http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Nicaragua en-us Sun, 08 Nov 09 20:26:35 +0000 Sun, 08 Nov 09 20:26:35 +0000 Alright....so Chinandega is supposed to be the second biggest town in Nicaragua. Im not usually a big fan of big towns but I liked this place. The Collectivo dropped us off at the main bus terminal and from there we had to take a taxi to the only recommended place to stay we didnt have a lot of options because we got there after dark. We settled in and asked where we could get some food. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Chinandega/Chinandega/blog-450748.html Vorerst....Fotos gibts spaeter weils gerade Probleme mit dem hinauflauden gibt.In Nicaragua waren wir bisher in 2 Staedten und haben danach ein bisschen Natur angeschaut. Zuerst sind wir nach einem Hickhack mit Geldwechseln und Ein und Ausreisegebuehr bezahlen in Leon angekommen. Leon ist die Stadt in der die Revolution in den 50ern angefangen hat und dementsprechend ist auch der Flair hier... http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-450507.html Beste allemaalOndertussen is het alweer een weekje of 23 geleden dat er een teken van leven via deze website verzonden is dus hier weer een beknopte update van de meest boeiende dingen die ik gedaan heb. Het zal vast weer een waslijst worden maar veel dagen heb ik ook enkel op m'n luie reet gelegen .Costa RicaMonteverdeIn Monteverde ben ik maar 2 nachten en 1 dag gebleven aangezien hier enkel http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Granada/Parque-Central/Cathedral/blog-449807.html Photos of the fair in San Lucas and the hipico or horse parade... of mamitas porch and of a visit to el espino. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Madriz/Somoto/blog-447832.html Hey from the wilds of NicaraguaI donrsquot remember when I wrote the last mass email was. Been a long timeI have been here in the Nica for over a year having arrived in country last September. I swore in as a Peace Corps Volunteer just before Thanksgiving and was placed in the community of Moropoto Madriz. At the end of next month I will be half done with my service This year has been http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Madriz/Somoto/blog-447829.html Soooo....much has happened in the last week or so and some of it not very good. But we'll start with the good stuff firstPrimero I'm going to post a couple pictures of a wave sequence my buddy Keith caught while we were in Popoyo. One of the best and biggest waves I got all day and luckily he got the whole thing. As you can see I still have some things to work on...but I made the drop and http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Leon/Lagartillo/blog-447150.html Greetings from NicaraguaWe left Costa Rica on the 24th after heading back through the capital to perform some business and eat Taco Bell. I had a Crunchwrap Supreme and it tasted delightful. It tasted like the same dirty meat they use back in the states so it was a welcomed and heartwarming treat. We caught a fancy bus complete with air conditioning...the first wed experienced in 2 weeks http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Playa-Madera/blog-444818.html Got my new camera And Lenin and i have taken a lot of photos in the last few days... here is a selected photo essay....Thursday 15 October730amArgh. Okay so I came into Managua to have a catscan of my lungs. Fine. The ISSUE has nothing to do with medical stuff though. The issue is that Lenin and I went to the bank and paid the fees. HE paid the total of 131 and the 12 fee for the 1800 http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Madriz/Moropoto/blog-444776.html I was only for a short time back in Guatemala. From Livingston I went by boat to Rio Dulce. The beauty of the forest passed by and I enjoyed the boatride a lot. After spending one night in Rio Dulce I went back to Guatemala city to catch the international bus to San Salvador the capital of El Salvador. The next day I walked into the old part of the city center. It was quite a long walk but I like http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/blog-444525.html July 10thI arrived in Managua at midnight and was shuttled to the Managua Backpackers Hostel for the steamy first night in Central America. There is little that appeals to me about this capital city of 1.5 million so I left the next morning with a couple of Brits to Leon in Northwestern Nicaragua. We found a hostel owned by English and Barbadian business partners trying for Nicaraguan citizensh http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/blog-443893.html Stuff that has happened...I turned 27.Lenin and I went to the bank yesterday and paid the nonrefundable fees to set up an interview at the American Embassy in Manangua Nicaragua so he can get a tourist visa and come to my country and meet my people for the Navidad.Annnnnd After having my camera stolen at the beginning of August and suffering through 2 12 months without one arriiiiiiived in t http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Madriz/Somoto/blog-443808.html Estel This town is quiet and hardworking unless of course they are celebrating thier patron saint in which case the whole town shoots fire works off from dusk until dawn and spends the day eating raspados around the town square. The horses even dance to the marching bands while on parade.We visited the Nicasa cigar factory today which makes cigars for international export and uses genuine Havan http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Estel-/blog-443342.html 4 October 2009Sunday 647 pmHavenrsquot written in a while. The week of medical crap in Managua and the excess of down time and internet searching and emailing and chattinghellip kind of wore me out. Decided I was thinking too much and it would be better just to get back here and move on with my life instead of all the ldquowhat ifsrdquo that were running through my mind.The upside of ha http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Madriz/Somoto/blog-442351.html Yo MTV raps from MatagalpaWORDIt is about to rain so we thought we would enter a little info enjoy.Matagalpa is a nice city finally. We have enjoyed other places but this feels like it is really someones home. People are helpful and friendly but not overbearing and there is even a real super market with organized shelves with the meat in a cooler. Wild. The city sits in a valley surrounded b http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Matagalpa/blog-442141.html Although Pochomil sits on the Pacific ocean has a beautiful long streach of beach and a town set up for ripe tourism it has become a ghost town. We were one of three tourists in the community and were constantly accosted by vendors selling the same necklaces. A man asked us to come and eat at his restaurant and we said we would consider it. Then he politely waited a couple of hours for us to http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Pochomil/blog-441813.html Hello peoplesWell after the Laguna de Apoyo we walked and bussed our way to Masaya a city recognized for its markets handicrafts and artisens. It is also apparently a party town with nearly three months of weekend festivals from September to November. The weekend of our arrival was the celebration of the towns patron saint San Jeronimo. The celebration concluded on Sunday with Masayas versi http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Masaya/blog-441804.html For those of you who are out of the loop which means everyone but family I have been reevaluating my service and wondering if its worth it to stay for the 2nd year.But then I thought well does it really matter if I go back to the States right now Not really. There arent any jobs. And no one said the Peace Corps was gonna be easy. And if I stay I will have one more year to speak the Sp http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Madriz/Somoto/blog-440502.html The 24th we spent traveling from the island to the mainland to end up in Granada. The city was the colonal capital of Nicaragua and was recently completely overhauled and given a fresh coat of paint. It looks like it did 100 years ago just with cars and more whities walking around. It is a beautiful city with many old churches and new coffee shops to enjoy. We stayed at the Bearded Monkey host http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Granada/Municipal-Market/blog-439755.html Yesterday we traveled by bus all day and got to The Hotel Hacienda Merida in Merida in time for dinner. We have a fan in this room This hostel is beautiful and the grounds are right on the lake. There hotel offers kayaks for rent horses guided tours all over the island has hammocks all over the place dogs for friends and best of all it is quiet. The hostel employs 18 and much of its pr http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Isla-de-Ometepe/Merida/blog-439224.html Because today is a list dayThings I lovefree medical care thank you taxpayers and the peace corpsthe hotdog lady who has set up shop outside the office since we are in a rich part of town and there is NOTHING to be eaten on a volunteer budget except her hotdogs.Things I don't lovecavitieschest exrays and things in my lungs being away from my home in the mopo and my fiance longer tha http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-438825.html