his ASP World Ranking.

“Last year barely sank in and now I won this year,” Simpson said. “It’s so hard to imagine it all over again because you have to stay consistent and surf so many heats. Luckily I zoned everything out and tried not to worry about the points or the money and that’s when I have competed the best. To be at home with so many friends and family, I’ve enjoyed it so much. To win out here two years in a row is unimaginable. ”

We’re looking forward to having Brett visit Mark and Dave’s soon ! check out footage of Brett pulling into monstor barrels at Colorados in Nicaragua on Surfline.

http://www.surfline.com/video/webisodes/simply-simpo-trip-to-centroamerica_25631

sit back relax and enjoy a cold beverage!

Click below to check out the Surfline video!

CENTROMERICAN SURF PARADISE:

click below to watch our you tube videos

Pool Surfing at the house!

Breakfast at Mark and Dave\'s

We rolled down with our family.  It was our kids favorite vacation! We scored epic surf and kicked it in the pool sipping beers… life is good!!! we are scheduling our trip for next year asap!!!