Humpback Whales at Costa Dulce??
Okay, so the picture we got from Wikipedia but only because we're protecting the identity of the Costa Dulce pod.
A precocious pod of humpbacks visits Costa Dulce...
A pod of Humpback whales has discovered the waters off the coast of Playa Escameca. Spotted playing five consecutive days just a few hundred feet from the sand, they join the large family of porpoises known to take a break from their busy schedules to enjoy the surf. The Costa Dulce mandate to protect the wildlife and natural surroundings have ensured continued visits of Oive Ridley sea turtles who lay their eggs in Escameca’s sands.
Beach Villa ready for your next vacation!!
For your next visit to Nicaragua, make sure to book the Beach Villa at Costa Dulce.
Experience what it's like to live at Costa Dulce...
We want to extend a warm welcome to all of our owners to come stay at the first Beach Villa at Costa Dulce Oceanfront Community. Costa Dulce owners who book the Villa for the night or stay for the weekend get a special discount. Come on down and we'll make sure you get a real taste of what life at Playa Escameca is truly like.
During your stay you'll enjoy a live-in chef to cook for you and access to the water and beach activities that make Costa Dulce truly special. Sunset horseshoe's on the beach, an early morning surf on any of the Villa's supplied boards, or just sit back and relax with a Nicaraguan cerveza in one of the many hammocks on the patio. With the house comes internet access, satellite TV, and round-the-clock, clean solar power!
back to top
Culinary Concepts: Horchata a la Nica!
For the brave among you, we've explained how to make authentic Horchata; For the lazy among you we're advertising Juanita's version!
Delicious south-of-the-border drink, and a little history for good measure...
The sweet milky flavor of Horchata most likely brings thoughts of Mexico rather than Nicaragua, as it should: the current version of the drink was concocted in Mexico after the arrival of the Spanish. It has since synchronized with Spanish/Mexican culture and is now a flavorful drink enjoyed throughout the Americas.
The process for making Horchata, removing grain oils and tasty nutrients from plants and then mixing them with water, is nothing new. Though currently made of rice milk, the predecessor to the Mexican version of Horchata has its origin in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians used a tiny pea-sized root called Chufa that originates in the Middle East. Chufa, one of the earliest domesticated crops in the world, has been found in vases and used in the embalming methods in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. The Arabs carried the plant with them to Spain during the time of the Umayyad dynasty, when the country was ruled by Muslims. After the Christians retook Spain and began colonizing the Americas, they had to find a substitute for the chufa plant and they settled on rice milk, giving birth to the Horchata that we are familiar with in North America.
Nicaraguans concocted their own version of Horchata that uses the seeds from the Jicaro plant mixed with rice and spices. The drink is made with cold milk and sugar and is quite popular nationally. Because it is difficult to find Jicaro seeds in North America and Europe, the recipe that follows is a Mexican version.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncoooked long grain white rice
- 5 cups water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup white sugar
Directions
- Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute.
- Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours.
- Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice.
- Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water.
- Chill and stir before serving over ice.
Community Connection: Internet for Escamequita students and educators
Students and educators in the small community of Escamequita will soon be online, thanks to efforts by Costa Dulce.
Costa Dulce looks for partnerships to bring internet to Escamequita...
Costa Dulce is working on an initiative to offer locals, especially students, at Escamequita an opportunity to access the internet. A building across the street from Rancho Tere has been donated to house the internet cafe. NicaGeeks has agreed to donate internet service for the cause. Please contact us if you or someone you know has any unused computers or equipment that could be donated.
back to top
Earthship Pithaya Festival report
Staged under the clear, full-moonlit February 9th sky was perhaps the most dynamic music festival San Juan has ever witnessed.
The first annual Pitaya Festival truly was an event for all, offering art and entertainment for children of all ages and musical selections to please every palette. A recently completed Earthship (constructed of used tires and plastic) with its sprawling field overlooking the Carizal Valley provided the unique natural setting paramount for an event of this calibre.
An energetic blend of locals and foreigners, which estimates suggest neared 1000 attendees, celebrated Nicaraguan culture, community, the arts and responsible development practices. The highlight of the day for many, including festival organizer Brook Rundle, was “watching the children of the Carrizal view the music video of themselves from last years’ beach cleanup on the main stage. "
To view the festival video, click the following link: http://vimeo.com/3293656. To learn about community projects that will be funded by proceeds raised by the festival, have a look at the website: http://www.earthshippitayafestival.com/.
|
