Nicaraguan Adventure Overview

Dates - 12/27/10-1/8/11

I had asked a friend about where to go in Nicaragua and he said he had enjoyed the southern area of the country which is amazonian in nature. It sounded like a great time, but I was more interested in the mountain area, as I tend to be. So I planned the trip for my friend and I hitting up things both of us wanted from this trip, he wanted to spend time on a beach and I wanted to explore the plantations and do the home stays. I will say staying in the coffee plantations family's homes was one of my favorite experiences to date. Those people are some of the warmest people I have ever met and being away from the cities and seeing how they live their life (not to mention having really good home cooked meals) was fantastic. I have to thank La Luz y Luna hostel for setting it up and helping support the local workers and their families by hooking the tourists up to stay with them. I highly recommend everyone who goes to Nicaragua, take some time to go up to Esteli and spend some time on the plantations.

Sunsets are amazing! Even better when in the middle of nature!

I also enjoyed the fact that outside of the capital, the people seemed to be very honest (I guess there is a reason my friend told me to get out of the capital asap) and helpful people. My Spanish not being the best, I figured people could potentially be taking advantage of this silly gringo traveling on the buses (loved that their buses between cities were yellow school buses), so I was extremely happy when I found out they were quoting me the prices that were established on the web and what not. 

The cheap and endless supply of Flor de Cana was one of the better parts of the trip. A friend turned me onto the rum a little bit before the trip, so I already enjoyed the bang for the buck this rum provides (even their 7 year is tasty without mixers). However, it is everywhere down there, as it should be, and the price is even better.

The rum special in Leon at the hostel. Amazing! Especially since that coke was rarely (if ever) touched. 

If you are looking for a cheap alternative to Costa Rica, I cannot recommend Nicaragua enough. Country is full of beauty, with tons of things to see and do. We got by with broken Spanish, which was fun practicing at times and frustrating at others, and had a blast everywhere we went.

Cheers Nicaragua! It was an amazing time! Hope I get to see you again soon!

Nicaraguan Adventure - Day 13: Back to the good ole US of A (1/8/11)

After eating the hotel's breakfast, we head to the airport in our hotel's shuttle (100Cpp) which is expensive but I don't like haggling prices so I paid it instead of taking chances with cabs. Get to the airport and check in takes no time at all, nor does security. We then spend some time in duty free where we both bought a box of cigars for souvenirs for friends and got a shot of the 18y Centenario (FdC) with this purchase which was great as it is smooth and tasty. We then get on our plane and head home.

Souvenirs for friends and a nice drink for me? Yes please!

The sales guy for Joya was there doing a wrapping demonstration since the tobacco plantations were closed for the holidays, we watched and chatted with the fella. Was cool watching cigars being rolled. 

Nicaraguan Adventure - Day 12: Take a hike! (1/7/11)

I woke up early to join Don and Emily for a hike up Apante, a mountain right next to the city which supposedly only takes ~2h. I planned on doing this walk, then grabbing our bags and L and heading out; plans are frequently ruined/changed when traveling. We went without a map, which was probably a mistake, so we ask people and they keep telling us to keep going. After not being near the top after 1.5h, we ask some construction workers, and they tell us to go up a different road, and right then a truck pulls up and lets us jump in the bed  as he takes off down the road. He tells us to go down the road to the right, so we do, and we wind up in the middle of a group of people picking coffee beans, one of which tells us not to keep going down the road we are on. We listen and head back up where we found a guy selling food (empanada type thing, ice cream and plantain chips) for the workers. We get back to where the truck dropped us off and the guy who told us to turn around was up there waiting for us and pointed us back towards Matagalpa. We eventually get back to our hostel (4.5h later instead of 2) and find out the trail was at the beginning of where we started; we were doomed from the beginning.  We eat lunch once we got back to the hostel and then L and I head out with a taxi taking us somewhere where L can get his bracelets and then to the bus station where we get an express bus to Managua. 

That is one of the buses responsible for bringing people around the country. As you can see, there are people inside, on top, hanging off it, etc. They do not let a seat keep them from getting from A to B. They also have a bunch of cargo strapped in everywhere.

Even though we didnt get to the top of our goal mountain, we did get some nice views and happened upon a group of coffee workers who just went about their job as we walked through what I am assuming is an area of the woods they dont normally see other people (based on their looks given at me)

Our hostel had a bunny hanging in the lobby area so we tried to play with it. Nevermind bunny's devil eye; I am pretty sure that was the camera since it did not attack me.

Once we arrive, get a cab to our hotel (Mansion Teodolinda) and check in. We shower, and have the shuttle take us to a nearby bar/restaurant area which was pretty cool and really safe. We have a nice dinner overlooking the water to celebrate the end of the trip, get in one last FdC shot. After dinner, we went to a nearby bar, sit outside while enjoying a beer while waiting for the driver to get back and find us. Get back to the hotel to watch some TV before heading to bed.

Christmas tree on the way to the waterfront dining area. A little blurry but you get the idea.

Luis sending the trip off right! With some rum and coke action with a Tona beer on the side. Chances of a good night? 100%

Having some lobster for our last night in Nicaragua. I felt it appropriate to pretend to be a lobster right before eating it.

Nicaraguan Adventure - Day 11: Call me Charlie (1/6/11)

Woke up and had our hostel-provided breakfast (gallo pinto, eggs, cheese, tortillas, and some salsa with a glass of what I thought was pineapple juice), afterwards we planned the day allowing L to take a nap. I use the time to take care of some emails and planning a trip on the next day with some people in the hostel. After he wakes up, we head to the black ceramics store for souvenirs, but we cannot decide on anything so all the pretty stuff stays put. We then go try and find L some bracelets but cannot find anything. We return to hostel and go to the Italian place behind it (La Ville e Bella) as some people were raving about their pizzas. We go in and it turns out, they don't do pizza service for lunch. We order some pastas which were also delicious and then return to the hostel to meet up with Emily to go to La Castilla de Cacao for a chocolate factory tour.

Luis liked his meal so much, he decided to share it with the proprietor's cat. You can imagine, this cat hung around for quite some time after this. 

"I think I see the castle!" yeah we were getting close. So close you could taste it (not yet the tasting comes later)

The entrance/seal to the chocolate castle. Was really cool that it was actually a castle where they made chocolate.

Its a nice little place; the factory is actually in a building that looks like a castle and we are allowed to climb around on the castle after the tour. We then follow this lady around as she explains the process from bean to bar, allowing us to sample the chocolate at various steps throughout the process. After we got back taking pictures from atop the castle, we return and our tour guide has prepared chocolate samples of various types with drinks to do a tasting which was awesome. We then roam the shop and all buy chocolate bars to take home. We then head back to the hostel to do some more shopping and walk around the city.

We have stormed the castle and are now scanning the horizon for enemy combatants. Luis has spotted one.

Luis is taking down the flag after the capture. Not really, no flags were harmed/moved in any of this. He just wanted to pose with the flagpole.  I just wanted a pic of the view from on top the castle. 

Gorgeous day to be exploring a castle full of chocolate.

Our tour guide posing with us. Pay no attention to the bars of chocolate in front of us. Those are not the bars you are looking for. :p

Just trying to enjoy some chocolate and Emily photobombs. How rude! haha!

The lil guy and me learning about chocolate making and exploring the gift shop.

Apparently he is taking up arms. That is his right (at least here in Murica!), Though I dont know that I trust that smile with that gun :)

Afterwards, we chill until dinner where we hit up a local seafood place and get lobster dinners for ~10$. Was delicious (as was the shrimp cocktail) just compared to many of the other dishes we had, you can definitely get great food for much cheaper. Finished our food and returned to the hostel to grab some banana bread for dessert  and grab drinks while playing cards. We then play a hand with the bartender and have a great chill night before I turn in for the night.

Sunset from the balcony of the hostel. Telephone/power lines were everywhere in the skyline in the cities.

Nicaraguan Adventure - Day 10: Back to civilization (1/5/11)

Woke up early and had our breakfast (I destroyed some more coffee/tea) and walked to the bus stop to catch the bus back to Esteli. Upon returning, we went back to our hostel to get locally produced coffee and cigars for people back home, but unfortunately there were no coffee beans for sale. We get to the bus station and head to Matagalpa, where we get a cab to and check into our hostel, La Buena Onda. We got a warm shower and then head out to walk around town as I want to find coffee to bring home. We go into coffee shops where I taste the coffee before buying beans and I cannot find the coffee I had up there, though this coffee was good as well. We then head back to the hostel and make plans for the next day or 2. 

Grabbing lunch in a new city. Looks tasty doesnt it? We thought so too :) 

Barista showing off. hahah Then I had a cup since then and realized this is pretty common place. Either way, it is neat how they can make designs in the coffee.

This was a poster in the coffee shop. Thought it was cool the variety of possible designs.  Kiinda want to challenge the people at the cafe to make em all just so i can see it happen.

Went to Casa Grande for dinner; the food is OK (have had better for cheaper) but they had shark somehow (they were out – maybe they don't ever really have it they just say they do as a gimmick). The table next to us ordered “El Metro” which was a party-sub sized dish with an assortment of appetizers, was pretty impressive looking. After dinner, we head to a nearby bar, Woodys bar and grill, which was all indoors but was an “outdoor patio bar” in feeling. We played darts and had a few beers before heading back to the hostel to call it a night.

Grabbing dinner on a balcony in Matagalpa. Time to feast!

Brave man sitting under the dart board. Yeah we played a few rounds there as that was the actual dartboard. But we took a break to enjoy the swinging chair every now and again. 

Nicaraguan Adventure - Day 9: Got our heads in the clouds (1/4/11)

Got up and had breakfast; while we were eating our guide for the day (Merio?) waited for us to finish. After finishing, we packed up, got a pic with that family, and then headed to the next house (in the top region of the reserve). Walked for 2-3 hours (this time without horses thank goodness), with the last hour or so being the worst as there were tons of muddy roads with few alternate routes; our best path wound up being the least muddy. Part of the walk we were up in the clouds as this zone is known as the cloud rain-forest zone which was really amazing as usually we are well below clouds growing up in Houston, so whenever you have the perspective from above/in the clouds, its pretty cool. 

Heading higher and higher

Look at those clouds move through the trees. I would say its just fog but we are they high up.

We walk down the path and there are just clouds rolling on through. Spectacular!

This house has a sign advertising its offerings. I guess they have been doing this for longer than the other places we stayed?

Found some nice views on our walk of the surrounding area.

We get in early and the host greets us and asks if we want to shower. Since we have been walking and we didn't shower the night before, I showered again, suffering with the cold water like below; this shower was literally a tub of water on top of a wood frame with a nozzle underneath that you stand in the wood contraption to shower and just let gravity bathe you, once again without a water heater so this water was colder than the first, as it is higher in the mountain. After my shower, the lady asked if we wanted any coffee or tea, I don't usually drink coffee, but I figure if I am to drink coffee anywhere, a coffee plantation would be the place. I ask for a cup of coffee black so I can taste the bean, it is the best coffee I have had hands down; I have tried coffees here and there when it is supposedly really good but I still haven't found a coffee that made me enjoy coffee this way. I had a few cups (I seriously couldn't get enough) before asking to try the tea. Yet again, this tea was freaking fantastic. I wish I could have either of those (preferably both) all day everyday. After drinking a small army's worth of coffee/tea, we have some lunch with Malanga, which looked like ham but was textured like a potato. Really weird, but tasty. Hung around the house for a bit enjoying the garden and then after dinner, we played some games and turned in early.

Our host family the final night. That lady on the right makes the BEST coffee/tea one can drink. 

Sunset from the the high country. Definition of serenity.