Wide World Wanders

I’ll start by saying simply I Love Nicaragua– the people, the natural beauty, the resilience and authenticity.  This is my second trip to Nicaragua and I spent most of my time working on my project in Managua (more to come on that!).  I had previously visited the beautiful towns of Granada and Leon, peered into the mouth of a volcano and visited the beaches. So on this trip I finally got to visit the mountains around Matagalpa and Esteli. Not only are they a nice respite from the heat below…they are magnificent.

The city of Matagalpa is growing rapidly because of coffee and other agriculture.  It feels like both a bustling city and a small town as the houses sprawl and climb up the mountainsides from the valley.  I stayed up on the hillside and enjoyed the calm, peaceful views but wandering the town is a treat as a taste of real Nicaragua.

 

I had the pleasure of taking two different tours with Matagalpa Tours and I highly recommend them.  They are a small company dedicated to sustainability and supporting small local businesses.  My first tour included a visit to a small but fabulous family-owned coffee farm, Finca El Guayabo.  We walked through the gorgeous farm and learned about their process before having lunch with the family.  I am impressed by their hard work, commitment to employees and their love of the land.  The couple who started the farm met while picking coffee decades ago and slowly built up the farm over the years.  Their dedication shows in the excellent coffee.  They also offer a few rooms for people who want to stay a night, or a while.

The day ended with a hike through farmland in the area, past several rural communities who have farmed the land for centuries, past swimming halls and to waterfalls. One day is simply not enough to appreciate this serenity, but I’ll take it!

 

I also did a city tour with Matagalpa Tours to learn a little more about the history of this area. I spent a fair amount of time in Nicaragua learning more about the country’s history. I won’t do it the injustice of writing about it here but I will say that with centuries of challenge of conflict, external forces, and natural disasters I remain inspired and humbled by the resilience and especially the generosity of the people.  Pictured is Nicaragua’s second favorite son, Ruben Dario, hero and poet. Someone told me that every leader should be a poet. After spending a little time here, you know, maybe that is so.

The bucolic drives between Managua, Matagalpa and Esteli are themselves something to be savored…

 

A visit to Selva Negra should be required on any trip to Nicaragua.  Dedicated to sustainability with every step, it is an historic coffee farm originally settled by Germans (Selva Negra= Black Forest).  It also provides healthcare and education to the 600 families in the community.  There are various hiking trails through one of the few remaining cloud forests and you can tour or amble around the beautiful La Hammonia farm just down the hill. I would recommend spending a night or two in the ecolodge onsite.

And finally, I got to spend a few days in Esteli, a farm town a few hours north that feels quite different from Matagalpa. It is a real working town, off many of the tourist tracks although it is a gateway to amazing places in the north. (I was attempting to visit the Miraflor Nature Reserve but I will have to visit on my next trip.)  It played a critical role in the revolution (as did Matagalpa) and they are dedicated to ensuring that history is not forgotten.  A visit to the Heroes and Martyrs Museum is a must.  I also took a tour of the murals which help recall the revolutionary history but are now supported by nonprofit organizations who work with children and young people to create beautiful and inspirational murals reflecting their values. For more information: read here

In Esteli, I had the pleasure of staying in Hotel Los Arcos (highly recommended!), a nonprofit hotel and restaurant whose profits entirely support various social programs for children and adults in the region in partnership with a Spanish organization, Fundacion Familias Unidas.

 

So over the week, I met many people from all over the world doing various things to make a difference in this big interconnected planet.  In addition to those folks in Managua who have inspired me, I’m thrilled to have added a week to my time in Nicaragua.  I can’t imagine what can top being surrounded by those living with purpose every day.  Here’s to building bridges, not walls.