Traditional Dances

Nicaragua
Our home for the next 3 -4 weeks in Puesta del Sol. Nestled in a beautiful azure lagoon on the pristine north Pacific coast of Nicaragua, this 600 acre picturesque resort offers the luxury and amenities befitting a world class hotel while retaining the “off the beaten path” exclusivity of a remote paradise. Unfortunately the recession is here and the tourism is down to about 1%. We were the only guests at the resort enjoying this wonderful place. Robert the owner has spent much time with us explaining the politics and much more to us about this wonderful country we are exploring.
Nicaragua takes its name from Nicarao, chief of the indigenous tribe then living around present-day Lake Nicaragua. A friendly and peaceful country that at times, received an undue share of negative press, Nicaragua is really one of the safest places to visit in Central America. With more than a decade of political stability, this democracy has moved steadily forward, leaving behind the war-torn ‘80’s, remembered as one more chapter in it’s turbulent past.
The nickname “land of lakes and volcanoes” describes this beautiful and fascinating country well. Two great lakes, Xolotlán (Lake Managua) and Cocibolca (Lake Nicaragua) occupy roughly 10 percent of the countries surface area, and are the largest in Central America. Running nearly parallel to the pacific coast is a chain of 58 volcanoes, six of which are active. The country also boasts the longest rivers, vast coastal lagoons, and hundreds of miles of sea coast. As the largest and lowest Central American country, Nicaragua is essentially an emerging “land bridge” between Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Centrally located between North and South America, Nicaragua has benefited from the astonishing blend of flora and fauna from the two continents.

We set out for the town Chinandega on the chicken bus. Remember in the 70´s when there was contests on how many people you could fit in a in a Volkswagon Beetle? Well we had 103 in a school bus for 1 ½ hours. The department [Province or State} of Chinandega is characterized by spectacular scenery, beautiful beaches, and a multitude of relatively unexplored attractions. The department features Nicaragua’s highest volcano, the San Cristóbal, among several other magnificent volcanoes. Pristine beaches, historical towns, estuaries filled with mangrove forest, and some of Nicaragua’s finest churches can all be found in this department. The main city of the department, also called Chinandega. Nowadays, the city is an active commercial center where all types of mostly agricultural products from the region are traded. The city’s good connection with the port of Corinto and the city of León make Chinandega an important hub in the area. Large trucks carrying gasoline or sugar canes are a common sight. Within the city, however, pedestrians and cyclists rule the streets. Tourism is not really very big here.
We returned to the boat to get it ready for Christmas. The lights are on the boat and the decorations are out. It is really hard to believe it is Christmas with temperatures in the 90s.
Robert the owner of Puesta del Sol was going into Managua to catch a flight so he so generously offered us a ride into the City. He so graciously bought us lunch at one of the many steak houses in Managua. We were surprised to learn that Nicaragua exports its beef to most Central American countries and some South American countries. It is every bit as good as Alberta beef. The animals are fed pretty much the same diet as at home. In fact the land is very fertile here.

Alanna arrived right on time and we are busy traveling around the south of Nicaragua. I have lots to write about in the next blog along with pictures. As I am at a internet café I will stop the blog here and continue when we get back to the boat. As I write this Alanna is hiking a volcano for 8 hrs. She will see monkeys, and many bird species. Nicaragua again is a must see country. Awesome.Ken, Alanna and I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas