Index of the ten articles of our two trips through Nicaragua

When I first started to write of our experiences in Nicaragua I did not think it would require ten articles, but that is what happened. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Hmm, according to my Flickr site I have 2,296 pictures of Nicaragua, so I guess it could have run to a lot more then ten articles!

Here are the article links and a short excerpt from each of them:

Nicaraguan Adventures
“When I first planned to write about our trips to Nicaragua I thought I would just make it a one-off. But the more I looked at the many photos I had to choose from – and the more those photos brought back memories almost forgotten – I realized that this will be another multi-parter, just like my Ukraine articles. Oh well, too many photos and too many memories is a good problem to have.”

Nicaraguan Adventures 2: Ometepe Island
“Volcan Concepcion dominates the left half of the photo. This was taken as our ferry approached Moyogalpa, also visible on the left. On the far right distance is Volcan Madera, the other volcano that makes up this dumbbell-shaped island. Most nature enthusiasts try to make it to this more remote volcano because the wilderness is better protected there. But, at least when we were there, the roads were worse and the hotels more expensive.”

Nicaraguan Adventures 3: Granada
“What a contrast this Granada was with the one we had seen in Spain, the city this one was named after by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba in 1524, after having, along with Ponce de Leon and Hernan Cortes, conquered the country! Things did not go so well for him in later years when his patriotism lost its luster in the eyes of the new king. He was beheaded. But – on the positive side – his head was immortalized on the new national currency named after him – the cordoba!”

Nicaraguan Adventures 4: Diria and Masaya
“This town, founded 1523, is famous for medicine and magic, curanderos and shamans. On the festival of San Pedro the excited locals “accompany” the saint as he inspects the village, dancing (the townfolk, not Saint Peter) and, in the case of two or three men I saw in a video, waving around machetes like batons. I guess people come here from far and wide to see this, but my wife and I have seen such goings-on before.”

Nicaraguan Adventures 5: Jinotepe and Leon
“These two towns have at least one thing in common although they are not real near each other: They both had no decent hotel available for us. Consequently we spent only one night in each town. So there will be less commentary and more pictures for this segment.”

Nicaraguan Adventures 6: Jinotega, Selva Negra, and Matagalpa
“This is the scene my wife and I, sitting down after a hike up the mountain, were enjoying when the masked young man came out of the bushes. “I want that phone”, he said, holding up his machete. My wife threw down some money, but he didn’t want that.

“Give me the phone or I’ll kill you.“

“Kill me then“, I said, standing up. At the same time my wife stood up and yelled, “Ladron!” (“Thief”). At this point he lost his nerve, running back into the bushes. I threw a rock at him but don’t think I hit him. We were a bit shaken after this and reported the incident to the police. They faulted us for not going up the mountain with a police escort! I doubt if they even filed a report.”

Nicaraguan Adventures 7: Sebaco, Boaco, and Juigalpa
“The high point of the town of Juigalpa – literally – is the Mirador Loma de Tamames also called the Mirador Sandino boasts a
two dimensional representation – also literally -of their heroic General Sandino. A pleasant enough setting to enjoy the view and relax on benches decorated with paintings of cattle and birds that are now rarely seen near the town.”

Nicaraguan Adventures 8: Somoto & Chinandega
“We stayed at the aptly-named Hotel Panamericano, two blocks off of the international highway of the same name. Of course, “highway” may be misleading. This is just a main two-lane road cluttered with slow-moving traffic, pedestrians, and donkeys. In fact, Somoto is also called “el Pueblo de los Burros” – “Town of the Donkeys”.”

Nicaraguan Adventures 9: Esteli
“In many ways Esteli is quite the contrast to Chinandega (see previous article). The city , 3rd or 7th largest in the country, depending on which website you believe, it manages a laid-back atmosphere without the sketchiness of the previous town.”

“Many of the murals had revolutionary themes. Not surprisingly seeing that this city suffered immensely during the revolution in the 1980’s. The Nicaraguan populace finally won freedom over the Somoza dictatorship but not before serious bombardments from the latter. Esteli, especially, suffered major damage.”

Nicaraguan Adventures 10: Ocotal & Mozonte
“American history that did not make it into most American history books, certainly not the ones I taught with: Uncle Sam turning Nicaragua into its own bloody stomping ground. I have taught high school and junior high history for several years and never came across the embarrassing information I learned from my visit of the local history museum here in Ocotal. I knew the general strokes, the “who” and “where“, but never really processed the underlying “why” of it all. From the 1930’s to the Iran-Contra Scandal of the 1980’s our country’s actions were quite at odds with the democratic platitudes we preached. We were not on the side of the angels on this one.”

Nicaraguan Adventures 9: Esteli

In many ways Esteli is quite the contrast to Chinandega (see previous article). The city , 3rd or 7th largest in the country, depending on which website you believe, it manages a laid-back atmosphere without the sketchiness of the previous town. Or maybe we were just in the better part of the town. The people did seem a lot friendlier. Taking the city bus to the terminal several high school students were very interested in who we were and where we from and what we should see in their city.

But, like Chinandega, we did not stay long here. We never found a hotel to our liking and in our budget range at that time.

We were impressed with the variety of murals throughout the central part of town, many of them very well done.

Above: Environmentally-aware and whimsical murals. The caption reads, “We were born to be free. I don’t buy wild animals.“
Below: Many of the murals had revolutionary themes. Not surprisingly seeing that this city suffered immensely during the revolution in the 1980’s. The Nicaraguan populace finally won freedom over the Somoza dictatorship but not before serious bombardments from the latter. Esteli, especially, suffered major damage.

Left: Che Guevera Center: Map showing Esteli and Northern Nicaragua. The surrounding dark green areas are the several nature areas. Right: Demonstration or “Manifestacion”.

Left: Bullet holes still visible in what is now the “Association of the Mothers of the Heroes and Martyrs of Esteli” Right: “Nuestros derechos hasta cuando?”, loosely translated to “How long before we get our rights?”

Demonstrations seen on our hotel TV showing that we did well to avoid Managua. A little too much excitement.

Above: A lot of cattle-raising in this area. The ones we saw look sleek and healthy. The horses also. Not like the unfortunate gaunt creatures I saw in Chinandega.
Below next three rows: Views of the downtown area.

Next: Ocotal and Mozonte

Nicaraguan Adventures 8: Somoto & Chinandega

Somoto, refers to the town and the canyon just a few miles north. We stayed at the aptly-named Hotel Panamericano, two blocks off of the international highway of the same name. Of course, “highway” may be misleading. This is just a main two-lane road cluttered with slow-moving traffic, pedestrians, and donkeys. In fact, Somoto is also called “el Pueblo de los Burros” – “Town of the Donkeys”. The hotel was cheap enough and the owner was very accommodating. The only sad part was seeing those nervous spider monkeys kept in small cages.

The photos are from our two separate trips, November 2018 and May 2019.

Left: Government building with Sandinista flag over the entrance. Top Right: Waiting for a ride at the bus terminal. Lower Right: Our favorite meal in Somoto are the Nacatamales. Much better than the usual tamales we get in Mexico. Ours had mixed into the masa rice, meat, potatoes, olive, and raisins. And I’m sure I am forgetting an ingredient or two.

Opposite the well-shaded town square is the Templo Santiago Apostol, built in 1611. One of the very oldest churches in the country.

Incendiaries & Ice Cream (in the far right corner). The town, like in other rural parts of Nicaragua, has several Sandinisti and Socialist-themed murals.

We were planning on exploring the area outside of town but found the surrounding hills hard to get to. Also we had heard that robberies have been known to happen in the hills close to town. So we took the local bus to go to a famous, and safer, canyon of the name as the town. It was worth the trip. Somoto Canyon is maybe two kilometers from the Honduran border.

I wanted to do some hiking in these hills bought we heard too many cautionary tales of muggings.

Bus rides in Nicaragua are always an adventure, good and bad. The seating – at least for this tall Gringo – is excruciatingly cramped. And the driver often has the music playing really loud. We routinely take earplugs with us.

Do you see the ladder and bars around the top of the bus? I have seen the helper climbing up from the front on to the top and then see him come back in the bus via the rear door. All while the bus was in transit down the curvy road!

On our last day trip to Somora Canyon we rode out on the bus you see here, but came back in a crowded transport truck. We waited over on hour for the bus that never came.

The real draw to this area is the canyon, not the town. We came here twice. One of the times we hired a boatsman to take us far into the canyon. The second time we entered from a different road and traversed the canyon where it was more shallow.

Left: Coming back from our canoe trip we met a Chinese tour group entering in. 大家好! Center: Plenty of of livestock wandering through parts of the National Park. Right: Along the steep sides of the canyon there were the stately Cardon Cactuses.

We chose the muddy Frostian path less traveled. But well-traveled by cattle, making our hike difficult. I think my weight doubled with each muddy footstep!

Two beauties of the canyon. Left: Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Myiodynastes luteiventris Right: Turquoise-browed Motmot, Eumomota superciliosa. This second bird is called “Pajaro Reloj” – “Clock Bird” because his tail swings back and forth like an old-fashioned clock.

Our second time here the path was impassable without getting the feet – or hooves – wet.

Left: The loud rattle of the Ringed Kingfisher, Megaceryle torquata, is almost always heard before seen. Right: Blackbelly Racerunner Lizard, Aspidoscelis deppii.

Left: I don’t mind getting wet. At least in areas where there are no crocodiles! Right: At the end of our boat ride, before heading back.

Next: Chinandega, a sketchy little town that kept us on our toes. See the map for the location of both of these towns.

We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with … Molotov Cocktails? A contrast of wars and warriors, sword and shield armored angel (?) and a plucky revolutionary, lighted Molotov in one hand and firearm in the other.

Close to this statue, thankfully not visible, was a scrawny guy who, well, clearly did not know how to work his zipper correctly.

1. Our bus that brought us here was quite colorful. 2. Painted statues and pithy political slogans are common throughout Latin America. 3. This Orange-chinned Parakeet, Brotogeris jugularis, doesn’t really fit in this set of four but it was the only bit of wildlife I saw in this town. 4. A common mode of travel here is the pedi-cab taxi.

Above and Below: Market area spills over into several side streets.

In our hunger we momentarily forgot that ordering pizza anywhere south of the Rio Grande is a risky proposition. We waited almost an hour for this pizza. Yet it was clearly undercooked. Not worth the wait.

It was hard to know where the bus terminal starts and the market ends.

I would have taken a few more pictures but after I took my phone out I was warned to put it away because of all the thieves and pickpockets. All in all this town was one of the least favorite places we visited.

Next: Ocotal, Mozonte, and Esteli, colorful and quaint corner of northern Nicaragua. I would have liked to have stayed longer in these next towns.

Nicaraguan Adventures 3: Granada

What a contrast this Granada was with the one we had seen in Spain, the city this one was named after by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba in 1524, after having, along with Ponce de Leon and Hernan Cortes, conquered the country!

Things did not go so well for him in later years when his patriotism lost its luster in the eyes of the new king. He was beheaded. But – on the positive side – his head was immortalized on the new national currency named after him – the cordoba!

The Guadalupe Church, at the end of Calzada street is, in my opinion, the best example of colonial architecture of the entire area. It was built in 1626 by Fray Benito Baltodano, but rudely repurposed as a fortress by William Walker in 1856. That man sure caused a lot of trouble for this city and country.

These next two or three articles will feature, along with the current city, Diria, Masaya, and Jinotepe. See map.

Cemetery, left and right: Not too far from our hotel was this cemetery. Along with the beautiful carvings and interesting descriptions there were delicious mangoes on the ground. Everywhere. Unpicked – because they clearly come from all those dead people nearby! Some people are strangely squeamish about this.
Every few days we left with a whole bagful.
Center: One of several memorial markers on a side street.

A horse is getting good exercise along Lake Nicaragua. This is by the dock area, where ships used to go to Ometepe Island.

Hotel Arca de Noe. In our eighteen months away from the US on this particular trip we have stayed here more than any other hotel. It truly is our home away from home. Great staff, accommodations, and fellow guests. Great value for the money. Highly recommended. We made friends here from China, Germany, Poland, France, just to name a few. It was a pleasure to compare travel notes and put some of other language skills to use.

Every morning here starts out with breakfast, coffee and, more often than not, interesting convo.

Left: Cinnamon Hummingbird, Amazilia rutila
Right, top: Blue-gray Tanager, Thraupis episcopus
Center: Northern Jacana, Jacana spinosa
Bottom: Scrub Euphonia, Euphonia affinis

It was a pleasure exploring the streets and alleyways of this town.

Trash day. Hustling instead of hydraulics gets the job done here.

Left: Iglesia de la Merced built in 1534, just a decade after the establishment of the city itself, oldest church in Granada. For a fee of 30 cordoba (less than a dollar) you can ascend to the bell tower to get a great view of the town and lake.
Center: Young Granadians trending down the Paseo de los Mangoes leading to the lakefront. The street is well-named. We would do our best some mornings to get as many fallen mangoes as we could before the street-sweepers gathered them as trash.
Right: Iglesia de Xalteva, named after the indigenous people who lived here before Spaniards took over..

“Ortega assassin” is written on the battered wall. Nearby here and also battered – burnt and blasted, as well – was the Palacio. It had been targeted by mobs about a month before we arrived here the first time. And the second time we returned next year it was still not repaired. Who burned it down? Government or anti-government elements? Who knows? Each side blames the other.

I still like this photo, though.

Next: Masaya and Diria.

Nicaraguan Adventures

When I first planned to write about our trips to Nicaragua I thought I would just make it a one-off. But the more I looked at the many photos I had to choose from – and the more those photos brought back memories almost forgotten – I realized that this will be another multi-parter, just like my Ukraine articles. Oh well, too many photos and too many memories is a good problem to have.

We made two trips to this country,October to the end of December 2018 and returning later May to July 1st of 2019.

The first time we came up from costly Costa Rica and came to Rivas (see map) and then took the ferry to Ometepe Island. After that we headed north to Granada and elsewhere. The second trip we came down from Honduras and ventured into other parts of the country.

Rivas used to be quite the happening gateway to the West. Cornelius Vanderbilt, taking advantage of the California Gold Rush of 1849, facilitated easier passage from the eastern US to California. Steamships left New York and entered the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua. From there they navigated the wild San Juan River until it opened up the southeast corner of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca on the map above). Crossing over to the dock near Rivas, California-bound travelers were conveyed over to the Pacific coast where another steamer took them northward to the land of golden promise.

Mr. Vanderbilt made a killing in the decade immediately after the Gold Rush. Following after him, the piratical William Walker also made a killing. Many killings, in fact. And he was able to connive for himself, for a short while, the self-declared presidency of Nicaragua. Believing in Manifest Destiny, his goal was to make the country an extension of the pro-slavery South of the US. He also managed to earn undeserved but official recognition by President Franklin Pierce. In addition, he managed to earn many more enemies: Vanderbilt, the local government and most of the populace and, in a few short years, the US government. Finally captured in 1860, he was executed just before the beginning of the Civil War.

The cathedral is perhaps the main – maybe only? – tourist attraction of this town.

The interior has a fascinating mural above the altar. Clearly there is some local history depicted here. This being a Catholic church in a very Catholic part of the country it is not surprising to see the Saint Peter ship victorious over those perennial enemies, Communism, Protestantism and secularism. These are symbolized by the sinking ships and foes languishing on rocks. I left out one of the enemies because I could not quite make out the writing.

Communism? Hmm. I wonder if President Ortega plans a do-over of this mural.

Bananas, mangoes, papayas, and some other produce here are abundant and cheap. And the local go-to food in the eateries, in my opinion, are the satisfying papusas, usually served with well-vinegared cole slaw.

Horse and pedal taxis were common here. We took one of these to the dock to the ferry that crosses over to Ometepe.

We did not stay too long in this town, but it was pleasant enough for the couple of days we stayed here each time.

Next: Ometepe Island