So more on Nicaragua-there is so much to say but I am keeping this to the Coles notes version to limit any potential reader boredom. Anyhow, this trip we did not fly into Managua as a developer in Costa Rica (more on that project later) flew us down to Costa Rica to view an amazing new project that I will be the western Canada sales agent for presales. So we went down to Costa Rica early, took a taxi to the border and walked across (a very confusing experience but for a few dollars, a local will ensure you get through the proper procedures at both the Costa Rica and Nicaragua sides). Once on the other side, we hired a further taxi to go to Gigante and view an amazing project called Aqua. Aqua is just a few minutes away from the lovely fishing village of Gigante, which is a short drive (well its actually a long drive but it would be short if the road were not so destroyed) from Rivas-a fairly substantial town. The town of Gigante itself is tiny but gorgeous. I would have loved to have bought a place there before they were gone....the people we met there included an American ex-military man and his lovely American wife but of Nicaraguan ancestry. They moved to Nicaragua 8 years ago and live on the water in Gigante and the price they paid for their property is really unbelievably low-I would have guessed it would have been low but it is a large property and it cost them significantly less than an inexpensive car in the US so it was REALLY low. Given that the lots there now are apparently up around the $250,000 range, that was a very good investment.
We also met three surfer school owners-2 Americans and one Canadian who run a surf school down the block......given how small Gigante is, I thought it surprising that 5 North Americans live on the one small main street! Anyhow, they all love it there and it is easy to see why. We had the best meal we ate in Nicaragua there (and we had a lot of good meals in Nicaragua) at a little beachside hut (well I really don't know how to describe this place but the view was gorgeous the food incredible and the people really nice) for the low low price of $25 for drinks for 4 and dinner for 2. Another attractive reason to travel in Nicaragua.
