I just came back from Nicaragua and am happy to report that, as always, the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes continues to deliver a sensory bombardment that is as pleasant as it is exhausting. I visited Granada's airy new colonial hotels, went water-skiing in Lake Cocibolca, trekked the shores of Laguna de Apoyo, meandered the Municipal Market in Masaya, attended a rowdy baseball game (San Fernando v. León) on the malecón, played guitar and sang at Bar Chango in Managua, peered into an active volcano crater with old friends, and climbed bell towers with new ones. In short, every waking moment was an unpredictable, vibrant experience, especially since the country was exploding with virgin fever—and I mean that literally, with bombas and fireworks bursting through every early morning, day, and night that I was there—as Nicaraguans celebrated the Immaculate Conception with procession after procession. Entonces my fellow Nicaphiles, I'd like to share a few pinolero-posts from my personal travel blog, The Tranquilo Traveler. You are invited to browse Fair Trade gift ideas from Building New Hope, watch a sunset bell-ringing from a tower above Granada, and check out these slide shows of Masaya and Granada. Enjoy!