Sunset Over Lago Colcibolca

On the way from our hotel Mancarrun to San Carlos to catch the early plane back to Managua, I caught this image of the sun over Lago Colcibolca (Lake Nicaragua). The wind was high and the water was choppy, but the ride was glorious!

Clowns in Nicaragua!

These clowns in Nicaragua were waiting for a bus at a comedor that sells baho. Ellen Sherby (ellen.sherby@gmail.com) snapped these guys across the street from CEPAD (Consejo de Iglesias Evangelicas Pro-Alianza Denominacional) in Managua. Thanks Ellen for this great photo! I wonder where they were going?

For those who don't know, baho is a kind of meat stew with yucca, plantains, onions and peppers (chiltomas), and a variety of spices, all steamed together over banana leaves. A recipe can be found at www.nicatour.net/en/nicaraguan_cuisine/baho.htm.

Thanks again Ellen!

The Cliffs of Cosiguina

Todays NicaPOD is from Kevin Gallagher (honkyis@charter.net) from his visit to Volcano Cosiguina and environs. What a great trip! Thanks Kevin!

"I had heard of these cliffs and even saw some fuzzy pictures on Google Earth but the view from the plane on the trip down from El Salvador confirmed that there indeed were some impressive cliffs at the end of the Cosiguina Peninsula facing the Fonseca Gulf. We were staying 30 miles south of the end of the peninsula and we figured it to be a easy trip up there to to take a look. Asking around we soon found out only one bus a day went up that far to Punta Nata and no one knew when was the best time to catch it. So one morning we left early, stuck our thumbs out, two rides and three hours later we ended up in the small village of Punta Nata at the tip of the peninsula. Luckily we found this young chap there with a Toyoto 4X4 who agreed on a fair price to take us for a look see to the cliffs. We were utterly amazed by not only the height but of the half moon shapes . The views across the Gulf to the volcanoes in El Salvador were spectacular and the colors and hues of the water are something no camera could catch. Turning around to look inland the volcano Cosiguina was sitting there watching you.


For a multi media show on this subject go to http://www.photodex.com/sharing/browse.
My member name to put in is Honky, then look for the album Nicaragua and click on the show "Cliffs of Cosiguina"."

Note from Vera: This is not available for Mac users unfortunately! Thanks again Kevin for your story!

Casa de los Tres Mundos

In 1987, Ernesto Cardenal and Deitmar Schonherr purchased the former Casa de los Leones, a colonial style mansion in the center of Granada as the home for the organization that would become Casa de los Tres Mundos or The House of Three Worlds. Over the course of the next 20 years, the building was restored to include spaces for the archives of the City of Granada, offices for the Foundation, a small photographic laboratory, a library, a dormitory for visiting artists and scholars, an auditorium for concerts and other public events, workshops for artists, classrooms for painting courses, and classes in guitar, trumpet, trombone, horn, tuba, flute, clarinet, saxophone and piano.

In addition the Casa music school offers classes in choral singing, solfa, theory of music, chamber music classes and ensemble play. The Casa de los Tres Mundos has become a major cultural center in Granada, and indeed in Nicaragua and internationally.


In the past few years, a new endeavor within the Casa de los Tres Mundos has been initiated: the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (IEI). This Institute has the unique mission to take the practice-centered work of the Casa de los Tres Mundos and connect it to a rigorous academic environment to

• Promote human welfare, cultural diversity and environmental sustainability.
• Support engagement between international and local forms of knowledge.
• Foster interdisciplinary research and interaction, with an emphasis on the humanities and social sciences.
• Facilitate research opportunities for national and international investigators.
• Promote dialogue between academic researchers and social advocates.
• Develop practice-centered research excellence in Nicaragua.
• Disseminate knowledge production derived from the Institute’s activities and participants.

I spent half a day wandering throughout the beautifully restored property, and was so impressed with the breadth and scope of the activities there. It also houses a museum with a permanent collection of contemporary art by Nicaraguan artists, and a historical and archaeological museum with a treasure trove of artifacts from Colonial and pre-Colonial times, as well as a mural recording the history and development of Granada.

For more information about this fabulous organization, visit their website at www.c3mundos.org.

It is a really gorgeous building, with a beautiful green courtyard, visual feasts for your eyes, and intellectual feasts for your mind! Be sure you add it to your stay in Nicaragua.

Ismael Munoz - Cedar Furniture

This is Ismael Munoz, who has a very small shop in Catarina on the street to the Lago Apoyo Mirador. We bought a set of rocking chairs, a love seat and a small coffee table from him and loaded each piece into the van, or on top of the van, and made multiple trips from Catarina to our house in Managua to get them all home. But it was worth the effort. Now that we're back in the US the set will go on our deck, with cushions on each seat, and an ice tea for each sitter!

Senor Munoz creates all kinds of wonderful work in his workshop, including mirror frames, sofa tables, wooden "baskets", horses and other animal sculptures. Below is the hand-carved love seat, rocking chairs and coffee table we purchased, with a photo of the detail work on the back of one of the chairs. Most of his work in done in cedar wood and is absolutely beautiful!

If you're in Catarina looking for really special hand-carved wooden items, look up Sr. Ismael Munoz! He's a small guy, who walks with a limp and has a big smile!

Masatepe

Masatepe is a great little town just south west of Masaya. I actually don't know very much about it except that it has many family workshops that produce furniture in wicker and carved woods of various sorts. On my almost daily trips from Managua to San Juan de Oriente, I would pass through Masatepe and found myself enchanted with the beautiful fincas and shops full of lovely furniture. Because of the higher elevation, Masatepe, San Marcos and other towns along this route are much cooler and fresher than Managua.

Unlike San Marcos just up the road (where an American university has a foreign campus), Masatepe isn't really set up for tourists or visitors. Most of the commercial and public services are focused on just the local population. So you won't find hotels or restaurants or fancy internet cafes here. According to www.Masatepe.com, "The level of social equity is higher here than in most other parts of Nicaragua and in many respects it is a place of opportunity." And as is the case with most towns in Nicaragua, it has its own annual patron saint celebrations and various festivals that are interesting and colorful.


When my husband and I stopped to look at some furniture, we watched the negotiations between a European businessman and a local furniture maker. It appeared that the European man was placing a large order for wicker furniture to be used in a new hotel or hospedaje on the eastern coast of Nicaragua. It was interesting to watch. The furniture maker didn't give him any bargains, but negotiated a very tough deal! And any of you who know this furniture, understand it is worth a lot -- both in the types of wood used and the beauty and durability of the finished products.

Mystery Building in Masaya

This structure is in Masaya. Does anyone know what it is? I try to photograph every mural I can in Nicaragua, and this is one that really puzzled me!

Museo Galeria Josefina

At one end of the spectrum of Nicaraguan art, one finds unknown and "undiscovered" artists and artisans laboring in their small, modest homes with very limited means to tell the world about their craft and talents. At the other end of the spectrum, one finds Museo Galeria Josefina! When I visited the gallery and chatted with the owner in 2006, it was an active and exciting place. Does anyone know if it is still operating?

Galeria Josefina had a very different feel from Galeria Codice or Galeria Anil or other galleries in Managua. Located in neighborhood of Bolonia in Managua, the gallery was housed in a large modern building with high ceilings, lots of glass walls and natural light. As I entered the gallery, several large outdoor sculptures greeted me in the front grassy area. Behind the gallery was a small hotel run by the owner, Josefina Guillen. This gallery combines modern architecture and contemporary art to cater to connaisseurs of Nicaraguan art, who have the resources to buy the best.

Museo Galeria Josefina began in the 1980's, and in 1998 moved to the modern and spacious building in Bolonia, near one of the many universities in Managua. The dual purpose of museum and gallery is central to the goals of preserving and promoting Nicaraguan art and artists, and educating the public about Nicaraguan painters, sculptors and artists of decorative arts.

Exhibitions have included Luis Alvarado and Mario Aguero "Homenaje a Granada", "Pintando a la Virgin", Mauricio Rizo "Contraluces" and Mario Moya "El Juicio Del Arte". According to the Gallery brochure, artists represented in their permanent collection include Carlos Montenegro, Ernesto Cardenal, Maria Gallo, Juan Rivas and many others.

Is there anyone in Managua who knows if this great gallery is still going?

Roberto Huembes Mercado

One of Nicaragua's many claims to fame is that the Roberto Huembes Mercado in Managua is the largest market in all of Central America. Sources I've consulted say it includes over 10,000 tiendas or small shops. Having spent many hours shopping in the Huembes Mercado, I certainly believe that figure!


I usually shopped at various mercados around Managua for fresh vegetables, dog food, staples, soaps and cleansers, spices, canned goods, paper products and anything else I could find. Above is my favorite tienda in the Huembes Mercado, where I always got good prices on everything. Run by a family (as most of the tiendas are), it was a very friendly environment for me as a non-Spanish speaker! Even though none of them spoke English, they were always kind and patient with me!

Here is one of my favorite places in Huembes - the flower mercado! And below is a farmacia and broom shop (why not?)!




For fresh meat, it was several meat markets on C. Sur. I also loved going to Small Farmers on C. Sur, which is a coop of small farmers and coffee growers using organic practices. Twice a month, Small Farmers would have an enlarged market, with growers from the region coming into Managua to showcase and sell their products. There was usually also music and hot food to sample. A great time was had by all.

As all the guidebooks will tell you, anything is available at Huembes Mercado. We bought furniture there, as well as towels and dishes, suitcases and stationary, buckets and brooms, and the list goes on.

Huembes Mercado was also where I was initally exposed to the ceramic arts from San Juan de Oriente. Although we later began searching out the artist's themselves, Huembes Mercado was the start of our Nicaraguan arts adventures!

If you are brave enough to drive in Managua, below is one of the Huembes Mercado parking lots, where the vehicles are watched over by blue-shirted disabled veterans, for just a few cordoba. You can also have your car washed and polished while you're shopping.

Jinotega Views

Jinotega is a "department" (like a province) of Nicaragua, and is also the name of the capital city of the "department" of Jinotega. It is located in the north central part of the country, on the border with Honduras. It is known for several reasons, its coffee, its extravagant and lovely landscape, and as the location of the worst fighting between the Sandanistas and the Contra's during the war in the 1980's.

These enchanting photos have been contributed by Ellen Sherby (ellen.sherby@gmail.com) in Managua.

Above is the valley of Jinotega and the mountains surrounding it. To the right, Lago de Apanas, north of the city of Jinotepe.

Thank you Ellen, for allowing your photos to appear on NicaPOD!

A little more about Jinotega -- the region produces about 80% of the country's coffee, which is becoming better known in the US each year. Because of the mountains and higher elevation, this part of Nicaragua is different from other regions -- the climate is cooler and fresher, and more precipitation produces a lush, verdant landscape.

A special treat of every part of Nicaragua is of course the wonderful birdlife. Jinotega is especially renowned for birdwatching. "El Jaguar", a natural private reserve in the mountains of Jinotega, is the location of a sustainable development project that aims to protect wet tropical forest and its rich biodiversity, and focuses primarily on birding. According to the Alliance for Wildlife Areas, there are over 200 avian species in this reserve!

Has anyone reading this been to this reserve? I would like to do a more in-depth story about it and would welcome anyone's experiences or resources about "El Jaguar".

Guitarras Zepeda in Masaya

When we lived in Nicaragua, our son was still in high school, and was wild for guitars and drums. So we explored the guitar scene a little and found Guitarras Zepeda in Masaya where they make guitars for local use and I believe also for export. Does anyone know if they export their guitars and where they might export them?

One day we spent some time at the workshop and talked with the crew -- Maicol (left) was the boss, and the rest of the guys followed his lead in showing us how they made the beautiful guitars.

Below are pictures of some of the young men who worked there -- Walter, Jhason, and Duglas.













The process starts in the heated drying rooms, where planks of cedar are laid out to cure. The oven, pictured below, is used for additional curing.










The wood is then manipulated and formed into the guitar mold pictured below.

With a variety of tools and dextrous hands, the wood is fashioned into one of the proto-guitars hanging from the ceiling below, in the workshop.

The paint table was an amazing work of chaos in itself, but evidently the workers are experts -- the beautiful results speak for themselves!









Below, right, is the polisher, which is really huge and seems like a bit of overkill for polishing the delicate guitars! But again, these young men are experts! The finished products are really exquisite, some very simple and elegant, some with bits of inlaid work. The sound produced by these guitars will have to be tested by someone more versed in music and guitars, but to my eyes, these guitars were lovely works of art.