February 2015
San Juan del Sur
Our first trip to Nicaragua was (almost) smooth, except for an old pair of shoes stolen in San Juan del Sur. They were not pretty, but I liked them because they were comfortable.
It was a Sunday where, every week, San Juan del Sur young fauna celebrates the legendary « Sunday Funday » by the sea. I should have known … Alcohol, fiesta, music, delirious crowd: the perfect atmosphere to steal in sweet any tourist that isn’t too much on the lookout.
I got blown away. Mea culpa.
Ometepe
Besides the fact that the island is incredibly beautiful, what we learned at Ometepe is to check the rented equipment before using it. And when we say « check well », we are not just talking about visual inspection, but also a thorough manual inspection: solidity of the parts and their fixings. We rented a scooter on site to see the petroglyphs in the center of the island and we lost a rear wing, without even realizing it. We looked everywhere on our way back: nothing.
Volatilized.
Was it a shot to get some money from us? Who knows.
Nicaragua is a beautiful country and people are extremely hospitable.. but you have to constantly watch your back. The least opportunity to make a « money pass » is exploited by the less scrupulous, and as tourists are often the ones who bear the costs.
The golden rule: constant vigilance.
Granada
A pearl. Strolling through the streets of Granada is a step back in time. Romantic and rich in history, for little, we can imagine the hordes of pirates and filibusters cross the lake to invade the public square! Granada was, from the 17th to the 19th century, an important commercial center and that, Henry Morgan and William Walker knew it well 😀
It is a very organized (and very touristy) safe city where several expatriates live.
No incidents to report.
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San Juan del Sur, Ometepe and Granada are therefore among the safest values in the country for a first exploration of a week. There is all the comfort desired by the less adventurous visitors, and the shops offer, for the most part, a service in English. There are restaurants, hotels and activities for all tastes: a first winning visit during a short stay.
For a two-week trip, I would add to this list Popoyo, Masaya, Leon and Montelimar, which are also charming and well organized places for tourism.
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POST MORTEM
And Nandaime?
On our first trip, Nandaime went straight under the radar. In fact, the municipality goes under the radar of all popular destinations in Nicaragua. Because Nandaime is a rough diamond. Although located in the center of major tourist routes, its reputation as an « agricultural municipality » has never really provided it an opportunity to develop itself very well. For us, on the contrary, the wealth of its lands, the know-how of its inhabitants and its strategic location are real blessings.
The dream spot, in fact, to found an agro-touristic company.
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FRANÇAIS:: ESPAÑOL
cacaodenandaime.com
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