Photo of the Day (3.14.09)

by Brenda Yun on


Seeing as I’m in Nicaragua right now, I find it only appropriate to offer an image from this wonderfully hospitable country. I mentioned in my first dispatch that Nicaragua is clearly a developing country and poverty runs rampant right next to 5 star hotels. It’s an unfortunate thing, and it’s something that not just one person with a thinning wallet can do about it. Walking along the dirt road scattered with ramshackle huts on my way to Playa Amarilla with surfboard in hand, I was hit with the reality that the people here just trying to survive and have no luxury like I do of surfing at the break that is just steps away. How could they afford the surfboard anyway? If there’s one thing I intend to do before I leave, it’s to give back a little piece of heaven to these poor neighbors in one way or another.

This photograph depicts three young boys who were gracious enough to pose for ourmanwhere in the colonial town of Granada on Calle Arsenal. Ourmanwhere, a self-proclaimed “serial overseas volunteer” currently based in Cameroon, also has some pretty captivating photographs from Vietnam, Thailand, the UK, and Europe.

If you have some great travel shots you’d like to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day!

The first 24 hours in Nicaragua

by Brenda Yun on

Just how cold is the water in Nicaragua, I say to myself as I scuttle up to the lapping ocean’s edge.

Mike had told me it was going to be colder than I would normally think.

I dip my toes in, and quickly realize what Mike was talking about. Despite my assumption that everything about Central America is hot, the water is chilly at best – cold to be generous.

“Aw, heck,” I shriek before running full throttle, throwing my borrowed surfboard in front of me, and paddling as quickly as possible to the lineup.

Rob, too, the owner of the Hotel Brio where I am staying for a week, jogs into the water and informs us this is the coldest it’s been in his recollection. He’s been surfing these waters for over five years, so that’s saying something
Dusk is settling in, and the hot Nicaraguan sun is quickly fading, bringing with it forceful offshore winds. It’s feeding time for the frigate birds, who are scouring the sea out on the horizon. It’s just the three of us in the water, a perfect closing to my first full day in this largely misunderstood country.

For those of you who are afraid of traveling to Latin America because you think it’s too dangerous: don’t be. Having been to some of the lesser traveled countries such as Colombia, I too was afraid of hostility and violence. Like Mexico, there are clearly places you should go and places you should avoid.

I’ve now spent just 24 hours in this blessed country, which is in the middle of its dry season. I decided to come here before Nicaragua becomes an expensive travel destination and/or explodes as a surf destination. On the plane ride from Houston to Managua, I happened to sit next to Rob, who invited me to his hotel near the Tola coast in south. After many serendipitous moments like this, I’ve become a firm believer in trusting that things and people happen for a reason.

Therefore, might I suggest that you just buy the ticket you’ve been anxious about purchasing. Just go for it. Beyond that, you might want to book your first night’s stay somewhere, but let the other events just unfold before you naturally. There’s something utterly comforting about being in a third-world country and seeing it develop before your eyes.

Specifically, the people here are awfully helpful. No matter their dire financial or living situations, the locals I’ve met are particularly resilient. The hotel cook Nestor, for instance, taught himself English and taught himself how to cook the most delectable meals this side of Central America. Rob told us that previous guests at the Brio contact him specifically to rave about Nestor’s amazing dishes. Not only this, Nestor is the friendliest Nicaraguan I have yet to meet – and this is not to say that the people are not friendly because they are.

Speaking of Nestor, it’s time for dinner. An enticing plate of garlic red snapper fillet, freshly purchased from a local fisherman, awaits me. The side of mashed potatoes could feed five starving children in the beachside village just down the road. Parrots are chirping goodnight from the trees outside, and the sun is quickly turning midnight blue.

So for now, I will say buenos noches, but tell you I’ve only just begun to explore this small country packed to the brim with vibrancy and culture. You will certainly hear more from me soon, but I implore you to come and see it for yourself.

Four good reasons to visit Central America this fall

by Grant Martin on

With many of our travel budgets shrinking this season, now is a great time to consider the halfway point between that costly trip to Europe and the staycation that you’ve been dreading. Oh yes, I’m talking about Central America.

Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua have a lot to offer and are a great alternative to sinking a large chunk of cash into a heavy vacation. They’re close enough so that you can get away for a long weekend, not stuffed with tourists like many of the Mexican port towns and warm enough to cure those chilly fall hangovers.

Why else would we move our Thanksgiving family dinner from Providence down to Panama City? Check out four good reasons below.
The (relative) strength of the dollar: Sure the American dollar has made up some ground against the Euro in the last two months, but hotels in London and Paris are still going to cost you dearly per night. Compare that with some of the four star hotels that go for a third of the price in Panama City then factor in the price of food and entertainment, and you’re saving a ton of money over Europe

Plane tickets are inexpensive: Partially motivated by a slew of fare sales from Continental Airlines, destinations across the entire isthmus are dirt cheap right now. Many fares out of the country this fall are less expensive than domestic tickets across the US.

Diversity of activities: While the region may not have the cliche anglocentric activities you’re used to on vacation, the natural beauty alone is enough to keep vacationers busy ziplining through the forest canopy, sea kayaking or loafing on the beach. Mix in a heaping scoop of American history, keen architecture and an emerging nightlife and you’ve got a winning combination.

Tourism is booming: San Jose, Costa Rica is the perfect model that shows why tourism has worked excellently in Central America. Labor is inexpensive and resources are rich, so tour companies and travel agents will be competing to book your snorkeling trip and give you the best price on your jungle adventure. Furthermore, with the tourism base growing in each respective country, more and more content is now available by word of mouth, through tripadvisor or on gather.com for you to do more organic research.

Piqued your interest? A great place to start your research on a trip to Central America is right here on Gadling. Take a look around our articles on Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua and check your sock drawer — you’ve got enough rainy day money for a small vacation this fall, right?

Photo of the Day 7-30-08

by Jamie Rhein on

The green first drew me to this photo and then the concept. This is a photograph turned into an artist’s statement of sorts. Adam Baker, AlphaTangoBravo calls this shot he took in Granada, Nicaragua this past June “Dos Partes.”

Even if Baker hadn’t divided this into two color schemes, there would have been two images. The men on the scooter (?) and the woman walking–blurred and in focus. The color division creates a surreal quality and an odd depth of field. Is the man in the front glancing at the woman and she at him?

Also, the building’s walls in need of repair are a contrast to the ornate details or the door frame. That’s another way to look at two parts. Robust and crumbling. Possibilities or dreams gone by. I’ve just finished reading Pico Iyer’s Sun After Dark, Flights into the Foreign, so perhaps I’m feeling a bit fanciful myself.

If you have a shot to share, send it our way at Gadling’s Flickr Photo Pool and it might be picked for a Photo of the Day.

New England Patriots remain undefeated… in Nicaragua

by Aaron Hotfelder on

After this year’s Super Bowl, the victorious New York Giants immediately received their “Super Bowl Champion” hats and shirts, but they weren’t just printed on the spot. The apparel had to be preprinted, and of course, so did shirts for the “Undefeated Super Bowl Champion” Patriots. Except that the Patriots lost the Super Bowl, thus ruining their perfect season. So, the curious mind wants to know, what happened to the shirts?

Hundreds of them are making their way to poor children in Nicaragua, thanks to a humanitarian organization called World Vision. According to a Reuters story, “World Vision has links with the National Football League, or NFL, and every year helps out poor children in Latin America and Africa with the unwanted “winners” shirts of the team that actually loses the Super Bowl.”

I vaguely remember being given one of these erroneous championship-winning shirts by my lovely but clueless grandmother many years ago, who probably wondered why the item was so heavily discounted. My team lost, that’s why. But thanks for the reminder.

A spokesperson for World Vision said that the Nicaraguan children “don’t care what team name is on it. They don’t know about football. Some of these people have never had a new piece of clothing in their lives. They will wear them until they are threadbare.”