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Nicaragua Travel Blogs

Background: The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

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By A Gant
July 7th 2006

Random pictures

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua

Old Fashioned home cooking
Anabell's sister inlaw prepares chicken soup over a fire.

I want to give you a Photo Tour: I stayed for a week with a friend of mine that I met on the bus ride from the Fabretto Office in Managua to the Education Center that Fabretto runs in San Isidrio. Her name is Anabell. She is a Fabretto becada who is studying to be a French teacher and she works at Fabretto in the mornings helping out. Mostly she just asked me a lot of questions about English. I forgot her name, like I always forget everyone else’s name. Then I saw her again on Friday in the office. This [View Full Entry]

By Tom Travels
July 1st 2006

Finally in Granada, but with a price

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

It's been an exhausting couple of days of travel. Yesterday, following the all-you-can-drink fiasco at the dive shop in Utila, I arose early to catch the ferry to La Ceiba, where I caught another bus to Tegucigalpa. I met a cool guy on the bus there from Arizona, who told me quite a few stories about his travels. One in particular he told sticks in my memory, and I'll recount it.. A fellow he was talking to was traveling in Guatemala. This guy was from Australia, and keep in mind that there is no Australian embassy in Guatemala. The guy was [View Full Entry]

By Seeta
June 29th 2006

Organic farming, horse-back riding, and folkdancing!

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Nueva Ginea

Horse & rider.
This is the pony/horse that I rode back from the farm. Poor thing was EXHAUSTED by the time we arrived!

The past few days I have had some pretty cool experinces: possibly some of my favourite since I arrived! It began on Saturday, when I accompanied a neighbour of mine to her organic farm, and learned how to make organic fertilizer. There is a lot more to it than just composting and putting cow manure on the plants-- it is in fact a very time consuming and elaborate process to ensure that the fertilizer is JUST RIGHT for the plants (Not to acidic, not too wet or dry). Yet this was no ordinary organic farm (that in and of itself sounds [View Full Entry]

By Seeta
June 25th 2006

Nicaraguan Churches

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Nueva Ginea

Family groups
Once again the "family groups" on fathers day in la profecía. As you can see, the caulture here is much more PHYSICAL: personal space is mch reduced, and touching to express affection is common, espec... [more]

I have had some interesting expereinces at the various Churches of Nueva Guinea. Nueva Guinea was founded by a Baptist pastor in the 1970´s, so it has highly Evangelical roots-- apparently one of the only cities in the country that is predominantly Evangelical, as opposed to Catholic. Although I have noted the predominance of the Evangelical church in the Nicaraguan culture here in general; as opposed to the highly Catholicized society of Mexico, where the Catholic Church reigns supreme. I shall begin by describing my trips to the Evangelical Churches... I have attended two different Evange [View Full Entry]

By A Gant
June 24th 2006

Gettin down with the cool kids!

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Managua

The bus
How we get to San Isidrio. It is a dusty/muddy road, depending on precipitation. And we all squeeze in; 3-6 to a seat. But it is fun!

9-22-06 So yeah this week I was a teacher in a school 15 minutes outside of the capital of Managua. The kids are awesome, and really know how to get down. (Check out some of the pictures if you don´t believe me.) They learn how to dance like when they are 3. Anyway, I also took the time to write more insightful observations about the children I met. The Youth: I really love the students… of course I do. One, Janet who is 16, wants to be a doctor. We always talk after class. Another friend, Fatima, who is 27 years [View Full Entry]

By BexProfit
June 24th 2006

Nicaragua

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Isla de Ometepe

Volcan Momotombo

From Rivas, I managed to get to the port and over on the ferry to Omotepe island. Omotepe consists of two volcanoes- Fire and Water, the latter being inactive. It is a beautiful spot, although like the rest of Nicaragua has very basic facilities. I stayed in town one night and wandered around during a power cut - there is a main street and not much else but I sat on the edge of their 3D model of the island down by the shore and was given a gift of local fruit by a group of boys to munch on as [View Full Entry]

By Mark and Marias Great Adventure
June 12th 2006

More Smoking Volcanoes / Más volcanes humeantes

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua

Granada: Cathedral / Catedral
A time capsule was buried under the cross in 1899, hoping for a peaceful 20th century (unfortunately they didn't have much luck) ********* Bajo la cruz hay una cápsula del tiempo, enterrada en 1899 co... [more]

After going through Panama and Costa Rica at a somewhat leisurely pace, we realised we would have to speed up a bit if we wanted to make it to Mexico in time for our flight a month later (we only had 2 months for our entire journey through Central America). Consequently, we didn't make as many stops in the countries that followed, which means the next few blogs will be shorter than usual (is that a sigh of relief we hear?). The border crossing into Nicaragua was the most eventful yet. We had read somewhere there was an [View Full Entry]

Ometepe: Making new friends / Haciendo nuevas amistades

Ometepe: Maderas Volcano Crater Lake / Laguna en el cráter del Volcán Maderas

By Seeta
June 12th 2006

Managua: Desterted City Core & Urban Forest

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Managua

The View From Here
This is the view of Managua´s sky-line from the top of a monument on the lakefront. As you can see, the city looks tiny due to the tree cover. And the only skyscraper is the Central Bank: buildings mo... [more]

I have just reterned from a week long vactaion in Managua (as Juliana´s sister was visiting from the US, so she took the week off to spend time with her-- and I came along). I feel bad about the time away from the job, and spent the first 5 days feeling guilty and restless (I have realised that "relaxation" is something very trying for me, and I get very stressed-out when my time is not constantly occupied!). Juliana was kind enough to take me around the city on one of the days (a welcome escape from the house, and endless hours [View Full Entry]

Crumbling Cathederal: Legacy of the 1972 Earthquake

By A Gant
June 10th 2006

Flyin through the Rainforest

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Mombacho Reserve

Repel much?
I apparently don´t. I was screaming the whole way down. It was a lot of fun though... kind of like those rides at Six Flags where they raise you up and drop you.

6-10-06 At the grocery store, we were going to buy some meat. When we arrived they were serving number 93. We took a number and were number 47. “What does this mean?” I asked in Spanish. The answer: that they get to 100 then start all over again. So we had some time, and of course that meant that we would start talking. There was this pretty cute Nicaraguan that I flirted with. It was funny because he told me to take a picture of this funny woman with huge rollers in her hair. I was just thinking that I would [View Full Entry]

By A Gant
June 9th 2006

Grenada: The first day

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua

The main Church
In Grenada, there are around 8 churches, they are all Catholic. This church is near the center park, and is by far the most beautiful. Notice the clouds and the mountain in the background.

6-8-06 OK - So, mi primer dia en Nicaragua… y como siento yo? Bien. When I got off the plane I lost my bags, but I think they will be coming on the plane tomorrow. I shall see. La comida: rica. La clima: bonita. La gente: generosa y amigable. Reynaldo is so very nice. And he is so very meticulous, watching out for every detail just like he did over our conversations on AIM. I have to correct one thing, though, he does work on children rights in Nicaragua only, not the Dominican Republic. I misread an MSN conversation that we [View Full Entry]

Links: Nicaragua Travel Blogs (all) | Nicaragua Travel Photos | Nicaragua Travel Forum | Nicaragua Facts | Map of Nicaragua

Travel Blog » Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua