Posts tagged Northern Boundary
Managua, the Capital of Nicaragua and Unique American City
Sep 16th
Orientation
The capital of Nicaragua has a lot to offer the interested traveler. So long as you don’t expect everything or anything to go exactly as you planned. It is the central hub for all flights and bus destinations. The city is one of perpetual summer and the heat does take some getting used to. There are few remaining colonial buildings or downtown buildings as most of that was destroyed in the big earthquake of 1972.
The city is easy to get lost in but you can always ask which the lake is to find North. The shore of Lake Managua forms the northern boundary of the city and in giving directions the people say “towards the lake” instead of North. The outdoor markets, bus stations, modern commercial centers and shopping malls are the major landmarks along with the lake. In the middle of the city, there is a hill with a lagoon in it, the Tiscapa Lagoon, which has wonderful views of the city and surroundings.
Managua has its share of street crime and it is advised not to carry too much cash on you anywhere you travel in Nicaragua. Don’t be surprised or stunned to see a lot of trash around, poor children begging at traffic lights, cows in traffic, etc.
Activities
The nightlife is quite active in Managua. So go ahead and head for any of the more popular night clubs in town and check out the Nicaraguan cuisine. There are also a couple of casinos complete with round the clock gambling. You can play poker or use the gaming machines.
To really experience the city you need to visit one of the many markets. The Mercado Oriental is the largest market in Central America. In 2008 there were a few serious fires destroying parts of this market but reconstruction and renovation is under way. The Mercado Huembes is smaller but a little nicer and is not so overwhelming.
Special attractions
If you are lucky enough to be visiting during the Semana Santa (Easter Week), have fun. Most locals head to nearby beach party extravaganzas. Make sure that you take adequate precautions and don’t do anything fool hardy that you might regret at a later date. That said, the dancing is amazing and you should get some of the locals to teach you those Latin American dances. There are many other festivals and countless occasions for dancing.
If you are the kind who gets a kick from seeing geological phenomena like volcanic craters then you are in luck. Given the proximity of the city to the low lying and swampy regions which showcase eroded volcanoes craters, it is a simple task to organize an outing to the sites.
Some prehistoric footprints said to be more than 6000 years old made by 12 individuals are showcased at Huellas de Acahualinca. They were discovered in 1874 by quarry workers who found them buried under volcanic material. All footprints lead in one direction making archeologists believe that it was a migration. These are located on the southern shore of Lake Managua.
The Monumental Area
Budget cuts have ensured that all of Nicaraguan culture is easily viewed in one main museum building. The Palacio Nacional de la Cultural has the Hall of Natural History on the first floor. The second floor has the National Library and the National Archives housed together. A small art gallery on the first floor also showcases some local artisans and artists. There are also occasional events, like book and cultural fairs, in the “Plaza of the Revolution” or “Plaza de la Revolución” that is in front of the National Palace.
Rubén Darío National Theater is the place to visit if you are interested in the music, visual art and theatre of Nicaragua. Named after the famous Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío it overlooks Lake Managua. It is an important centre for the national performing arts. It is also one of the few buildings that survived the major earthquake of 1972.
The Cathedral of Santiago was built in 1929, but it needed reconstruction after the damage it faced in the 1972 earthquake. There is a new cathedral that was built (in a modern style that looks like an upside-down egg crate) to replace the older one but it is not as impressive as the shell of the old one that it replaced. The new cathedral is located next to the Metrocentro shopping mall.
Rivas Nicaragua – Not Yet a Major Tourist Destination but Growing in Popularity
Feb 19th
Rivas is located in the far southwest of Nicaragua about 50-60 km North of Costa Rica. Its entire eastern sector is bordered by Lake Nicaragua, the 10th largest lake in the world and also home of the only freshwater sharks, and to the west it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean. All this makes it a true isthmus.
A range of low mountains parallels to the coast. Its northern boundary is Rio Ochomogo and its southern border is Costa Rica.
Rivas, the capital city, is located midway on the isthmus at Km 111 on the Pan-American Highway. The city, whose population is near 40,000, serves as a center for market goods and transportation for the department’s 145,000 inhabitants. The department is heavily dependent on tourism.
The Island of Ometepe and San Juan del Sur are being tourist destinations. Both local buses and through buses to Costa Rica originate in Rivas.
Rivas traces its history back to 606 AD when various indigenous tribes gathered and settled in the area.
The Spaniards first visited the area in 1522 and again it in 1524. The current population is a mixture of Creole, Indian, Mulatto and Spanish. A Catholic Church was built in 1607. The city of Rivas was officially recognized in 1835.
William Walker stormed the city in June of 1855 but was repulsed by a teacher, Emanuel Mongalo, who became a local hero. A second battle ensued in 1865 forever banishing Walker from Rivas.
The twentieth century parallels that of the rest of Nicaragua with its various invasions, dictators and wars. Ex-President Violetta Chamorro is a native from Rivas and also her son, who is now the Minister of Defense, Pedro Joquian Chamorro.
With the market, new vegetable and fruit market and the various mini-supers almost anything can be purchased in Rivas. The fruits and vegetables arrive almost daily and are abundant and inexpensive, but seasonal crops affect the variety. There is an abundance of places to purchase tortillas, nacatamales, cooked beans and fresh breads, simple breads but fresh.
Rivas itself is not a tourist destination. It has an interesting horseback riding and a beautiful relaxing setting. To the south about 25 km is San Juan del Sur which is oriented for the tourist. There are a variety of places to stay ranging from expensive and comfortable to cheap and adventurous. A multiple of restaurants also offer abundant seafood selections with beachfront seating. The beach is wonderful and there are many virgin beaches only minutes away from San Juan.
The economy is based on tourism, cattle ranching and agriculture. The agriculture in Rivas is mainly plantains, sugar cane, rice, and grenadine. Cattle ranching are growing stronger. There is now a state of the art genetic center for artificial insemination of cattle. This is helping to produce stronger and more desired breeds.
In 2009, several new restaurants, hotels and a disco opened they appear to have a steady flow of customers. Nevertheless, the unemployment is high. Housing is available, but it is expensive by Nicaraguan standards.
Rivas is the administrative centre for the surrounding municipality of the same name. The village of San Juan del Sur, on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus has become a popular tourist destination in the last decade, and already receives cruise ships.
San Juan del Sur is the center of surf exploration in coastal Rivas. The Department of Rivas also includes Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua.
The coastal areas of Rivas have been seeing increasing development and tourism return due to the build up of surfing and eco-tourism in the area. Large developments like Rancho Santana have land-grabbing experts and entrepreneurs excited. The many surf camps and smaller resorts attract a variety of travelers world-wide. This surge can be attributed to the many articles that have been published in recent years in surfing magazines and lifestyle magazines like GQ.
To this also contributed the fact that Costa Rica’s once wild coasts have been developed to the point of exhaustion. The beachside town of Gigante is a great example of this rapid development, where a once an ancient fishing village prepares to host large marina in its picturesque bay. It is between the Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean, and was an important portage between the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans before the construction of the Panama Railway.
Within the city limits, there are several interesting sites to visit. There is a museum with a nice collection of pre-Columbian objects as well as more recent items and paintings of Nicaraguan legends and myths.
Another interesting visit is the cemetery. This old cemetery is located at the outskirts of the city, and it includes some interesting graves of people famous in Nicaraguan history. Within the cemetery, there is also a hilltop called the Hill of Carazo that offers nice views of the region and a spectacular view of the sunset.
The central park of Rivas is located next to the colonial church, and it is a tranquil place with several restaurants nearby.
