by Adriana Woods Páez

In December 2007, I visited Nicaragua for ten days. I have routinely tried to create some sort of point to my travels, be it organic farming, archaeological excavation, learning a language, or simply having a yoga holiday. This was the first time that I made teaching yoga the focal point. (more…)

by Stephen Flanagan Jackson

An admonition from the Forrest Gump School of Life says,”Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” Well, the meticulous hands in this particular case are anything but idle. And not devils but “angels” toil here in Diriamba. Anywhere from 13 to 16 Nica ladies put in an honest day’s work five days a week to manually produce fishing tackle, which is sold in the US. (more…)

by Kathleen Peddicord

Nicaragua is an awfully nice place to call home, full-time or part of the year. And more and more people who come to visit decide they’d like to be able to return regularly with their friends and families. They buy building lots… and then reality settles in. They’re faced with the proposition of erecting a house.
Building in a foreign country can be a daunting proposition, especially if you’re operating long-distance in a place where you don’t speak the language. (more…)

by Pat Werner

The entire surreal William Walker episode in Nicaraguan history, 23 months that Walker was actually on Nicaraguan soil, was not the beginning or end of anything. Instead the relatively brief Walker era in Nicaragua was but one dramatic chapter in a series of internecine disputes between Nicaraguan elites.
That particular struggle began arguably in 1853, due to the high-handed tactics of Fruto Chamorro, the political leader of the Conservative Party. A denouement came in 1869 at Niquinohomo with the defeat of Tomás Martínez and Máximo Jérez, two aging caudillos that fought with each other and all other comers until they got too old to fight. (more…)

by Frankfurt-Granada Friendship Association

The firefighters’ squad leader is desperate. He races around the building, frantically seeking a glimpse of the two simulated “victims” inside. One of them is probably unconscious. Quickly the leader ponders a tactic. In an instant, he barks an order over the radio to the squad.
Immediately, the squad sets up the water hoses. The advance squad moves to the front of the building’s entrance. Next comes the crucial command: “Water march!” Fire’s number-one antidote starts spouting out towards the building. (more…)

by María Guzman

As the crow flies, Catarina is a quick, easy and direct shot from Granada.  Problem is, most humans lack wings. Ergo, the mode of transportation – car or bus – is a bit more circuitous than by air. Not to worry. Getting to Catarina is half – well, maybe a quarter – of the adventure.
Catarina awaits the visitor like the younger sister of a sexy, beautiful woman. Not having the glitter or radiance of some of Nicaragua’s more famous attractions, Catarina nevertheless possesses unique and enjoyable charms if you take the time to delve into its offerings. (more…)

by Stephen Flanagan Jackson

Sleek horses, sexy women, and plenty of booze. What more could you want for a good time in Nicaragua? Oh yeah, throw a little religion into the mix as well.
The formula for Hípica a la Nica is tried and true. Hípica has evolved into a knock-down, drag-out fiesta celebrated in various cities and towns at various times throughout Nicaragua. If you are fortunate enough to catch a Hípica display, you experience the same excitement and exhilaration as the running of the bulls, the famous festival at Pamplona in Spain, only without the threat of goring and bloodletting. (more…)

Outgoing US ambassador Paul Trivelli revealed in July that his government had made a firm offer to exchange Nicaragua’s stock of Soviet-made shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles (SAM-7s) for medical equipment. Military experts estimate the value of the 650-plus SAMs at more than $32 million dollars but details of the proposed exchange were not made public. (more…)

There is a new port on the shore of Lake Managua in the capital. Capable of handling small passenger ferries and pleasure craft, the dock cost around $1.3 million to build. It could be a boon for the residents of San Francisco del Norte on the north shore and may be a future link to a possible new international airport. (more…)