Panama Canal Cruise - Nicaragua

There aren’t a lot of big sights in the Chinandega Province where our cruise ship docked in the northwest corner of Nicaragua.  But we wanted to get a taste of Nicaragua, a country we had not previously visited, so we booked a small group tour to show us around. The tour consisted mostly of some small but interesting churches, some small but not so interesting museums, volcano views, and a visit to a family bakery that is famous for its pastries called rosquillas and hojaldras (delicious!). Honestly, the best part of the tour (apart from the pastries) was just observing the towns and countryside as we drove from place to place, and listening to our tour guide Deysi – a local school teacher – talk about everyday life in Nicaragua.

El Viejo Church interior with extensive woodwork



El Viejo Church



Family bakery in El Viejo, in business since 1875. 
They make delicious pastries called Rosquillas and Hojaldras.


Rosquillas: like thick, crunchy corn tortillas with a dollop of sweetened cheese on top. Yum.



A bike, motorbike, and a bicycle rickshaw known as a tricyclo



Santa Ana Church in Chinandega



Another intricate wood ceiling



Nicaragua has 19 volcanoes



Another small church



Another small church interior



Dancers greeting the cruise ship passengers at the port



Leaving the industrial cruise port of Corinto, Nicaragua



Sailing out from Corinto, Nicaragua at sunset. The statue on the left is of poet Ruben Dario.






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