sábado, 4 de enero de 2014
Beautiful weather in Nicaragua...
Nicaraguan fast food/Fritanga de Nicaragua
Mmmmm, delicious. This table of food cost me 108 córdobas or $4.26. Good stuff! Let me break it down for you: 1.5 liter Pepsi, plate #1: rice and beans (gallo pinto), fried cheese (queso frito), fried plantain (un maduro) and cole slaw (ensalada de repollo); plate #2: fried plaintain slices (tajadas), cole slaw (ensalada de repollo), rice and beans (gallo pinto) and a cottage cheese filled crepe (manuela); plate #3: same stuff but with 2 manuelas and a little spicey tomato, lemon and onion salad (chile).
Mmmmm, delicioso. Aquí en la mesa gasté 108 córdobas o US$4.26. Buenísimo!!! Ustedes ya saben de que se trata así que no voy a volver a traducir toda la comida. Basta decir que estaba....RICA!!!!
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....
miércoles, 1 de enero de 2014
The World’s 8 Best Places to Retire in 2014 - On Retirement (usnews.com)
The World's 8 Best Places to Retire in 2014
December 31, 2013 RSS Feed Print
Kathleen Peddicord
If you could retire anywhere in the world, where would you go? As we find ourselves at the beginning of a brand new year, that's a question worth asking. The very good news is that we are living in a time when it's not only possible, but easier than ever to launch the retirement adventure of your fondest day dreams almost anywhere on earth that appeals to you.
Specifically, here are the best, most comfortable, affordable, convenient and rewarding spots worldwide for retirement in 2014. Which one is calling your name?
...
7. Granada, Nicaragua
Monthly budget: $1,300
Monthly rent: $500
Geographically, Nicaragua is blessed, with two long coastlines and two big lakes, plus volcanoes, highlands, rain forest and rivers. In this regard, it's got everything Costa Rica and Panama have got, all less discovered and developed and available for the adventurer and eco-traveler at bargain rates.
Architecturally, too, Nicaragua is notable. Its two sister colonial cities, Granada and Leon, vie for the title of Oldest City in the Americas. Whichever story you believe (that the Spanish conquistadores settled first on the shores of Lake Nicaragua at Granada or, perhaps, a few months earlier in Old Leon), Nicaragua is the big winner, with impressive colonial-era churches, public buildings and parks to her credit.
Property values have fallen significantly in this country over the past several years, thanks to the re-election of Sandinista President Daniel Ortega and the global recession, which has hit this country hard. As a result, you can buy a house on Nicaragua's Pacific coast for less than $100,000.
...
Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group. With more than 28 years experience covering this beat, Kathleen reports daily on current opportunities for living, retiring and investing overseas in her free e-letter. Her newest book, "How To Buy Real Estate Overseas", published by Wiley & Sons, is the culmination of decades of personal experience living and investing around the world.
lunes, 30 de diciembre de 2013
Camino Real in Managua, Nicaragua
A friend recently asked me to book a room for his father who was going to be in Managua, Nicaragua for 3 days. One of the options that kept popping up was the Camino Real, just about 1.3 miles from the César Augusto Sandino airport in Managua. It had been several years since I had stayed there...about 10 to be exact so I thought I'd give it a try and update my experiences at this hotel.
The Camino Real is old by Managua, Nicaragua hotel standards. It was built in 1971 and was the choice of excellence for many years in Managua. However, time has taken its toll. That isn't to say, however, that the management hasn't made good efforts to make your stay here a pleasant one.
One thing that stands out about the Camino Real Managua hotel is the lush green vegetation that envelops the property. It's well maintained and a welcome change to the concrete jungle that Managua has become.
The entrance and lobby are welcoming. There you will also find the hotel lobby bar.
The pool area is nice as well...not a big pool but a welcome plus for many travelers, especially those with children.
On the other hand, as I mentioned, the hotel is definitely dated. The Nicaragua tourist pictures that decorate the halls of the rooming area were there the last time I stayed, in 2004. The rooms are painted well but the décor is dated. The bed is stiff - no pillow tops here - and the pillows themselves are low to medium quality. AC works nice. Shower stalls are modern but the faucets and showerhead are well overdue for a change. The complementary toiletries are of good quality. No coffee maker in the room but there is a hairdryer and your ever so useful telephone in the bathroom. 
Here comes the best part of this hotel: the breakfast buffet. It is generally included with the price of your room. If you have to purchase it, they want you to pay in cash. Click here to see prices. I will say that this is the best breakfast buffet value you will find in Managua, in any of the hotels. Excellent service, excellent variety and quality of food. Coffee was A+. What more can you ask for in the morning? The buffet is served from 6:00-10:30 a.m.
Don't forget to see the nice collection of tropical birds and a big turtle in a caged gazebo just off the lobby entrance, near the carport.
Some travel sites rate the hotel as a 3 star property. I would give it 2 1/2 stars, mostly because of the aged condition. However, the staff service is excellent and the restaurant is 4 star. If you can get this room for $60-70 and you are traveling from the airport, it is a good value. By the way they do have a complimentary shuttle with limited hours and it's just 5 minutes to the airport. Check hotel prices here.
viernes, 27 de diciembre de 2013
"El Christ" Suan Juan Del Sur
I found this awesome video, taken by SurfNica Waves, of the El Cristo statue and birds' eye views of the San Juan bay and surrounding areas. Excellent! What a beautiful beach area in Nicaragua!
martes, 24 de diciembre de 2013
Destinations to watch in 2014, Photo 3 of 10 (Condé Nast Traveller)
Photo by Alamy
Top 10 Destinations to Watch in 2014
NICARAGUA
Be first to discover Central America's most exciting emerging destination
You can't keep a good country down. For too long beset by war, poverty, dictators and natural disaster, Nicaragua is now shaking off its misfortune and pulling itself up by the bootstraps.
Until recently, only the hardiest of travellers - the kind who carry their own bags and aren't deterred by civil war - ventured into Nicaragua. It was hard work. The loos were horrible.
Finally, that's changing. The government has been taking lessons from its more tourist-friendly neighbour of Costa Rica (itself a hot destination at the moment, with its cool surf towns and an amazing new Andaz hotel opening in 2014), investing in services and infrastructure, and unveiling their beautiful country to the world.
'Nicaragua is one those countries that has it all,' says Rafe Stone, Nicaragua expert at Journey Latin America. 'A dramatic volcanic range, charming colonial cities like Granada and León, and rainforests full of unusual wildlife, flanked by a rugged Pacific coast on one side and white-sand Caribbean beaches and islands on the other.
'No longer is it just for the backpacker - now there are some smart boutique hotels peppering the country, the latest of which is Yemaya Island Hideaway on car-free Little Corn Island [pictured], where Creole-style lobster is part of the staple diet.'
Right now it's teetering on the brink of being just-discovered, and just-comfortable-enough to make it appealing. Recently it has seen a few wonderful new eco-lodges that really are both eco and friendly - rustic places which have excellently deep beds and swimming pools on the edge of untouched wildernesses, whether on an empty beach or in the midst of virgin rainforest, surrounded by monkeys and spectacular rare birds.
One of those is Morgan's Rock, an ecolodge with a wildlife focus on the Pacific Coast; and, in February, Mukul Resort & Spa opened nearby on Playa Manzanillo, with stylish beach casitas that are positively Gold-List standard. It even has a spa and a golf course - the proof, if more were needed, that now is the time to come, and quick.
| Sent from Evernote |
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)
