Juanno's blog

..."There are some downsides to getting a massage in SJDS, but they were out of the control of the owners. For example, folks in SJDS love to set off firecrackers. So you may hear noise during your massage. The same goes for roosters."...

You may hear noise during your massage...

who'da thought eh?

Roberto Membreño, the founder of the first Pacific marina in Nicaragua has announced a US $15 million expansion plan which will include a 32 unit 2, 3, and 4 bedroomed apartment hotel in two buildings. Marina Puesta del Sol is 160 kilometers west of Managua and currently has 34 boats moored on its floating docks. The marina attracts high end customers (foreign and national) that have between $160 and $400 per day to spend. Attractions are fishing, whale watching and inland tours taking in Leon, Granada, Esteli and Matagalpa.

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/nacionales/248958-siboif-prohibe-cobrar-...

The statement refers to Law 515, Law for the Promotion and Management of the Use of Credit Cards, which in Article 16 says "prohibits the application of a fee when paying with credit cards."

In its second paragraph, this article specifically says: "When the payment is made using a credit card, it prohibits any additional charge to the sales price offered by the suppliers of those goods or services.

The new vehicle set to revolutionize the skies.

Imagine a flying machine that can cruise in the air for three weeks without landing - and does not need a runway when it finally comes back to earth.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-12110386

The service started this week and can handle perishable goods, hazardous material and dry shipments to support the local manufacturing sector. Three scheduled flights per week (one on a Sunday) will service Nicaragua from Miami, Florida. In Nicaragua Tel: 2233-1624 Extension 2568 or via e-mail at sales.mga@amerijet.com, or obtain shipping information and flight schedules anytime at http://www.amerijet.com.

DSN 19/4/2012

http://www.outsideonline.com/blog/eric-volz-takes-on-a-new-fight-in-nica...

... "Volz has begun a fight to try and free an American from the same prison where he was kept. Jason Puracal, who moved to Central America as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2002, was arrested in his San Juan del Sur home in November 2011, and was later given a sentence of 22 years for drug trafficking and money laundering. The real estate agent with a Nicaraguan wife and a 4-year-old son went to prison".

But anyway. Maria got her Canadian visitors visa and a US (ten year) visitors visa this week (better than a one time transfer).

We used the new CVAC/DHL office on Carretera Masaya, 30 days from the time we submitted the package to getting the passport back with the visa inside.

http://www.csc-cvac.com/en-NI/selfservice/cvac_application_centres

Good tip from Beachin which was to ask for a multiple entry Canada visa (twice the fee).They gave her 4 years, the remaining life of her passport.

http://www.laprensa.com.ni/2012/04/15/departamentales/98028-asaltan-a-tu...

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/nacionales/248135-asaltan-microbus-cinco...

Three men armed with guns attacked a minibus with Danish and Australian passengers.

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/sucesos/247976-asesina-de-norteamericano...

After spending five years in prison and a rehabilitation center, the girl who was indicted for the murder of American Kenneth Kinzel, has regained her freedom.

Now that she has served her sentence, the ex con is said to have attained greater emotional stability and is considering a career, possibly in medicine.

As of the 16th April, the non-immigrant visa goes from U.S. $ 140 to $ 160. However, a new procedure for payment and appointment scheduling has also been introduced for tourism, transit, business, students and medical treatment.

Under the new procedure, the visa application process includes the payment of $ 12 for the telephone appointment scheduling service and the $ 7 passport return fee. Therefore, the increase is really only $1. The new online or mobile phone system allows the applicant to select their own date and time for their interview. Previously only a land line could be used.

http://www.laprensa.com.ni/2012/04/12/departamentales/97653

Thousands of manzanas are being cultivated and up to 500 pumps are irrigating the land but nobody knows who is doing it!

The large-scale planting of vegetables, mainly tomatoes, which require a lot of chemicals in the initial stage (that's Mark's theory of naturally organic out of the window), threatening to pollute the lake Apanás.

Planting is done on the shores of the lake on ENEL lands.

Nobody seems to have authorized the deforestation either.

"Not I" said the water people.

"Not I" said MARENA.

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/nacionales/247523-desmienten-rumor-muert...

Said the Commander is recovering in the intensive care unit of the Military Hospital "Alejandro Dávila Bolaños' after a lung operation.

Borge is Nicaragua's Ambassador to Peru.

He entered the military hospital several days ago as confirmed this afternoon by Rosario Murillo, coordinator of the Communication and Citizenship Council

Murillo said that she and President Daniel Ortega are in constant communication with the medical team treating Borge.

Teachers in Nicaragua earn around $185 to $226 a month, according to estimates by Acevedo and José Antonio Zepeda, president of the National Confederation of Nicaraguan Education Workers (ANDEN).

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2012/0326/In-Nicaragua-teachers-...

From April, Nicaraguans living in the United States will be able to obtain passport services at the Consul General of Nicaragua in Miami.

Nicaraguans living in other USA cities can go to those consulates (e.g. Houston, LA, New York, Washington DC), make an application and the consulate will forward it to Miami.

The service time is about 15 days. The 3M Company of Canada won the tender for the production of the passports.

Starting in June. TACA will have 3 flights a week directly to Monterrey, Mexico and also 3 flights weekly to Montreal in Canada with a stopover for connecting flights in El Salvador.

Also, from San Jose will be 4 flights a week to Brasilia (the Capital of Brazil) with a connecting stop at Bogota, Colombia. TACA says the new routes make use of the recent bilateral agreements signed with Canada, Costa Rica and Brazil.