San Juan del Sur and Rivas, Nicaragua
A warm “Welcome to Nicaragua” was given to us by the Minister of Tourism, Maria Rivas, who along with representatives of Intur (Nicaraguan Authority of Tourism) honored us with an early visit aboard the M/V Sea Voyager as we arrived to this beautiful country.
Around 8:00 a.m., we proceeded to disembark onto the pier of San Juan del Sur, considered among the most important in the Pacific area. A band known as the “chicheros” and a marimba band alternated beautiful songs to make this overcast morning a great start to experience the hospitality of these friendly people. Following this cultural experience, we headed up to the city of Rivas.
Rivas is the southern-most important city of Nicaragua, and we were ready to explore and discover more about it. Our first stop was at a local museum where we learned about pre-Columbian art and a little about the natural history of the area. As we reached the open patio on the back of this historical building, we sat down to enjoy an amazing presentation of traditional dances performed by local children who enlightened our hearts with their smiles and enthusiasm.
By mid morning, we boarded a caravan of “pepanos”, which are modified bicycles with a double seat in the front and a driver pedaling at the back. These function as local taxis that might abound on the streets of downtown Rivas. Our main destination was the Central Market of Rivas and the local Catholic church of San Pedro
The day warmed up; as a result before heading up to the lunch area, we enjoyed dessert first by sampling the local ice-cream. Our new destination was the Hacienda Amayo, a very secluded and remarkable place bordering the Lake Nicaragua with the view over the volcanoes of Ometepe Island: Concepcion and Maderas.
Upon arrival, the family of the hacienda welcomed us as well as the children of the minor league team of Rivas who joined us to challenge our young explorers to a baseball game and soccer game in the early afternoon hours. The lunch we enjoy was the “Cabayo Bayo” a traditional meal of Nicaragua that consists of ingredients like corn tortillas, beans, guacamole, and different kinds of beef among others.
Throughout the afternoon, the sun and the volcanoes accompanied our games and an exciting day came to a happy conclusion where children and families of different nationalities became one heart and soul.
A warm “Welcome to Nicaragua” was given to us by the Minister of Tourism, Maria Rivas, who along with representatives of Intur (Nicaraguan Authority of Tourism) honored us with an early visit aboard the M/V Sea Voyager as we arrived to this beautiful country.
Around 8:00 a.m., we proceeded to disembark onto the pier of San Juan del Sur, considered among the most important in the Pacific area. A band known as the “chicheros” and a marimba band alternated beautiful songs to make this overcast morning a great start to experience the hospitality of these friendly people. Following this cultural experience, we headed up to the city of Rivas.
Rivas is the southern-most important city of Nicaragua, and we were ready to explore and discover more about it. Our first stop was at a local museum where we learned about pre-Columbian art and a little about the natural history of the area. As we reached the open patio on the back of this historical building, we sat down to enjoy an amazing presentation of traditional dances performed by local children who enlightened our hearts with their smiles and enthusiasm.
By mid morning, we boarded a caravan of “pepanos”, which are modified bicycles with a double seat in the front and a driver pedaling at the back. These function as local taxis that might abound on the streets of downtown Rivas. Our main destination was the Central Market of Rivas and the local Catholic church of San Pedro
The day warmed up; as a result before heading up to the lunch area, we enjoyed dessert first by sampling the local ice-cream. Our new destination was the Hacienda Amayo, a very secluded and remarkable place bordering the Lake Nicaragua with the view over the volcanoes of Ometepe Island: Concepcion and Maderas.
Upon arrival, the family of the hacienda welcomed us as well as the children of the minor league team of Rivas who joined us to challenge our young explorers to a baseball game and soccer game in the early afternoon hours. The lunch we enjoy was the “Cabayo Bayo” a traditional meal of Nicaragua that consists of ingredients like corn tortillas, beans, guacamole, and different kinds of beef among others.
Throughout the afternoon, the sun and the volcanoes accompanied our games and an exciting day came to a happy conclusion where children and families of different nationalities became one heart and soul.
