Monument dedicated to the working class/Monumento dedicado a los trabajadores

Check this out. It's at the entrance of Chinandega in the round about. It's dedicated to the working class and it's a man chiseling himself out of stone/iron. Cool huh? Click on it to see it bigger.

Miren esto. Está ubicado en la rotonda de la entrada de Chinandega. Esta estatua se dedica a los trabajadores...consiste de un hombre que se está cincelando a si mismo de la piedra/hierro. ¡Impresionante! Dale click para ver la foto en grande. 7/17/09

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Posted by Editorial Team on 2:19 p.m. in Chinandega, Curiosities/Curiosidades

Achiote

 

The inedible fruit is harvested for its seeds, which contain annatto, also called bixin. It can be extracted by stirring the seeds in water. It is used to color food products, such as cheeses, fish, and salad oil. Sold as a paste or powder for culinary use, used especially in the Nicaraguan famous "pork with yuca".

Esta fruta no comestible se cosecha por sus semillas que contienen annatto, tambien llamado bixin. Se extrae mediante mover las semillas en agua. Luego se ocupa para colorar comida como queso, pescado y aderezo. Se vende como pasta o polvo para uso en la cocina. Es especialmente famoso en Nicaragua por su uso en "chancho con yuca".

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Posted by Editorial Team on 8:41 p.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades, Nicaraguan

Grab a taste of Nicaragua with the Fritanga | Voxxi

Fritanga: An exclusive taste of Nicaraguan food

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Nothing calls for a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration like a good plate of Latin food –especially when it's abuelita's cooking (but that's whole different story). We do, however, bring you a taste of Nicaragua's "Fritanga."
SEE ALSO: Raspados/granizados: Shaved ice with a Latino flair
VOXXI traveled to colonial city of Leon, Nicaragua to discover more of this mouth-watering dish.

Fritanga is the typical home-style food of Nicaragua. The name 'fritanga' –pronounced "free-tang-ah"– derives from "frito" (Spanish word for fried.) And that's exactly what a fritanga is –everything is fried. Not that healthy, but oh-so-delicious!

Tacos, sausages, chicken, beef, pork, enchiladas, gallo pinto, tortillas, fried cheese, natural juices, desserts, pastries and more are some of the foods that can be found at a fritanga.
"It's the best food of Central America," said Nicol Oconor to VOXXI about Nicaraguan food.

Fritanga is the authentic Nicaraguan cuisine. (Photo: Jessica Lucia Roiz/VOXXI)

Oconor, a chef who has his own Fritanga restaurant in Nicaragua called Bufalo Grill, also said that the people in Nicaragua know how to cook and make everything appetizing.

An authentic Nicaraguan plate consists of gallo pinto (mixed rice and beans), carne asada (roast beef), queso frito (fried cheese), cabbage salad and tortilla.

This typical dish can be found for about $10 in many fritanga businesses in the U.S. (primarily Florida and California). In Nicaragua, it's sold for about $1 to $2 and it's known as "comida corriente."
Whether you buy a plate of fritanga in the states or in the Central American country, there's one law that always applies: They serve a lot of food, and I mean a lot.
SEE ALSO: Celebrate your Hispanic Heritage with these rice dishes
Oconor, whose passion is to cook and has one of the most respectable fritangas in Leon, encourages everyone to grab a taste of the country's authentic food.
"Once you try the Nicaraguan food, you will get a taste of the nation –a beautiful, free and sovereign country," he said. "Nicaragua is a wonderful place because of its food and tourism."

A fritanga in Leon, Nicaragua. (Photo: Jessica Lucia Roiz/VOXXI)

How to make gallo pinto

Ingredients

• 1 pound of rice
• 1 pound of red beans
• Onion
• Bell pepper (capsicum)
• Garlic
• 1 bay leaf

SEE ALSO: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage with the one and only: Grilled fajitas

Recipe

1. First, boil the red beans (preferably red creole) with water, salt, a head of garlic and one bay leaf.
2. When beans are cooked, reserve them.
3. Then cook the rice in the traditional way (first – fry the onion and bell pepper; then, add the rice until it is golden brown and add twice as much water, simmer over high heat).
4. When most water is evaporated, lower the heat and cover the rice, and cook about 5 minutes.
5. In a skillet, add oil, onion and beans – let cool for a bit.
6. Then add the rice and a some bean broth, mix well and cook over medium heat about 8 minutes.
7. Serve warm. It's great as a side dish or as a main dish with cheese or fried eggs!

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Posted by Editorial Team on 8:23 p.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades, Nicaragua, Nicaraguan Food/Comida Nicaragüense

The safest country in Central America - Why?

Plaza de la independencia en la ciudad de Granada (Nicaragua) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Lonely Planet Guide has just named it's Top 5 Destinations to Visit in 2015.  Not surprisingly, Nicaragua continues to pile up accolades and is #4 on the list, ahead of Ireland and behind Lithuania.  In addition to the incredible natural beauty and the character of the locals, Nicaragua is also, statistically speaking, the safest country in Central America.  That, of course, might raise some doubtful eyebrows.  However, it is true and very noteworthy.

How did this situation come about?  Note what Ana Quintana, Latin America Research Associate has to say*:

"Studying the Case of Nicaragua

Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua share many problems, the same drug-trafficking route, a colonial legacy of underdevelopment and an agrarian economy, 1980s-era conflict and insurgency, as well as weak governance. Unlike the other three countries, however, Nicaragua has so far been immune to high levels of violence. Security strategies adopted during the post-conflict period of the late 1980s and early 1990s paved the way for Nicaragua’s exceptional conditions. Partially because of community policing programs and a demilitarization of domestic security forces, Nicaragua has some of the lowest crime and murder rates in the region. Of tens of thousands of unlawful Central American migrants in 2014, only 194 were Nicaraguan. Although Nicaragua has significant progress to make in democratic governance and economic development, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras should replicate Nicaragua’s successful police reform policies wherever possible."

Putting politics aside, Nicaragua is a great place to visit (and to live if that is what you are investigating)!

*Quote taken from this link.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 8:02 a.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades, Nicaragua, Retirement, Tourism/Turismo

Food in El Oriental

You know you can find almost anything in El Oriental market in Managua.  It's the biggest, busiest and most chaotic shopping experience in Nicaragua (and one of the biggest in Central America).  It is, however, the most important commercial center as well.  As this picture shows, when you go to the Oriental to buy, bring your appetite too cause you will find a great selection of typical, home-style cooking to please anyone with a taste for 'comida Nica'.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 5:43 p.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades, Managua

Cashew/Marañon

Sometimes when you learn a new language, you also learn to eat new foods. Did you know that there exists a cashew fruit? In Nicaragua, "marañón" is used to refer to the toasted nut, the fruit itself and it's even a last name. You have probably tried the toasted nuts. Here they are served plain, without salt. They are slightly sweet and delicious. The fruit itself has a sweet, pungent taste (imagine sweet battery acid) and is used to make fruit-juice based drinks.

A veces cuando uno aprende un nuevo idioma, también aprende a probar alimentos nuevos. Aquí está el marañón. El nombre marañón se refiere a la nuez que se come tostada, la fruta misma e incluso es un apellido. Seguro ha comido las nueces tostadas. Aquí se comen simples, sin sal. Están un tantito dulces y deliciosas! La fruta tiene un sabor raro - dulce y amargo (hacéte que es ácido de batería dulce) y se ocupa en hacer frescos naturales.

Posted by Editorial Team on 9:02 p.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades, Nature/Naturaleza, Nicaraguan Food/Comida Nicaragüense

Volcanoes and sugarcane

If you go to the Pacific side of Nicaragua (which has a very large coastline), you will see lots of volcanoes and sugarcane, especially in the NW part of the country.  Both are a very important part of Nicaragua's landscape...and of course the sugar production and the sugarcane production lead to some of the best rum in the world: Flor de Caña...or so they say.

Flor de Caña Centenario 18 (Photo credit: SBPR)

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Posted by Editorial Team on 9:03 p.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades, Nature/Naturaleza, Nicaragua

Chillin' at the bus stop....

This guy is chilling at the bus stop in Andrés Castro barrio, Managua.  He seems to be a street vendor and I guess he brought his own chair...that's the way to do it!

Posted by Editorial Team on 8:54 p.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades, Managua, People/La gente

The original Pellizco Whirlpool

I originally took this picture in April 2007 in El Pellizco, zona near Chichigalpa, Nicaragua.  Since then I have seen it circulate and take on identification from many other areas of the world.  My bad for not watermarking in the moment.  However, here it is, updated with the original owner's mark.  THIS IS NICARAGUA, OK?

Summer is here...it's hot and these kids really know how to take care of things!!!

Posted by Editorial Team on 9:43 a.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades, Nicaragua, People/La gente

Beautiful weather in Nicaragua...

Do you want to escape the coldest weather in 20 years there in the U.S.?  The weather and beaches are beautiful in Nicaragua....

Posted by Editorial Team on 6:02 p.m. in Beach/Playa, Curiosities/Curiosidades

Scarecrow/Espantapájaros

Saw this scarecrow in El Hormigón, Granada. What's good for the goose is good for the gander....

Vimos esta espantapájaros en El Hormigón, Granada. Parece que funciona....

Posted by Editorial Team on 5:08 p.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades

An excellent oxymoron

You will need a quick Spanish lesson to get the gist of this sign outside of a bar in Batahola Sur in Managua, Nicaragua.  In Spanish, "sobrio" means sober as you might have guessed.  However, it will probably be difficult to find a sober client in this bar...thus the oxymoron and a pretty funny tongue in cheek sign!

Posted by Editorial Team on 8:32 p.m. in Curiosities/Curiosidades