by Blake Schmidt

Samuel Talavera’s mountainside coffee plantation in Jinotega is smack dab in the middle of one of the world’s fastest growing tourism industries, which is why this plantation manager has banned his workers from bathing in the river – the community’s water source.
It’s also why he has invested about $2,000 in hydroelectric energy, has sown 16,000 new plants, and is building houses for his workers. He wants to get certified, not only so that he can slap the Rainforest Alliance certification sticker on his coffee for export – a huge shot in the arm for small growers marketing their coffee abroad – but also so that he can bring more visitors onto his plantation. (more…)

by Darrel Williams

It’s a rare assignment that really gets the juices rolling. But the thought of three days, all expenses paid on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua covering a fishing tournament is about as close to Margaritaville as it gets for this writer.
It’s early March, the moon and planets are aligned with the stars and it’s “Tarpon time.” What else in life is there, I ask myself? (more…)

by Stephen Flanagan Jackson

The tiny rural school in Sandy Bay, Nicaragua has not had a decent roof since it was built back in the 1980s. More than 20 years of salt-laden winds off the Caribbean have eaten away the corrugated zinc sheets that cover classrooms, both prevailing breezes and hurricane windtrails: Joan (’88), Mitch (’98), and Felix (’07).
Now, prior to the first drop of oil delivered, before the first dividend is reaped, a US oil company is making sure that the school and its students have a ceiling over their heads. (more…)

by Philip Hildebrand and
H. Henkel Smith III

Now that you are in Nicaragua, you can see why a growing number of foreigners want to buy property and build their dream vacation house or retirement home here. Navigating through the process of buying real estate and building in Nicaragua can feel intimidating since there are so many unknowns for the first-timer. Add a potential language barrier to the mix and things might seem nearly impossible. The good news is that plenty of pathfinders have successfully completed this process, proving it can be done with you here or while you are at home. Most importantly, there are a variety of reputable real estate agents, architects, and builders with proven track records to choose from in Nicaragua. (more…)

by Carlos Schmidt

A tendency among some American women is that they do not like or favor firearms. Many Nicaraguan women, on the other hand, do favor firearms and consider them tools for protection of the home and family. In the somewhat uncertain environment of tropical America, they have not been exposed to the metaphysics of anti-gun lobbies and they know of a relative or friend who has had their home broken into or been assaulted. To many, a gun represents life, not death. And it appears that this healthy attitude toward firearms has a long and distinguished history in Nicaragua. (more…)

by Ferdinand Hofer 

Nicaragua, the land of lakes and volcanoes, has another bountiful natural resource. When it comes to this particular gift of nature, Nicaragua is one of the most prosperous places in the world. We can’t see it, though it certainly can be felt, and it would be wise to use it. You may have already guessed what I’m talking about. It’s the wind. And one of the most creative uses of wind is tapping its power to move a seaworthy craft.
“With my grandfather we went out sailing,” reminisces an elderly Nicaraguan gentleman on the shore of the lake in Granada. He has been working now for almost a year in Nicaragua’s first sailing school. This all began for me back in 1999. (more…)

by Stephen Flanagan Jackson

The monikers abound – El Presidente, El Perfecto, El Chirizo, El Lanzador, El Abuelo. Whatever you call him – and in whatever language – Dennis Martínez is the icon and the contemporary hero of Nicaragua.
The 53-year old former Major League Baseball pitching star is still revered by his fellow countrymen, even ten years after his retirement from the game and the mound where he twirled his magic.
Mention Dennis Martínez in Parque Central in his hometown of breezy Granada or in balmy Rivas or in tepid Managua, where the baseball stadium bears his name, and the response is universal. “He is the greatest… as a pitcher… and as a person!” (more…)

The search for investors and lenders is on. The government stated earlier this year that it wants to reduce its dependency on fossil fuels (currently producing about three-quarters of the country’s electricity), hoping to have about two-thirds generated with renewable sources within the next six years, mainly geothermal and hydro power. Iran has stepped in with a loan for a dam and Iceland has offered $5 million for an upgrading of geothermal facilities and staff capacities. (more…)

While major airlines like American are suffering and others like Delta and Northwest are merging because of recent changes in world market economics, Nicaragua is rumored to be on the runway, about to embark on a high-flying venture to open its own fledgling airline. It would be called Nicaragua Líneas Aéreas (Nicaragua Airlines), according to accounts in the local press. A Spanish company called Gad Air is reportedly involved and the new carrier would start with just one jet flying the Madrid-Managua route, presumably with a very large fuel tank. (more…)

Tired of the damage done to your vehicle along some of the bumpy bi-ways? Impatient at waiting to get through the roadblocks set up during the reconstruction of the highway to your weekend getaway? Or maybe you have a helicopter and don’t like having to wait for low tide to land. Well, if you have the wherewithal, Pacific Marlin in San Juan del Sur has a solution of sorts. Bring your whirlybird to their newly-inaugurated landing pad. Travel time from Managua is cut dramatically, though the price may be too high into the clouds for most. This new project is still in its initial phases – no terminal, no refueling facilities – but it’s a start. And it will definitely facilitate medivac operations for any unfortunate accident, for example, while surfing off rocky shores. The next step for air transport to this burgeoning zone of recreational and residential tourism may be indicated by the windsock on a pole just east of the bull-riding ring. Word has it that contractors will soon be breaking wind for an airstrip there.