Nicaragua 2017
Because I've always enjoyed myself in countries where Spanish is the first language; because I especially loved my two business trips to Guatemala; and because I was looking for an easy travel vacation, I decided to visit Nicaragua this past March, from the sixteenth to the twenty-second. I used a modest number of my Delta frequent flyer miles to get to Managua on two relatively short flights: less than six total air hours, with a layover in Atlanta. And I got lucky on the flights by being upgraded to business class. Though by Minnesota standards our winter was mild, it was still winter and I looked forward to what would be a guarantee of sunshine and ninety-degree temperatures. Just the way I like it. That there was only a one-hour time change for me and that Nicaragua has the same electrical voltage and frequency as the U.S. were bonuses.
Since the middle of the nineteenth century, the United States and Nicaragua have had a tumultuous relationship, with the U.S. probably trying to exert too much influence on the country, including when a Tennessean named William Walker entered Nicaragua in the 1850s and declared himself president. No joke. In 1857 he burned Granada, the oldest city in the country, to the ground. But you know what they say about turn-about and fair play. Well, after irritating everyone in Central America, Walker was captured by the British and delivered to the Hondurans, who executed him by firing squad. Anyway, early- and late-twentieth century weren't much better for the two nations. But because politics, government, and the military are almost always complicated and corrupt, I'll leave this topic to those who find it interesting to do their own research and draw their own conclusions as to what did or didn't happen, should or shouldn't have happened, in recent history.
Nicaragua's 6.1-million people are mostly mestizo, with some white, fewer black, and even fewer indigenes rounding out the population. It is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with an economy based on agriculture, tourism, and mining. In area, Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and its geography is composed of three regions: the Pacific lowlands, where I spent my time; the north-central highlands; and the Caribbean lowlands. For fauna, its surrounding oceans have, among other animals, the bull shark, one of the most ornery of that species. This shark can survive in fresh water and has been found in Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan River. But as far as nature goes, Nicaragua's greatest feature is its volcanoes, of which it has plenty, and most of them are active. They are incredible.
Ramblings
Since the middle of the nineteenth century, the United States and Nicaragua have had a tumultuous relationship, with the U.S. probably trying to exert too much influence on the country, including when a Tennessean named William Walker entered Nicaragua in the 1850s and declared himself president. No joke. In 1857 he burned Granada, the oldest city in the country, to the ground. But you know what they say about turn-about and fair play. Well, after irritating everyone in Central America, Walker was captured by the British and delivered to the Hondurans, who executed him by firing squad. Anyway, early- and late-twentieth century weren't much better for the two nations. But because politics, government, and the military are almost always complicated and corrupt, I'll leave this topic to those who find it interesting to do their own research and draw their own conclusions as to what did or didn't happen, should or shouldn't have happened, in recent history.
Nicaragua's 6.1-million people are mostly mestizo, with some white, fewer black, and even fewer indigenes rounding out the population. It is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with an economy based on agriculture, tourism, and mining. In area, Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and its geography is composed of three regions: the Pacific lowlands, where I spent my time; the north-central highlands; and the Caribbean lowlands. For fauna, its surrounding oceans have, among other animals, the bull shark, one of the most ornery of that species. This shark can survive in fresh water and has been found in Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan River. But as far as nature goes, Nicaragua's greatest feature is its volcanoes, of which it has plenty, and most of them are active. They are incredible.
Ramblings
- I didn't find the locals to be friendly...or unfriendly. Nor, with one or two notable exceptions, were the women appealing. (I'm sure they thought the same of me.) I suspect it's the Amerindian influence. (Pardon my chauvinism and racism.)
- Odd as it seems for a country with a literacy rate of just 78%, Nicaraguans sure love their poetry—one of their national heroes is Rubén Dario, who I had never heard prior to studying for this trip. Another local writer I read as part of my preparation and really enjoyed was Gioconda Belli.
- Most Nicaraguans are Catholic, although their percentage is declining; the numbers of Evangelical Protestants and Mormons are increasing, and according to my resources are the country's second and third most predominant faiths.
- And, oh, do Nicaraguans love baseball above all other sports, including soccer, which makes them all right by me. (The short baseball season ends in January, so I wasn't able to attend a game.)
- Everywhere I went during this trip and was within earshot of a radio, the station was playing 70s' American pop music.
- I didn't want the hassle of renting a car, so for the two day-trips I took I hired a driver, a native and lifelong resident of Managua. Nice guy, fully capable driver, who more than once sang along with Olivia Newton-John as he drove. The roads, much to my surprise, were in excellent condition.
An urban person, I decided to stay in Managua, Nicaragua's capital and largest city. My hotel of choice was the Hyatt Place, clean and modern. Managua has a population of 2.2 million; it reminded me of the cities I've visited in Mexico and the Philippines—lots of poverty with an occasional flourish of wealth. I realize that describes many places in the world but the look and "feel" of Managua was so similar to those two locales. Unlike the streets, the sidewalks in Managua were either non-existent or in bad shape, which made doing an urban walkabout not worth the effort. I did, however, manage to see the sections of the city important to the locals.
About half of all the following photographs have captions that will illuminate when you hover your cursor over them. Those that don't are described adequately by the paragraph preceding them. Click on the photos to enlarge them.
These nine photos are from the Plaza de la Revolución—Revolution Square—in the old historic center of Managua. This area, which the locals have not maintained well, includes churches, theaters, a library, and a park, Parque Central. Nearby is the Dennis Martinez National Stadium, named for the first Nicaraguran to play Major League baseball. No photo; sorry. The 40,000-seat field, largest in the country, will be demolished this year and replaced with a state-of-the-art ballpark funded by the Taiwanese. Seriously.
The Malecón is a walking path along Lago de Managua that includes food vendors. The area is popular on the weekends with local families. Lago de Managua is also known as Lake Xolatlán and is one of the most polluted bodies of water in Central America. Modest international efforts are underway to clean it.
Nothing in particular with these next four shots—generic street views around Managua
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These seven photos are from the spectacular Masaya Volcano National Park, where you could walk right up to the rim of the eponymous volcano, look into its mouth, and see molten lava (second column, third row of the pictures). It's unlikely this opportunity is available to non-authorities in many other places in the world.
On the way to Granada...
Granada is the sixth largest city in Nicaragua and is fast becoming a major tourist destination, what with its well-preserved colonial architecture, beautiful churches, and several new local hotels and restaurants. Because of its once-low real estate prices and charm, many North Americans and Europeans, mostly retirees, now call Granada home. It's also a popular location for those wanting to take courses in the Spanish language.
Iglesias de Xalteva
These next eight pictures are from a boat tour I took around Las Isletas, near Granada and part of Lake Nicaragua. Some of the country's wealthy live on the islets.
Lago de Nicaragua and two more volcanoes...
This set of photos is from the Ruins of Old León, the original capital of Nicaragua and a Unesco World Heritage site. Founded in 1524 by Spanish explorer Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (haven't heard or thought about him since junior high), León Viejo was buried under the volcanic ash of nearby Momotombo in 1610. Surviving conquistadors and residents "moved" the city twenty miles to the west. Local archeologists began excavating and discovered it in 1967.
The imposing Momotombo volcano...
A short drive east of the current city of León is an otherwise nondescript town called San Jacinto. Here parts of the earth's surface have not yet healed. These openings, or fumaroles, are small, boiling mud baths that give off steam, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrochloric acid. You can imagine the area smells bad. Geothermal activity from nearby Volcano Telica drives this phenomenon. The small pictures below might not be impressive, but do click on them once to increase their size, making them far more interesting.
Named after a city in Spain, León had been the capital of Nicaragua for much of its history. Its current population of a little more than 200,000 increases when the universities are in session. Because of its strong academic ties and relatively easy lifestyle, León is considered the political and intellectual hub of the country. Many military leaders—Sandinistas and Contras—hailed from León, and President (and dictator) Anastasio Somoza García was assassinated here in 1956. As they do in Granada, budding linguists come to León to study Spanish in one of the many immersion courses local schools offer. After Granada, León is the most popular tourist destination in Nicaragua. But like Antigua in Guatemala there was something insincere—dare I say phony?—about León. Too many t-shirt shops and hip restaurants and bars, I think.
So that's Nicaragua, or at least the country's Pacific lowlands. Any questions?
Q: Did you enjoy yourself?
A: Yes, immensely, and I consider it time and money well spent.
Q: Would you return?
A: On my own time and with my own money, no. It was the right trip at the right time, but I saw all I needed to. If an opportunity presented itself through work, however, then, yes, I'd gladly seize it.
Q: Lasting impressions?
A: Though it has pockets of overwhelming beauty, Nicaragua isn't that interesting to look at. But as with all my terrestrial vacations, the biggest kick was studying about the location while still at home and then seeing all my reading and discussions come to life while I'm in country.
Q: Did you enjoy yourself?
A: Yes, immensely, and I consider it time and money well spent.
Q: Would you return?
A: On my own time and with my own money, no. It was the right trip at the right time, but I saw all I needed to. If an opportunity presented itself through work, however, then, yes, I'd gladly seize it.
Q: Lasting impressions?
A: Though it has pockets of overwhelming beauty, Nicaragua isn't that interesting to look at. But as with all my terrestrial vacations, the biggest kick was studying about the location while still at home and then seeing all my reading and discussions come to life while I'm in country.