Don't You Get Bored in Nicaragua?

Dear International Living Reader,
At the Offshore Advantage Investment Conference held in Panama (where I was representing Nicaragua), attendees sought me out to ask: "But what is there to do in Nicaragua? Don't you get bored or lonely?"
Not on your life, I told them.
Anyone who has read a guidebook on the country knows that Nicaragua is an outdoorsman's paradise. You can hike the mountains, climb the volcanos, fly through the jungle's canopy, swim in the crater lakes, ride a horse along the beach, watch the bird and wild life... Not to mention organized tours of the isletas of Lake Nicaragua and Ometepe Island in Rivas County.
But you prefer human company to wildlife, you're thinking?
No problem, especially at Rancho Santana (the private development on Nicaragua's Pacific coast where I live). The Clubhouse here is becoming a real gathering place. It takes a special person to contemplate leaving his comfort zone in the U.S. and someone with a little spirit of adventure to recognize what Nicaragua has to offer. In other words, the people you meet here are, without exception, interesting, well-traveled, successful...and fun. And every month there are more of them. If you visit us here at the ranch, you'll never dine or drink alone.
No, there's no formal ballet or theater here...but there's culture of another kind. The Nicaraguans living in the nearby villages of Limon I and Limon II are always celebrating something. The fiestas are constant...and we're always invited.
And, as I told many conference attendees, Granada and San Jual del Sur are each just an hour-and-a-half away, and in both those places you'll find crowds of expats eager for companionship.
In San Juan del Sur, for example, expats and visitors gather two nights a week for Movie Nights at Ricardo's on the beach. On Friday nights, the square in Granada is the place to be, for the annual end-of-the-workweek celebration.
One night a week at the Masaya Market, they dance the Gueguense. This is the sort of national ballet of Nicaragua, a dance with a long history. It tells the story of the native Indians meeting the Spaniards when they arrived from Europe, and gives a little insight into their attitudes about their visitors--either guests or invaders, depending on your point of view.
Managua has two large movie theaters. I like the one at Metro Centro best. It's modern (cup-holders for your drink and great popcorn) and always has at least one or two first-run movies in English. Bring a jacket or sweater; Managuans like their air conditioning.
There is even a casino in Managua, called Pharoah's, on Carretera Masaya. It's a short ride or long walk from the Metro Centro Mall, close to Tre Fratelli restaurant. There are tables and one-cordoba slot machines. A cordoba is about 6 U.S. cents, so you can imagine the play you can get for 20 bucks.
There are several churches in Granada worth seeing--one has a Pre-Columbian art collection. And, closer to where I live, the big cathedral on the square in Rivas is worth a look, as well as the church at Popoyuapa. Also in Rivas, a small museum with an authentic ancient stela out front houses nice examples of Pre-Columbian art.
Almost every weekend there is an "hipicos," or horse fair, in one of the cities or towns across the country. I haven't made it to one of these yet, but I can't wait. Some friends were visiting a couple of weeks ago and were able to attend the hipicos in San Jorge, just outside Rivas. They told me it was great fun--prancing horses, music, dancing, and friendly people who made sure they had a good time.
Gail Geerling
For International Living