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Q. Are there grocery stores in town?
A. Yes, small corner stores that carry a good supply of
all our needs. Several stores have most of the items
that you may want to buy. Some things are expensive
because they are imports. I noted that a can of Del
Monte green beans was $1.60 per can. You can shop for
fresh fruits and veggies along with fresh eggs at the
open market, these items are inexpensive and fresh that
day!
Q. What about drinking the water?
A. The water is drinkable and most local people drink
it. However, it does have a lot of minerals. I prefer to
drink bottle water which is inexpensive and available
everywhere you go.
Q. Are the people friendly?
A. Nicaraguan people are delightful.
Say “hola” (hello) to someone on the street and you
get a big beautiful smile and hola right back. They love
Americans and want to learn English so they can
communicate.
Q. What is the language?
A. Spanish is the main language. More
and more are learning a little English. With hand
signals and broken Spanish and their little bit of
English, we got along just fine. I would suggest
brushing up on your Spanish if you are planning a trip
to Central America.
Q. Where is the nearest large city?
A. Managua is a city of over
1,000,000 people. The airport is located there and is
about a two hour drive from San Juan del Sur. In Managua
you will find everything you need and more, shopping
centers, movie houses, Burger King, and PriceMart which
is a large bulk store much like Sams in America. You can
get to Managua in a taxi for about $50-85 or an early
morning bus for about $10.00.
Q. What Churches are represented?
A. Most denominations are in San Juan
del Sur. The congregations may be small or large
depending on the meeting place. There is a large
Catholic Church with a park which is the main area of
town and seems to be a gathering place for the towns
people.
Q. How is the weather?
A. During the day year round it
ranges from 75-95 F. In the evening it drops to the 70’s.
The rainy season May-September has a
rain shower most every day. The rain comes straight down
and only lasts for a little while. During this period
you will see the most beautiful sunsets and lightning
shows. Most of the people don’t mind the rain. They
stand under a tree until it passes or they keep on
walking. After all when you live in a beach town, you
should always be prepared to get wet! October-December
is delightful with cool breezes and sunny days.
January-March is the windy season. The winds can kick up
a lot of sand so stay off the beach on those days. If it
is not windy in the morning, then you can be pretty sure
it is safe to go to the beach.
Q. Is there any crime?
A. No, not to speak of. You take the
normal precautions as you do any where else. Don’t
leave a bag lying on the beach unattended. Carry a flash
light if you are walking at night so passing cars can
see you and you can see where you are walking. There is
a police presence but they are not driving the streets.
Q. Are there any hospitals close by?
A. Yes, there is a hospital in the
department of Rivas which is a town about 30 minutes
away. San Juan del Sur now has an ambulance, thanks to
the country of Denmark. Located within the town are a
clinic, dentist, and vetenary. There is a large state of
the arts hospital in Managua also.
Q. What shopping is there?
A. Several small shops are located
throughout San Juan del Sur where you can purchase most
anything you need. Bathing suits, shorts, t-shirts,
jewelry and much more is plentiful along with wonderful
art objects made in Nicaragua. If you want mall
shopping, you will fine plenty of nice malls in Managua.
Q. Are there nice restaurants?
A. Well if you call nice, sitting in
the open air watching the waves lap at the beach and
watching the kids play in the surf and dining on fresh
fish caught that morning, yes there are plenty. You will
find about fifteen open air restaurants on the beach and
many more scattered around the town. Big Wave Dave's is a
gathering place for breakfast with their open patio and
dining under the palm trees. They serve lunch and dinner
too.
Pelican Eyes resort is a five star dining
experience with Lynette the chef turning out delightful
dishes at lunch and dinner. Try the lobster
fritters-delicious!
If you want flavor of the town, go
to the market and enjoy one of the open cafes, have the
traditional plate, rice, beans, potatoes, fish or
chicken, and salad for $3.00. For the price, it is very
good.
Q. What airport do we fly into
Nicaragua?
A. Managua airport, the code is MGA.
Most all airlines fly into Managua.
Q. How do we get to San Juan del Sur
from the airport?
A. We can arrange a taxi service to
pick you up. The cost is approximately $85.00 from the
airport to Park Avenue Villas. There are rent cars
available at the airport also.
Q. If we arrive on the late flight,
are there hotels in Managua?
A. Many hotels, we recommend the
Camino Real Managua. The web site is www.caminoreal.com.ni
. The hotel is about a block from the airport. The hotel
service will pick you up at the airport and help you
through customs and take you straight to the hotel. The
rate is approximately $85.00 per night with breakfast
included. Pharaohs Casino is right next door for a night
of fun.
Q. What is there to do in San Juan
del Sur.
A. There are many excursions we can
book for you. Day trips to see the turtles or overnight
trips to see the coffee plantations. Just tell us what
you want to see. Swim in the bay or take a water taxi to
one of the other beaches. Fishing, surfing, sailboat
rides, canopy tour, diving, and much more. Bring your
cameras!
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