After two nights in Gracias I feel the pull of its magnetic charm sucking me into itself with the plea: stay here for at least another night! This place is making me want to stick around nearly as much as Leon captured me this year and Granada/San Juan del Sur did in 2009.
According to legend the founder of Gracias, a 16th century conquistador, struggled his way through the rugged country of the region looking for a suitable site to build a Central American capital city. When at last he stumbled upon this relatively level but small valley, he is said to have fallen to his knees crying: "Gracias a Dios! Finally some flat land!"
Its attributes were immediately apparent to me once I was checked into my room at the Guancascos. My room is on the top level of a multilevel edifice built into a high hill overlooking the entire town. The terrace outside my door therefore offers one of the most stunning private views in the area. Rocky forested hills surround us but in stark contrast to the typical hot and dusty towns of western Honduras, this place is enveloped in multiple hues of green foliage.
The hotel--maybe the finest in town--is owned and managed by an expatriate Dutch woman, Frony, who oversees a capable staff of locals who run the good restaurant (with excellent local coffee) and keep the place beautifully clean. At around $20 nightly, this place is one of the best values I've encountered on a six week journey of hotels which runs the complete gamut. I believe most of my readers will not blame me for feeling that another late afternoon with a cold drink on "my" terrace as the sun goes down, enjoying the beauty of this place, is definitely in the cards.
On the recommendation of Rachel, the intern I met in Marcala, I ate at the restaurant of the Posada de Don Juan where I ate a sopa de tortilla that absolutely was to die for. (A common regional dish, sopa de tortilla has a curry-type soup base with fresh cheese, avocado, and baked tortilla chips--like Doritos without the MSG.)
The town has the usual cathedral, in this case a small colonial structure, and a well-kept parque central plus a couple very good supermarkets as well as the usual bustling local markets and dusty bus terminals. Despite the obvious signs of poverty in some of the residents (my post yesterday was partly inspired by the unusually high number of beggars I've bumped into here) there are also unmistakable signs of prosperity, notably in the many young people. Perhaps this bodes well for the area's future.
A somewhat unusual feature of this beautiful little town is the 19th century castle which is perched even higher than my hotel and has absolutely stunning views for miles around. In the cool interior of the castle are informative placards in Spanish and English, one of which tells us that the local kids grow up playing here and "many fall in love here." This confirmed my initial impression that the site has all the best characteristics of a lovers' lane.
The foreigners one meets here are mostly young volunteers of various NGOs and of the Peace Corps which, in Honduras, has its largest delegation (of about 260) of any other country in the world. But here and there one can meet other backpacking tourists like me. It's well worth the effort it takes to get to this remote settlement--which maybe is yet another good reason for me not to push onward too quickly. Of course, the longer I stay here the more remote my chances of getting to Chichicastenango, at least this year.
I have eleven days to get to Guatemala City for my return flight home.
Showing posts with label Leon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leon. Show all posts
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Return to Leon Via Managua and Via Via
After my encounter with Moses I cleared out of my hotel room. My timing was excellent as I headed back to parque central with my backpack because the Managua express was just leaving and I got one of its last seats. In Managua I transfered right away for a microbus to Leon. Unusually, this micro was airconditioned, so it was a nice cool ride.
As we approached the city I could see storm clouds coming in, and I wondered if I really wanted to continue as far as Chinandega. To put off the decision, I decided to take a taxi into the center for coffee. It was only 1.00 p.m. or so and I had plenty of time to continue my journey.
But in the city we passed a hotel that I'd noticed before, having walked past it many times. If I stay, I'll try this one, I thought, rather than go back to the "widower's" place.
That's how I found Via Via. Though I didn't choose it from my guidebooks, it turns out this place gets very high marks from the Lonely Planet.
I like it for a number of reasons. First, the bar and restaurant seemed very inviting. Second, I could tell the place was popular with a certain type of young, western traveler. Third, even though a bar was attached, the hotel was far enough away from that potentially raucous action, that it wouldn't matter to me. And fourth, the rooms were really nice, cozy and inviting, with high ceilings, a very clean bathroom, a large bed, and (I always like this rare touch) a reading lamp! The fan was in great shape, and the room was really big, too. I was immediately sold on it. Best of all, it cost only 350 cordobas.
So that's my plug for Via Via--a fine place to stay, especially if you're a traveler of a certain age, and want to meet others like you. As an added bonus, the restaurant/bar turns out to be popular with young locals, too. Remember Willy? He spotted me last night where he was seated at a table with a young woman (his Salvadoran girlfriend?). "Yo, man, whassup!" Believe it or not, it took me a moment to remember his name.
"Willy!" I finally said, as we shook hands.
Via Via has nice large maps on the wall of Nicaragua including a bumpy topographical one with the mountains rising out from and around the country's principal geographical features of the very large Lake Managua and the even bigger Lake Nicaragua. The walls of the place are full of other useful and not so useful information.
According to one notice, Via Via's clientele in 2008 consisted of the following:
Europeans 53.25%
Americans 19.29%
Canadians 10.41%
Asians 6.07%
Latin Americans 5.85%
Oceanians 4.84%
Africans 0.29%
Via Via has a book exchange with volumes in English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, and Japanese.
I met a couple Quebecois Canadians, Max and Hugo, who were watching England beat Slovenia 1-0 this morning while the U.S. beat Algeria, also 1-0. Ghana managed to hold mighty Germany 0-0 until the 60th-something minute.
In Via Via's bar/restaurant and in the courtyard where the magnificent rooms are located, I hear the accents of other Americans (and possibly Anglo-Canadians), British, Scottish, and Europeans including Belgian and Scandinavian. This smorgasbord of young backpackers reminds me in a nostalgiac way of my younger days as a backpacker in Europe and Asia. What happens to our youth?! sigh. . .
As we approached the city I could see storm clouds coming in, and I wondered if I really wanted to continue as far as Chinandega. To put off the decision, I decided to take a taxi into the center for coffee. It was only 1.00 p.m. or so and I had plenty of time to continue my journey.
But in the city we passed a hotel that I'd noticed before, having walked past it many times. If I stay, I'll try this one, I thought, rather than go back to the "widower's" place.
That's how I found Via Via. Though I didn't choose it from my guidebooks, it turns out this place gets very high marks from the Lonely Planet.
I like it for a number of reasons. First, the bar and restaurant seemed very inviting. Second, I could tell the place was popular with a certain type of young, western traveler. Third, even though a bar was attached, the hotel was far enough away from that potentially raucous action, that it wouldn't matter to me. And fourth, the rooms were really nice, cozy and inviting, with high ceilings, a very clean bathroom, a large bed, and (I always like this rare touch) a reading lamp! The fan was in great shape, and the room was really big, too. I was immediately sold on it. Best of all, it cost only 350 cordobas.
So that's my plug for Via Via--a fine place to stay, especially if you're a traveler of a certain age, and want to meet others like you. As an added bonus, the restaurant/bar turns out to be popular with young locals, too. Remember Willy? He spotted me last night where he was seated at a table with a young woman (his Salvadoran girlfriend?). "Yo, man, whassup!" Believe it or not, it took me a moment to remember his name.
"Willy!" I finally said, as we shook hands.
Via Via has nice large maps on the wall of Nicaragua including a bumpy topographical one with the mountains rising out from and around the country's principal geographical features of the very large Lake Managua and the even bigger Lake Nicaragua. The walls of the place are full of other useful and not so useful information.
According to one notice, Via Via's clientele in 2008 consisted of the following:
Europeans 53.25%
Americans 19.29%
Canadians 10.41%
Asians 6.07%
Latin Americans 5.85%
Oceanians 4.84%
Africans 0.29%
Via Via has a book exchange with volumes in English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, and Japanese.
I met a couple Quebecois Canadians, Max and Hugo, who were watching England beat Slovenia 1-0 this morning while the U.S. beat Algeria, also 1-0. Ghana managed to hold mighty Germany 0-0 until the 60th-something minute.
In Via Via's bar/restaurant and in the courtyard where the magnificent rooms are located, I hear the accents of other Americans (and possibly Anglo-Canadians), British, Scottish, and Europeans including Belgian and Scandinavian. This smorgasbord of young backpackers reminds me in a nostalgiac way of my younger days as a backpacker in Europe and Asia. What happens to our youth?! sigh. . .
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Poneloya/Las Peñitas Links
Check on the upper right hand side of this page, or at the blog list below for links to Poneloya/Las Peñitas. This blog has good photos of the area which is the best I can do for my readers at this stage of my journey.
Enjoy. . .
Enjoy. . .
This Morning in Las Peñitas
The Barco de Oro is located inside a small, shallow lagoon in Las Peñitas and therefore is sheltered from the big surfer's waves that constantly crash ashore in these parts. Even at high tide you can walk out very far and the water still only comes up to your knees.
At low tide some fish get caught in the wet sand that spreads for a quarter of a mile from the terrace of the hotel's restaurant out to the sandbar in the distance. This morning, the villagers caught at least three or four stingrays in this manner.
Other fish trapped at low tide quickly become carrion for black garbage-picking birds as the many ravens that flew high above attest. Neighborhood dogs also attempt to get their share.
Every now & then a local fishing boat returns from sea, and the villagers--men, women, and children--walk out into the lagoon to get first dibs on the freshest of the morning's catch. Little toddlers "help" their mothers by carrying back a fish half their size, but back ashore their fish becomes a toy to play with in the dwindling pool of salt water.
It's very quiet and peaceful here; I'm not surprised this place sticks for me. Unlike San Juan del Sur, it still remains largely undeveloped in terms of infrastructure for rich foreigners and not-so-rich backpackers like me. As the scene this morning seems to indicate, the original character and ambiance of the village remains for the casual visitor to enjoy.
Major changes have already happened here, and surely there are more big changes to come. Hopefully it won't be as quick and as jarring as in other places such as Koh Samui, Thailand which was turned upside down and shaken to its foundation in less than five years.
At low tide some fish get caught in the wet sand that spreads for a quarter of a mile from the terrace of the hotel's restaurant out to the sandbar in the distance. This morning, the villagers caught at least three or four stingrays in this manner.
Other fish trapped at low tide quickly become carrion for black garbage-picking birds as the many ravens that flew high above attest. Neighborhood dogs also attempt to get their share.
Every now & then a local fishing boat returns from sea, and the villagers--men, women, and children--walk out into the lagoon to get first dibs on the freshest of the morning's catch. Little toddlers "help" their mothers by carrying back a fish half their size, but back ashore their fish becomes a toy to play with in the dwindling pool of salt water.
It's very quiet and peaceful here; I'm not surprised this place sticks for me. Unlike San Juan del Sur, it still remains largely undeveloped in terms of infrastructure for rich foreigners and not-so-rich backpackers like me. As the scene this morning seems to indicate, the original character and ambiance of the village remains for the casual visitor to enjoy.
Major changes have already happened here, and surely there are more big changes to come. Hopefully it won't be as quick and as jarring as in other places such as Koh Samui, Thailand which was turned upside down and shaken to its foundation in less than five years.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Return to Las Peñitas Beaches
Leave it to yours truly to pick the rainiest day of the week to flee Leon for the quiet fishing village of Las Peñitas and its beaches!
I splurged on a $10 taxi to get here and splurged more on an aircon room--a treat to myself after putting up with five very muggy nights in Leon without.
The Barca de Oro, a small family-run hotel/restaurant, is staffed by friendly people, and they serve good, real coffee, not Nescafe or something worse. Everyone in the village is glued to their televisions now for the World Cup broadcasts. Prime time in South Africa is just past noon here.
The sound of the big waves is constant and similar to the sound of a jumbo jet aircraft in the distance, but much more pleasant and soothing. The rain has stopped, but you can see the cloud cover stretching across the entire Pacific horizen, so perhaps there's more to come. It doesn't matter to me very much because I'm exactly where I want to be today.
My sense is, barring a sudden crisis of boredom brought upon by lack of the usual city distractions here, a couple or three days in Las Peñitas will be good for the soul.
I splurged on a $10 taxi to get here and splurged more on an aircon room--a treat to myself after putting up with five very muggy nights in Leon without.
The Barca de Oro, a small family-run hotel/restaurant, is staffed by friendly people, and they serve good, real coffee, not Nescafe or something worse. Everyone in the village is glued to their televisions now for the World Cup broadcasts. Prime time in South Africa is just past noon here.
The sound of the big waves is constant and similar to the sound of a jumbo jet aircraft in the distance, but much more pleasant and soothing. The rain has stopped, but you can see the cloud cover stretching across the entire Pacific horizen, so perhaps there's more to come. It doesn't matter to me very much because I'm exactly where I want to be today.
My sense is, barring a sudden crisis of boredom brought upon by lack of the usual city distractions here, a couple or three days in Las Peñitas will be good for the soul.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Something Out of a John LeCarre or Graham Greene Novel
Okay, I guess it's official: Leon has turned out to be "the place that sticks" for me on this trip, at least for the present moment, since tonight I'll spend my fifth night in a row here (Day 22). I'm still agnostic on returning to Las Peñitas for a couple days, but I'm definitely sure about heading out somewhere else tomorrow.
I'm staying here a bit longer not because there are tons more westerners here, including young European backpackers and American college kids, than I've seen anywhere else in three weeks.
Indeed, there are also plenty of Our Man in Havana types lurking about in the bars and cafes. Am I one of them? It reminds me of the time I returned to Bangkok after a long absence and encountered two Brits who tried to wind me up by accusing me of being a DEA narc.
There's another "quiet American" type sitting over there in the cafe where I'm writing this "dispatch," but he's drinking beer while I'm enjoying my late morning latte. He's "old school", I guess.
By my demeanor, the folks from Witness for Peace must think I'm an operative for the top secret "ABC" agency, with a direct line to the Managua station chief himself. "I'm a Suzuki violin teacher," I tell them, feeling somewhat lame as I do so. Yeah, right! That sounds like a perfect cover, or "legend", for my true purposes here. After all, why else would I be asking so many questions about the Colombian, the Venezuelan, and the Cuban legs of their fact-finding mission?
M says WfP has offical permission from the State Department to make this trip to Cuba. The organization also requires Cuban government permission--not difficult for them to get if they are as liberal as they are made out to be on the internet. "The bad thing about that is we won't be able to escape our Cuban government minders," he says. M and R both invited me to join them for the Nicaraguan leg--"There's always room for more"--but I mentioned that I knew I'd have to pay $1000 for the privilege, which they readily confirmed.
R acknowledged that WfP does make a profit from their volunteers at this $100 per day rate. "But that also includes room and board with local families, overland transport, expert guides and interpreters," she says.
We discuss the risks of traveling, as Americans, to Cuba without offical U.S. sanction. I've heard that a common route is through Cancun, where the cheapest Havana flights and Cuban visas are available at around $300 for the total package.
I remember a story about a California musician who bought old upright pianos to refurbish which he then turned around and exported to Cuba for use in the dance and music academies. Upon his return to the U.S. from one of his Cuba trips, the authorities nailed him, and the Treasury Department imposed an $8000 fine. As I recall, the musician's reaction was something along the line of "this is a situation of can't pay, so won't pay." He didn't even have enough money to hire a lawyer because all his extra money was going into second hand pianos.
M claims that if I failed to slip back into America from Cuba without the authorities noticing, and if Treasury were to hit me with a big fine, then the ACLU would take my case. "And they've never lost a case," he says. I don't know how accurate this information is, but it's an interesting question: Is full liberty to travel, where and when you please, without government interference, a First Amendment right? How ironic that Washington demanded the end of all Iron Curtain travel restrictions at the height of the Cold War, yet today retains its own anachronistic restrictions.
It seems that this 50 year-old Washington anti-Cuba policy serves no one except a small but vocal constituency in Florida. This policy does not benefit the U.S.A., and it doesn't prevent the Cuban government from doing exactly what it wants.
These economic embargo policies really have only losers: both the American and Cuban peoples. Cubans miss out on the economic benefits of free trade with the U.S. And Americans miss out on the many cultural benefits of Cuban arts, music, dance, food etc. In other words, the good stuff.
But beyond all that, in the 21st century, isn't it time to end all passport restrictions for Americans? Currently, even this "minor" restriction vis-a-vis Cuba seems just a bit. . .well, unAmerican.
I'm staying here a bit longer not because there are tons more westerners here, including young European backpackers and American college kids, than I've seen anywhere else in three weeks.
Indeed, there are also plenty of Our Man in Havana types lurking about in the bars and cafes. Am I one of them? It reminds me of the time I returned to Bangkok after a long absence and encountered two Brits who tried to wind me up by accusing me of being a DEA narc.
There's another "quiet American" type sitting over there in the cafe where I'm writing this "dispatch," but he's drinking beer while I'm enjoying my late morning latte. He's "old school", I guess.
By my demeanor, the folks from Witness for Peace must think I'm an operative for the top secret "ABC" agency, with a direct line to the Managua station chief himself. "I'm a Suzuki violin teacher," I tell them, feeling somewhat lame as I do so. Yeah, right! That sounds like a perfect cover, or "legend", for my true purposes here. After all, why else would I be asking so many questions about the Colombian, the Venezuelan, and the Cuban legs of their fact-finding mission?
M says WfP has offical permission from the State Department to make this trip to Cuba. The organization also requires Cuban government permission--not difficult for them to get if they are as liberal as they are made out to be on the internet. "The bad thing about that is we won't be able to escape our Cuban government minders," he says. M and R both invited me to join them for the Nicaraguan leg--"There's always room for more"--but I mentioned that I knew I'd have to pay $1000 for the privilege, which they readily confirmed.
R acknowledged that WfP does make a profit from their volunteers at this $100 per day rate. "But that also includes room and board with local families, overland transport, expert guides and interpreters," she says.
We discuss the risks of traveling, as Americans, to Cuba without offical U.S. sanction. I've heard that a common route is through Cancun, where the cheapest Havana flights and Cuban visas are available at around $300 for the total package.
I remember a story about a California musician who bought old upright pianos to refurbish which he then turned around and exported to Cuba for use in the dance and music academies. Upon his return to the U.S. from one of his Cuba trips, the authorities nailed him, and the Treasury Department imposed an $8000 fine. As I recall, the musician's reaction was something along the line of "this is a situation of can't pay, so won't pay." He didn't even have enough money to hire a lawyer because all his extra money was going into second hand pianos.
M claims that if I failed to slip back into America from Cuba without the authorities noticing, and if Treasury were to hit me with a big fine, then the ACLU would take my case. "And they've never lost a case," he says. I don't know how accurate this information is, but it's an interesting question: Is full liberty to travel, where and when you please, without government interference, a First Amendment right? How ironic that Washington demanded the end of all Iron Curtain travel restrictions at the height of the Cold War, yet today retains its own anachronistic restrictions.
It seems that this 50 year-old Washington anti-Cuba policy serves no one except a small but vocal constituency in Florida. This policy does not benefit the U.S.A., and it doesn't prevent the Cuban government from doing exactly what it wants.
These economic embargo policies really have only losers: both the American and Cuban peoples. Cubans miss out on the economic benefits of free trade with the U.S. And Americans miss out on the many cultural benefits of Cuban arts, music, dance, food etc. In other words, the good stuff.
But beyond all that, in the 21st century, isn't it time to end all passport restrictions for Americans? Currently, even this "minor" restriction vis-a-vis Cuba seems just a bit. . .well, unAmerican.
Willy: A Typical Upper Class Nica Teen?
Last night the rains came in again heavy at around 4 p.m. which more or less restricted me to my immediate block. Hanging out in front of our hotel were M from WfP, a couple security guards from across the street, and Willy, a kid from the neighborhood. His family's shophouse is just three doors down the block.
Grabbing an opportunity to practice his pre-Twinkle level English, Willy engaged both M & I in a spirited discussion of all things Nicaraguan and American--including his circle's favorite rap musicians (Snoop & Dr Dre), clothes, pastimes & so on.
Grabbing my opportunity to practice my pre-Twinkle level Spanish, I learned that his family is actually Cuban on his mother's side, but that he grew up in Leon. His family business makes metal plaques for other homes & businesses, but also busts & stylized pictures of Sandinista heros & other icons from Nicaragua's history. The shop does very high quality work.
Willy, 17 years old, is still a high school student, but also works for the family business. He plans to attend university in two years. He told me the family's shophouse is valued at $80,000 (very cheap, he said) but when I joked that I didn't have that kind of money lying around, he quickly assured me "it's not for sale." If his shop house was in America it would be worth a million dollars, he said: "Twenty million cordobas! Mucho dinero. . ."
He has traveled to the U.S. a couple times (he has relatives there), and he was struck by the differences between homeless people in the two countries. "The American homeless are very crazy--they'll do anything. There are a lot of crazy people in estados unidos."
The very little English Willy had seemed to come partly from Afro-American culture with a lot of "whassup" and "you feel me?" But this kid was so energetic and engaging, it was no problem at all catching his meaning. He talked about how he likes Nicaragua's "natural life (style)" but that he prefers foreign girlfriends (from other Latin American countries). "My girlfriend now is from (El) Salvador."
Willy admired M for using some of his retirement time to volunteer for an organization in Nicaragua. And he seemed to appreciate my efforts to listen and commnicate with a typical middle to upper middle class Nicaraguan teenager.
Grabbing an opportunity to practice his pre-Twinkle level English, Willy engaged both M & I in a spirited discussion of all things Nicaraguan and American--including his circle's favorite rap musicians (Snoop & Dr Dre), clothes, pastimes & so on.
Grabbing my opportunity to practice my pre-Twinkle level Spanish, I learned that his family is actually Cuban on his mother's side, but that he grew up in Leon. His family business makes metal plaques for other homes & businesses, but also busts & stylized pictures of Sandinista heros & other icons from Nicaragua's history. The shop does very high quality work.
Willy, 17 years old, is still a high school student, but also works for the family business. He plans to attend university in two years. He told me the family's shophouse is valued at $80,000 (very cheap, he said) but when I joked that I didn't have that kind of money lying around, he quickly assured me "it's not for sale." If his shop house was in America it would be worth a million dollars, he said: "Twenty million cordobas! Mucho dinero. . ."
He has traveled to the U.S. a couple times (he has relatives there), and he was struck by the differences between homeless people in the two countries. "The American homeless are very crazy--they'll do anything. There are a lot of crazy people in estados unidos."
The very little English Willy had seemed to come partly from Afro-American culture with a lot of "whassup" and "you feel me?" But this kid was so energetic and engaging, it was no problem at all catching his meaning. He talked about how he likes Nicaragua's "natural life (style)" but that he prefers foreign girlfriends (from other Latin American countries). "My girlfriend now is from (El) Salvador."
Willy admired M for using some of his retirement time to volunteer for an organization in Nicaragua. And he seemed to appreciate my efforts to listen and commnicate with a typical middle to upper middle class Nicaraguan teenager.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Daytripping to Poneloya & Las Peñitas Beaches
The Pacific Ocean is a mere 12 miles from Leon so this morning I hopped on a bus full of Nicaraguan daytrippers (and more than a couple westerners) to visit the beachside communities of Poneloya & La Peñitas.
The main problem with beaches in this part of the world is that private property development blocks off almost all access to the beach. This is very nice for the people who own houses there but not so nice for the casual visitor like me. I spent 90 minutes walking a couple miles this morning trying to find my way in.
For sale/for rent signs abound. Beautiful, huge mansions sit on lots next to totally ruined shacks while there are occasional parcels of vacant land. The Lonely Planet blames foreigners for driving up local housing & land costs.
I had a taste of this affect when I was informed, to my shock, that the rate for my chosen hotel room (with AC) has doubled to $50 per night. At 11.00 a.m. it was 93 degrees Farenheit in the shade, so AC seems necessary, but these rooms didn't really seem worth the cost. However the beachside restaurant looked clean & professional and featured $10 fish dinners on the menu.
I'm not really a beach bum type, though I identify with the surfer crowd which hangs out here. Like mountaineers, ski bums & yacht crew, they're the type who work seasonal jobs at home to pay for trips to cool places abroad.
Although Poneloya & Las Peñitas are fairly sizeable, there's not much commerce happening apart from the hotel/restaurant biz. I found only one cyber cafe and only a couple basic ma & pa corner stores. And there was no sign of any good coffee even at the $50 per night joint, so maybe an overnight there isn't worth it for me. Just give me the cooler, higher ground with all my creature comforts & a few really old churches.
But I'm very impressed with the relaxed security situation. Unlike in El Salvador or Honduras, these private dwellings and scattered businesses on the Pacific didn't sport much of the usual tall, intimidating walls & gates topped with razor wire or electric fencing. And I didn't see even one armed guard anywhere!
Check back tomorrow to see if I decide to return to Las Peñitas for a day or two anyway. . .
The main problem with beaches in this part of the world is that private property development blocks off almost all access to the beach. This is very nice for the people who own houses there but not so nice for the casual visitor like me. I spent 90 minutes walking a couple miles this morning trying to find my way in.
For sale/for rent signs abound. Beautiful, huge mansions sit on lots next to totally ruined shacks while there are occasional parcels of vacant land. The Lonely Planet blames foreigners for driving up local housing & land costs.
I had a taste of this affect when I was informed, to my shock, that the rate for my chosen hotel room (with AC) has doubled to $50 per night. At 11.00 a.m. it was 93 degrees Farenheit in the shade, so AC seems necessary, but these rooms didn't really seem worth the cost. However the beachside restaurant looked clean & professional and featured $10 fish dinners on the menu.
I'm not really a beach bum type, though I identify with the surfer crowd which hangs out here. Like mountaineers, ski bums & yacht crew, they're the type who work seasonal jobs at home to pay for trips to cool places abroad.
Although Poneloya & Las Peñitas are fairly sizeable, there's not much commerce happening apart from the hotel/restaurant biz. I found only one cyber cafe and only a couple basic ma & pa corner stores. And there was no sign of any good coffee even at the $50 per night joint, so maybe an overnight there isn't worth it for me. Just give me the cooler, higher ground with all my creature comforts & a few really old churches.
But I'm very impressed with the relaxed security situation. Unlike in El Salvador or Honduras, these private dwellings and scattered businesses on the Pacific didn't sport much of the usual tall, intimidating walls & gates topped with razor wire or electric fencing. And I didn't see even one armed guard anywhere!
Check back tomorrow to see if I decide to return to Las Peñitas for a day or two anyway. . .
Friday, June 11, 2010
An Economy Roars Back To Life
Last night I read My Car in Managua (1991), a book by an American sympathizer of the FSLN--popularly known as the Sandinistas--who worked for an aid mission in 1980s Managua. He paints a very frank picture of how the post-revolutionary FSLN completely messed up the national economy with failed socialist policies, a lack of work incentives, and a hyperinflation that impoverished everyone and drove the most skilled and talented people to other countries.
Today it's clear that in the 20 years since the opposition came to power by election, the economy has roared back to life with the cordoba--Nicaragua's currency--stabilizing at 20 or 21 per dollar, and there are signs of a dynamic economic life everywhere in towns and cities such as Leon and Granada.
Even with the FSLN having returned to power in the past decade and with controversial, albeit popular, president and former commandante Daniel Ortega up for reelection in 2012, this economic activity appears to continue at a healthy pace.
Contrast this to the situation in El Salvador where there appears to be plenty of economic activity but perhaps not of the sort that can grow the economy over the long term. Acording to my trusty Lonely Planet guide, a big chunk of El Salvador's GDP comes from remittances sent from abroad, principally the USA, and of that amount it's estimated that up to 80% is spent on consumption--basically for paying bills and buying groceries. The LP writer speculates that by such dependence upon friends and family working abroad for their daily living expenses, Salvadoreans have created a sort of "welfare" economy that cannot grow over time.
Today it's clear that in the 20 years since the opposition came to power by election, the economy has roared back to life with the cordoba--Nicaragua's currency--stabilizing at 20 or 21 per dollar, and there are signs of a dynamic economic life everywhere in towns and cities such as Leon and Granada.
Even with the FSLN having returned to power in the past decade and with controversial, albeit popular, president and former commandante Daniel Ortega up for reelection in 2012, this economic activity appears to continue at a healthy pace.
Contrast this to the situation in El Salvador where there appears to be plenty of economic activity but perhaps not of the sort that can grow the economy over the long term. Acording to my trusty Lonely Planet guide, a big chunk of El Salvador's GDP comes from remittances sent from abroad, principally the USA, and of that amount it's estimated that up to 80% is spent on consumption--basically for paying bills and buying groceries. The LP writer speculates that by such dependence upon friends and family working abroad for their daily living expenses, Salvadoreans have created a sort of "welfare" economy that cannot grow over time.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Nica´s One of My Favorites
Leon is a premier destination for me on this trip, but I gotta admit that Nicaragua itself is a prime destination for me.
With all due respect to my Costa Rican Suzuki mother and her beautiful country and people, I have to declare that Nicaragua might be my favorite Central American country. However, I´m not sure I can explain why. There´s something about it I immediately notice once I´m past the formalities and on a bus moving toward my destination, but as I write this I´m still trying to put my finger on it.
It´s not only that Nicaragua, compared to Guatemala, El Salvador, or Honduras, seems so much less menacing, though that truly seems to be the case. Lonely Planet claims El Salvador has 16,000 shotgun-toting private security guards, and it´s clear that Nicaragua is not nearly as obsessed with basic security as the other countries I´ve mentioned.
And like the others, in Nicaragua there is poverty, broken infrastructure and the usual political conflict and controversy.
Yet it seems that Nicaragua has better tourist facilities and more features for ordinary joes like me. For example, I love a good cup of coffee, and El Salvador was almost completely horrible for getting one. Nearly every day last week I struggled in the morning just to feel awake with the muddy water that passes for coffee in that country. But in Leon I´ve counted at least three espresso shops so far and I´m sure there are more. The infrastructure here is already set up to get me moving on a daily basis.
In El Salvador at least so far there are very few entrepreneurs stepping up to provide guiding and other services to places like Volcan de San Miguel. As the Lonely Planet points out, if you want to go there you have to do all the legwork yourself. But here in Leon, there are plenty of businesses geared toward meeting the needs of the foreign visitor.
I´m not saying that espresso shops or guide services make it for me. El Salvador is a fascinating place with very hardworking people who generally are quite welcoming to foreigners, and I still want to swing back there to visit Perquin on my way back north. But I gotta say the Salvadoreans have a lousy cup of coffee, and after 10 days that´s wearing for me, on top of all the usual chores I have to do just to get around and be around in safety.
Here in Leon and other Nicaraguan towns I feel there are many people in a nascent tourist industry who care about what I need, about where I want to go, and about how I might get there. At the same time the local scene isn´t spoiled to the point where the visitor feels any pressure to kick up bucks to an industry. Most importantly, the security situation here doesn´t feel nearly as ¨edgy¨ as in other places in the region. Altogether that´s a most basic definition of hospitality, and my impression is the Nicaraguans have it in spades.
With all due respect to my Costa Rican Suzuki mother and her beautiful country and people, I have to declare that Nicaragua might be my favorite Central American country. However, I´m not sure I can explain why. There´s something about it I immediately notice once I´m past the formalities and on a bus moving toward my destination, but as I write this I´m still trying to put my finger on it.
It´s not only that Nicaragua, compared to Guatemala, El Salvador, or Honduras, seems so much less menacing, though that truly seems to be the case. Lonely Planet claims El Salvador has 16,000 shotgun-toting private security guards, and it´s clear that Nicaragua is not nearly as obsessed with basic security as the other countries I´ve mentioned.
And like the others, in Nicaragua there is poverty, broken infrastructure and the usual political conflict and controversy.
Yet it seems that Nicaragua has better tourist facilities and more features for ordinary joes like me. For example, I love a good cup of coffee, and El Salvador was almost completely horrible for getting one. Nearly every day last week I struggled in the morning just to feel awake with the muddy water that passes for coffee in that country. But in Leon I´ve counted at least three espresso shops so far and I´m sure there are more. The infrastructure here is already set up to get me moving on a daily basis.
In El Salvador at least so far there are very few entrepreneurs stepping up to provide guiding and other services to places like Volcan de San Miguel. As the Lonely Planet points out, if you want to go there you have to do all the legwork yourself. But here in Leon, there are plenty of businesses geared toward meeting the needs of the foreign visitor.
I´m not saying that espresso shops or guide services make it for me. El Salvador is a fascinating place with very hardworking people who generally are quite welcoming to foreigners, and I still want to swing back there to visit Perquin on my way back north. But I gotta say the Salvadoreans have a lousy cup of coffee, and after 10 days that´s wearing for me, on top of all the usual chores I have to do just to get around and be around in safety.
Here in Leon and other Nicaraguan towns I feel there are many people in a nascent tourist industry who care about what I need, about where I want to go, and about how I might get there. At the same time the local scene isn´t spoiled to the point where the visitor feels any pressure to kick up bucks to an industry. Most importantly, the security situation here doesn´t feel nearly as ¨edgy¨ as in other places in the region. Altogether that´s a most basic definition of hospitality, and my impression is the Nicaraguans have it in spades.
In Leon, Nicaragua (Day 18)
Visiting old colonial Leon is a no brainer for me since I consider myself to be a ¨collector¨ of colonial cities in Spanish America. Among the attractions here is the largest cathedral in Central America but the central district is dotted with surprising old buildings from history.
I decided at the last minute yesterday to forgo Perquin and focus on making some miles toward Costa Rica. A couple buses got me to the Honduras border at El Amatillo, and the crossing was relatively hassle free.
On a very hot day I caught the slow bus for a 2 hour long trip to Choluteca in southern Honduras. This is cowboy country with plenty of cows, horses, and the men who ride and drive them. By now we´re also out of volcano territory and in a dryer landscape marked by short trees and scrubgrass.
Choluteca, the largest town in this part of Honduras, had everything I needed within a block of my hotel, itself not far from the bus station. Restaurants, internet, and gloriously an espresso shack! This morning I had the best coffee I´ve tasted since way back in Ataco, El Salvador. Buen sabor!
Much needed aircon and not so needed TV were cut off last night with sudden thunderstorms which cooled the area considerably.
South of Choluteca on a microbus this morning the landscape changed yet again into a much more lush version of 5 or 6 different shades of green. Cloud cover kept temperatures bearable for the travel.
The Nicaragua border at Guasaule was mercifully also very easy to cross without much bureaucratic fuss. Seven bucks and I was in for 30 days, though the experience was marred slightly when I was grossly overcharged for a cyclo taxi. Yet it´s the first time in 18 days that I´ve been grossly overcharged for anything, so I reckon I´m doing alright.
Another fast microbus took me to Chinandega where I connected for my final bus to Leon which is about 60 miles northwest of Managua. The countryside here changes yet again with 3 or 4 massive volcanos visible in the distant clouds. It´s still cowboy country but the land is much less dry than in southern Honduras and the soil appears to be very rich. Viva la cultura de los vaqueros. . .
Leon is a premier destination for me, along with Tortuguero and Caribbean Panama, so I´m privately celebrating my arrival here. I was so charmed by my short walk around today, I´m sure I´ll stay at least 2 or 3 days.
I have just 34 days to get back to Guatemala. In the week ahead I plan to hit Masaya, Granada, Rivas and San Juan del Sur before I go to Costa Rica perhaps a week from today.
I decided at the last minute yesterday to forgo Perquin and focus on making some miles toward Costa Rica. A couple buses got me to the Honduras border at El Amatillo, and the crossing was relatively hassle free.
On a very hot day I caught the slow bus for a 2 hour long trip to Choluteca in southern Honduras. This is cowboy country with plenty of cows, horses, and the men who ride and drive them. By now we´re also out of volcano territory and in a dryer landscape marked by short trees and scrubgrass.
Choluteca, the largest town in this part of Honduras, had everything I needed within a block of my hotel, itself not far from the bus station. Restaurants, internet, and gloriously an espresso shack! This morning I had the best coffee I´ve tasted since way back in Ataco, El Salvador. Buen sabor!
Much needed aircon and not so needed TV were cut off last night with sudden thunderstorms which cooled the area considerably.
South of Choluteca on a microbus this morning the landscape changed yet again into a much more lush version of 5 or 6 different shades of green. Cloud cover kept temperatures bearable for the travel.
The Nicaragua border at Guasaule was mercifully also very easy to cross without much bureaucratic fuss. Seven bucks and I was in for 30 days, though the experience was marred slightly when I was grossly overcharged for a cyclo taxi. Yet it´s the first time in 18 days that I´ve been grossly overcharged for anything, so I reckon I´m doing alright.
Another fast microbus took me to Chinandega where I connected for my final bus to Leon which is about 60 miles northwest of Managua. The countryside here changes yet again with 3 or 4 massive volcanos visible in the distant clouds. It´s still cowboy country but the land is much less dry than in southern Honduras and the soil appears to be very rich. Viva la cultura de los vaqueros. . .
Leon is a premier destination for me, along with Tortuguero and Caribbean Panama, so I´m privately celebrating my arrival here. I was so charmed by my short walk around today, I´m sure I´ll stay at least 2 or 3 days.
I have just 34 days to get back to Guatemala. In the week ahead I plan to hit Masaya, Granada, Rivas and San Juan del Sur before I go to Costa Rica perhaps a week from today.
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