This past Sunday April 20, 2008, Aurora Beachfront Realty participated in the third annual cleanup of La Chocolata, the 22 kilometer dirt road from San Juan del Sur to Rivas. This road is the access from San Juan del Sur to all the beaches north including: the surf beach Maderas, Playa Marsella, Playa Majagual and Los Playones.

Morgan’s Rock organized the annual event, helping bring hundreds of volunteers out to clean up the Chocolata. Aurora is always happy to work with Morgan’s Rock in community endeavors and especially to help make Nicaragua cleaner and more beautiful.

The day was sunny and the road has never looked better. Volunteers woke up with the Nicaraguan dawn and started picking up trash at 6 AM. Volunteers were treated to lunch and music after donating their time to help the community. Aurora Beachfront wants to commend Morgan’s Rock for their time and energy.

Last week (april 18th - 19th), San Juan del Sur was proud to host the first Music Fest Nicaragua 2008. The inaugural community event brought thousands of people to our sleepy beach town to enjoy Nicaraguan art, culture, and music.

The two-day event opened on Friday night with Noche Urbana. DJ’s, graffiti artists, and breakdancers pleased the crowds and kicked off the event in style at the new San Juan del Sur Sports Park.

Saturday afternoon featured Arts in the Park, with local artists displaying their work on San Juan del Sur’s newly remodeled town square in front of the cathedral. Artists showed their paintings, photographs, ceramics, furniture, and jewelry while a jazz quartet played in the background.

The finale on Saturday right was a rollicking affair with Nicaraguan music groups & rock bands playing late into the night. We at Aurora are looking forward to helping Music Fest grow and we’re exited for next year’s event.

Nicaragua in the third Central America Surf Competition

The third edition of the Central America Surf Championship was held in Panama from the 21s to the 23^rd of March. Teams from Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador competed.

Every country brought their best surfers to compete in different categories:
- 4 open Men
- 4 Juniors
- 2 open Women
- 2 Longboard
- 2 Bodyboard Men
- 2 Bodyboard Women

The Nicaraguan National Selection was made up of the 11 best surfers in Nicaragua determined by the results of the Claro Nicaragua Surf Circuit. The Nicaraguan surfers come from San Juan del Sur and the Tola region of southern Pacific Nicaragua. The small surf towns in Tola have some of the best waves in all of Central America and produce some of the best Nicaraguan surfers. Here is a list of the Nicaraguan surfers and the categories that they competed in:

Open Men

Luis Chamorro
Augusto Chamorro
Mario Martinez
Samir Duarte

Juniors

Rex Calderon
Junior Martinez
Darwin Jacamo
Larry Davila

Open Women

Ashley Blaylock
Elsy Marin

Longboard

Roque Calderon
Junior Martinez

Bodyboard Men

Rex Calderon
Darwin Jacamo

Bodyboard Women

Ashley Blaylock

The Nicaraguan National Surf Team traveled to Panama City, Panama Wednesday, the 19^th of March thanks to a 50% discount on airline tickets given by Copa Airlines. The Nicaraguan National Surf Team was greeted at the airport by the president of the Federation of Panamanian Surf, Ruben Garcia. The team loaded onto a microbus and was taken to Playa Venao in the province of Los Santos on the Pacific coast, 5 hours from the capital.

Thursday was a training day and the Nicaraguan surfers worked hard to analyze and get to know the type of wave, and the tidal conditions that Playa Venao offered.

In the morning on Friday classification began in the different categories and in the afternoon the first rounds of competition started. Luis Chamorro classified for the second round in the Men’s Open category, Rex Calderon in Juniors, and Roque Calderon in Longboard for the Nicaraguan National Surf Team.

On Saturday in the second round Luis Chamorro went up against Diego Salgado from Panama and Juan Carlos Naranjo from Costa Rica. Luis was in the third position in the heat, but thanks to his intelligence and ability he managed to get his adversary penalized and finished in first place in the semifinals. Rex Calderon was in first position in his heat from the beginning demonstrating the ability that he had shown on the Nicaraguan National Surf Circuit.

The semifinals and the finals were on Sunday. Roque couldn’t find any good waves and was eliminated from the finals in the longboard competition. In the Open Men’s category, Luis Chamorro confronted 3 of the best professional surfers that Costa Rica has to offer: Gilbert Brown, Diego Naranjo and Luis Vindas. It was one of the best heats in the Central America Surf Competition. Wave after wave the four surfers showed their domination of their boards. Luis finished in third place and didn’t advance to the finals. In the Juniors category Rex continued his domination from the first wave and classified in first place.

Immediately before the finals started the wind changed direction and the waves lost their good form creating a bad feeling for all the surfers and spectators. Rex was not accustomed to surfing in onshore wind conditions because in Nicaragua the wind direction is perfect nearly all year.

The Juniors final was extremely close, the point difference between the finalists was minimal, but this didn’t bother Rex. It simply helped him to demonstrate in front of everyone the diversity and level of competition that he possesses at such a young age. Mr. Rex Calderon (as the team calls him) was crowned the new Champion of Central America Surf in the Junior Category. The Nicaragua Surf Team was ecstatic and exploded chanting REX! REX! REX! Meanwhile, Rex showed his happiness with the big smile that characterizes him. This was not just a victory for Rex but for the future of surf in Nicaragua.

The final results in the team competition were as follows:

1. Costa Rica

2. Panama

3. Nicaragua

4. El Salvador

5. Guatemala

The next Central America Surf Competition will be held in El Salvador and Nicaragua will host in 2010.

Nicaragua’s history is continually shaping its future. In 1978 a revolution was born out of the necessity to oust the Somoza family. The Somoza dictatorship had been in power for more than 4 decades and had turned Nicaragua into a country where there was no freedom of speech or opposition possible. The country had almost become the family’s personal farm. Governance was an exercise to secure businesses that were owned by the family across the nation. The Somoza family owned everything from blood banks to gold mines to textiles, shipping and cement.

The revolution of 1979 was inevitable and brought with it consequences which would ultimately up-root families and cause Nicaraguan’s to re-invent themselves in new places. Many people applauded the change that was brought forth by the revolution. Initially change signified hope that the nation would secure a path of modernity and democracy. The new leadership that came after Somoza proved to fall short of expectations and as freedom of speech and private enterprise were subdued, many Nicaraguans began to look for a life elsewhere. Many Nicaraguan’s who left because of the revolution sought political asylum in cities like New Orleans, Miami, Los Angles and Washington D.C..

Starting a new life from scratch in a new country was a challenge that brought with it new cultural understandings in a new setting. In the U.S. Nicaraguan’s were submerged into culture that brought fourth new civic values and a greater understanding of how business operated in the first world. Nicaraguan children were of course the greatest benefactors of these new values as American schooling would permanently shape their understanding of the world.

Many Nicaraguan’s lived in the U.S. during the entire decade of the 1980’s and returned to Nicaragua in the early 1990’s after Violeta Chamorro had been democratically elected. The returning generation was cleverly dubbed the “Miami boys” because most returning families were coming from Florida. These returning families boosted the economy of Nicaragua and brought hope to a war torn nation looking towards peace and prosperity.

Today the “Miami Boys’” make up a huge component of the business class of Nicaragua. Spanning ages 20 to 60 years old, the “Miami boys” are equipped with knowledge that makes them bicultural and bilingual at the same time. This helps when one of Nicaraguan’s most important business partners is the United States. The human capital component brought forth by the “Miami Boy” generation has revitalized Nicaragua’s ability to do business on a global level. The Miami boys have effectively made the leap from the US to Nicaragua bringing with them new elements that are necessary to develop Nicaragua into an economic contender on the Central American level.

In the coming years, Nicaragua is poised to receive the benefits from this unique business class as it enters the global arena in agreements such as the DR-CAFTA, a Central American free trade agreement with the United States. Participation from the “Miami boys” will be a vital component in the creation of lasting relationships with their partner to the north. In a growing country with limitless potential, the “Miami boys” are certain to be one of the most influential groups. They will continually shape Nicaragua’s future using the relevance of its past.

Each year the management at Morgan’s Rock collects donations and school supplies for the children of San Juan del Sur. This past weekend the Aurora team worked with Morgan’s Rock employees and guests from the resort preparing packets for the students.

Saturday we filled 360 backpacks with pencils, pens, notebooks, erasers, rulers, art supplies, books, crayons, markers, and science supplies. Sports uniforms, science supplies, and first aid kits were also collected.

Monday was the first day of classes for the local children after the summer break. We visited the five schools in the area and gave each student, from kindergarten up through age 14, a new backpack full of supplies and books.

Here at Aurora, we wish to thank Morgan’s Rock for allowing us to participate in such a wonderful initiative. Morgan’s Rock has been a generous, active member of the community in San Juan since opening and we salute their efforts to contribute to the well-being of the local community.

Here’s a video clip from Escuela Victor Manuel Leiva

Dear community members of San Juan del Sur,

Comunidad Connect is proud to announce the successful creation of the Municipal Recycling Program, with the active participation of the Mayor’s office, and funding from Pelican Eyes Piedras y Olas and DED, a German inter-governmental organization. Comunidad Connect will administer a year-long pilot project after which control will be passed over to the alcadía. The rest of this press release explains the pilot project and asks for your support in this important endeavor.

The pilot project, designed to “learn by doing”, is divided into three phases. The first one, which has already started, has five municipal workers sorting out plastics from other trash at the dump and separating them by type and color. The sorted materials are sold to a collecting depot and the income is reinvested into the project. Phase two, which starts in February, incorporates worm castings and organic composting. The resulting top-soil will be available for sale within three months of the start of this phase. The last phase is focused on an educational campaign throughout the San Juan del Sur community in order to promote separation of recyclable materials at home and at work. It also incorporates a plant nursery which will use the top-soil from composting. The plants, ranging from roses to citrus trees, will also be for sale.

Waste management is clearly an issue that affects all of us, and as such, we should all try to contribute as much as we can. Please sort out plastic coke and shampoo bottles, hard plastics, as well as glass and aluminum. Look on the underside of the container to see if it’s recyclable. If you can, please bring separated trash to the workers near the building on the north side of the dump on the Chocolata road. If you do not have the means to bring separated trash to the dump, please let Comunidad Connect know and we will look for transport. We are working with the mayor’s office on a schedule to pick up sorted materials. Once phase two is launched next month, Comunidad Connect will be asking local restaurants, as well as individuals, to separate their kitchen wastes.

If you would like to contribute to this project, we always welcome advice and new ideas. Please do not hesitate to email Roman Yavich, roman@ComunidadConnect.org with any questions or to request transport for separated trash. Together we can achieve more sustainable resource management in San Juan del Sur.

Sincerely,

Roman Yavich
Comunidad Connect

Three new hotels have opened recently in San Juan del Sur, Villas de Palermo, La Posada Azul and Hotel Victoriano. Each hotel has pegged its style to that of a colonial blend with high standards of construction. All
these hotels have been built in response to growing tourism in Nicaragua.

Villas de Palermo

Opened almost a year ago and is nestled on the Palermo farm granting its vistors a great ocean view of all of the Bay of San Juan del Sur. Villas also offers its guest a large pool and restaurant area.Offering two bedrooms with independent bathrooms, the hotel has been dubbed a kid friendly resort with the right mix of amenities like internet and cable tv making it a comfortable getaway spot. Rooms prices start at $129 a night.

Hotel La Posada Azul

It is also about a year old and is located in the town of San Juan del Sur 1⁄2 block from the ocean. This hotel is a 6 bedroom hotel crafted out of mostly wood in a classic colonial style. The rooms surround a large pool and small bar area where clients are encouraged to use the honor system on snacks and drinks. This hotel was an old home from the 1800’s renovated to serve as a small hotel. Elegant and cozy, the hotel offers wireless internet and a great location; everything in town including the beach is a short walk from here. Room prices are $99 a night.

Hotel Victoriana

Opened its doors to visitors just 2 months ago. This is a 20 room hotel that offers both single rooms and suites. Located on the north end of San Juan del Sur right on the beachfront, the hotel offers an elegant bar with a dinning room and large pool that overlooks the beach.With a combination of marble counter tops and victorian wood designs, this hotel is poised to become one of San Juan’s most coveted hotels. Rooms prices start at $139 a night.

Contact Us if you want to make reservations or want to know more about these beautiful hotels in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

A meeting was held last Wednesday, November 14th, with a diverse group of investors and local authorities in San Juan del Sur to go over several important issues regarding tourism between Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

The first topic discussed in the forum was Nicaragua’s border crossing with its neighboring country to the south, Costa Rica. Eduardo Holman, mayor of San Juan del Sur, presented his advancements on this front by stating that the first step on a local and national level was for Nica and CR to espouse a new border crossing. “Regardless of whether there is a paved road or not, our commitment to the region is to get the two countries to work together. This crossing will add significant value to tourism in the region”

“We have been in contact with the mayorship of La Cruz county in Costa Rica & and they are very interested in lobbying the CR government to push for a new ‘Pacific coast’ customs point at the border crossing between the two countries”. Mayor Holmann went on to say that La Cruz only had 5 km of damaged dirt road that would need to be crowned so that Nicaragua’s border crossing could be in harmony with its neighbor to the south.

“We have always been interested in promoting this new crossing but always assumed that CR would not have the same interest as us; it was to our surprise that the local community in North CR was actually more prepared than us to formalize their commitment to this new crossing.”

The other topic that was talked about was the joint improvement of the coastal road going southbound from San Juan del Sur. Mario Salinas, Minister of tourism and infrastructure for the Nicaraguan government, offered his expertise and insight on the matter. According to Salina’s the most viable and sustainable alternative would be for Costa Rica and Nicaragua to outsource a toll road and grant a 20 year private concession to its operator and buider. The road would be paved on the existent dirt road and the venture would bring close to 16% annual returns. Since the road would fall under the guise of a touristic project it would reap the benefits of beneficial tourism laws like 306. This would promote the sustainability of this road through a non tax base during the roads construction and operation.

Nicaragua’s ability to work in cohesion with Costa Rican authorities on a national level has traditionally been hampered by Nicaragua’s political instability. With democracy nearing its 20^th birthday in Nicaragua, it is expected that Costa Rica will begin to feel less threatened by its neighbor to the north. “Old rivalries between the two countries has caused for this crossing to be a low priority in past administrations, now that are past is behind us both these countries look to forge ties to improve the flow of tourism through Central America” says Salinas.

There was an overall consensus at the meeting that the first step towards considering the coastal road was a guaranteed touristic border crossing between CR and Nicaragua. Without it the toll road would only work to benefit tourists in one country or the other and this would make for less income on the operators of the toll road.

An independent border crossing between CR and Nicaragua would be a huge step forward for both countries. Coupled with the signing of the free trade agreement, this would be the first step towards the integration of these two countries even if it means crossing the border and getting a little dirty.