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Shiatsu massage

El Chele
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Shiatsu massage

Do you consider getting a massage a luxury?  I used to.  However, the wide availability of qualified massage therapists in Nicaragua has changed my mind.  I have had great full-body massages from professional therapists in San Juan del Sur, Granada, Masaya and Managua.  In fact, in Managua there is Oriental Medicine Institute where many have studied these different techniques.

Recently I had a few sessions of iridology, acupuncture, reflexology and shiatsu at the Clinica de Medicina Oriental, located in the Altamira area of Managua.  The prices are the following:
45 minute massage – C$250
30 minute foot massage (reflexology diagnosis) – C$250
Iridology diagnosis (without acupuncture – C$190; with acupuncture – C$230)
Doctor Ivan Cisneros takes care of the diagnostics and natural medicine.
Xiomara Negra is the physical therapist that does the massages.
When you have a chance, it is an hour well spent.
Clinica de Medicina Oriental
Altamira D’Este
De donde fue la Farmacia Quinta Ave., 75 vrs arriba
Casa #770
Managua

The Factory

El Chele
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The Factory

Ok.  You’re in Managua and somebody invites you to The Factory.  Cheesecake Factory in Managua?  No.  It’s The Factory, steak and seafood restaurant in the Inter Continental Hotel in the heart of Managua.  So, is it worth it?  Check out the pictures:

 
 
 
 
 
 

The restaurant decor is top notch.   Everything was well planned and nicely decorated in this restaurant.  You can sit inside or outside in the hotel courtyard, close to the pool.  Service is excellent as well: friendly waiters, very attentive to the customers, without going over the top.

I had the imported 16 oz. NY Strip steak with a black pepper sauce (which I soon replaced with the Nicaraguan favorite – chimichurri) with cross cut fries.  My wife chose the jumbo shrimp in butter and garlic sauce with a medley of grilled vegetables.  Presentation and quality were excellent.  The sauces left a little to be desired, in my humble opinion.  As far as the steak goes, 3/4 done seems to be getting rarer and rarer lately although the cut was an inch think so that is to be expected. I only ate half of it…and the waiter gave me a load of that fresh bread…to make a really tasty sandwich later!

The Factory is not cheap.  It is one of the nicer restaurants in Managua, Nicaragua at the moment.  Service was great and the food was good.  Great ambiance.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give it an 8.5.

Hotel Real Intercontinental Metrocentro 
Managua, Nicaragua
(505) 2276-8989

Check out the prices here.

Los Panzers

El Chele
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Los Panzers

Los Panzers is a musical group from San Marcos, Carazo, Nicaragua, popular in the 1960’s and 70’s.  Led by the voice of Ramón Castro, they played many popular ‘summertime songs’ (música del verano) that were popular during the time of the year when many Nicaraguans head to the beach (January to April).  Playing both original music and cover versions, they even once opened for the famous group Los Ángeles Negros.  During their time period, they were one of the most popular musical groups in Nicaragua, Central America and beyond.

Check out the hit: Ven a esta playa

1 Big Baby

El Chele
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1 Big Baby

Big Baby
Huge baby

I met a 23 month old BIG BABY in Managua (the one on the right).  She is big!!!

Click here to see more kids from Nicaragua.

Click here for more kids having fun in Managua, Nicaragua

Masaya Volcano in the New York Times

El Chele
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Masaya Volcano in the New York Times

Check out this photo shoot done in Nicaragua of top model Karlie Kloss, with her photographer Ryan McGinley.

Click here

El Eskimo

El Chele
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El Eskimo

When you hear the word Eskimo, what comes to mind?  Probably the yummy Nicaragua ice cream right?

Well, the company that makes the yummy Eskimo  Nicaragua ice cream also has a restaurant in Managua.  There are three parts to it: a diner-style sandwich and salad place, a semi-formal dining area and a formal restaurant for fine dining.  I had always wanted to go to the formal restaurant cause I had heard good things about it…kind of like Los Ranchos or El Churrasco, or so I was told.

It has a very nice ambiance, especially if you go to the formal dining section.  The waiters are well trained and are very attentive.  Our waiter was Erwing and he did his job well.

 
My wife ordered a fish (corvina) salad.  I decided to really put El Eskimo to the test and ordered their churrasco.  I wasn’t disappointed at all…the meat was soft enough to cut with my fork…and the chimichurri was out of this world!!!!  It came with a trip to a small, simple salad bar.  Forget that!  Bring me the churrasco!  Definitely will go back.  I really enjoyed it!
On a scale of 1 to 10, El Eskimo gets a 9.

Cuando escuchás la palabra Eskimo, ¿qué te viene a la mente?  Probablemente el yummy Nicaraguan ice cream ¿verdad?
Pues la compañía que fabrica el helado cremoso y delicioso Eskimo también tiene un restaurante en Managua.  Hay dos secciones: una tipo diner con sandwich y ensaladas y postres.  También hay un restaurante formal.  Siempre he querido ir al restaurante formal porque he escuchado buenas cosas de él…tipo Los Ranchos o El Churrasco, así decían.

Tiene buen ambiente, especialmente la sección formal del restaurante.  Los meseros son bien entrenados y muy atentos.  El que nos atendió se llama Erwing e hizo un muy buen trabajo.

Mi esposa pidió una ensalada de pescado (corvina).  Decidí ponerles a prueba en El Eskimo.  Pedí su churrasco.  No me arrepenti para nada…la carne era tan suave que pude cortarla con mi tenedor…y el chimichurri ¡¡¡¡estuvo fuera de órbito!!!!  Incluía un viaje a una pequeña barra de ensaladas.  Olvidate de la ensalada.  ¡¡¡Traeme la carne!!!  Definitivamente volveré a ir.  ¡¡Me gustó mucho!!
En escala de 1 a 10, El Eskimo recibe un 9.
El Eskimo
De Los Ranchos 1c. al sur, 20 vrs. al este
Managua
(505) 2266-1868

Crazy pájaro loco

El Chele
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Crazy pájaro loco
::::::::::::::::PAJARO LOCO::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::Woody Woodpecker:::::::::::::::: (Photo credit: RIRP)
Woody Woodpecker
Feliz con su pájaron loco juguete
A young girl from Nicaragua with her toy

Here’s a typical Nicaragua toy that you might find in the artisan market in Masaya or in the Huembes market in Managua.  It’s called ‘Pájaro Loco’ which is also the name for Woody Woodpecker in Spanish.  Anyways, you’ll get the idea…the point is to make noise and that’s about it.

He aquí un juguete típico de Nicaragua que podés comprar en los mercados de artesanía en Masaya o en el mercado Huembes in Managua.  Se llama ‘Pájaro loco”.  Pues, parece que la idea es hacer bulla…y funciona.

Mattress sales

El Chele
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Mattress sales
forget U-Haul, here's mattress moving in Grana...
forget U-Haul, here’s mattress moving in Granada, Nicaragua (Photo credit: onourownpath.com)

These guys sell these comfy mattresses in the streets of Managua.  They kind of look like mattress turkeys.  I tip my hat to these guys who are out trying to make an honest living.

Estos hombres venden los colchones por las calles de Managua.  Se parecen un poquito a colchón-chompipes.  De cualquier modo, me quito el sombrero a estos hombres tratando de ganarse la vida honradamente.

Italianissimo revisited

El Chele
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Italianissimo revisited

Acting on a tip from Italianissimo themselves (see original review: Italianissimo), I decided to go back and try it again.  I was pleasantly surprised this time!  I was made a believer!

Basándome en una sugerencia del restaurante Italianissimo mismo (vea lo que originalmente escribí: Italianissimo), decidí volver a visitarlo.  ¡Qué grata sorpresa!  ¡Ya me convencieron!

There are the gnochi and raviolli with a four cheese sauce.  Good portions and great flavor!  Sirved up by our waiter Rigo.  Ben fatto Italianissimo!  Click here to see the bill.

On a scale of 1 to 10: 8.5

Allí están los gnochi y raviolli con salsa de cuatro quesos.  ¡Buenas porciones y excelente sabor!  Servido por nuestro mesero Rigo.  Ben fatto Italianissimo!  Pinchá aquí para ver la factura.

En escala de 1 a 10: 8.5

Viejo Santo Domingo
De Galerías Santo Domingo 700 mts al sur
2293-5045 o 2293-5046

McWrap NICA

El Chele
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McWrap NICA
Plaza Inter Food Court
Plaza Inter Food Court (Photo credit: J. Stephen Conn)

McDonald’s, hecho en USA, tiene una buena presencia en Nicaragua.  Hay varios restaurantes en la zona de Managua: Frente a Metrocentro, Food Court Metrocentro, Bello Horizonte, Plaza España y Food Court Plaza Inter.  En lo que yo diría ha sido un buen y astuto cálculo, ahora McDonald’s introduce alimentos con sabor a Nicaragua: el nuevo McWrap NICA: huevo, cebolla y chiltoma, gallo pinto, salchicha, maduro y queso frito en una tortilla de hariba.  ¡¡¡Qué DELICIOSO!!!

American made McDonald’s has a strong presence in Nicaragua.  There are various stores in the Managua area: outside on the west side of Metrocentro, Food Court Metrocentro, Bello Horizonte, Plaza España and Food Court Plaza Inter.  In what I would call a bold and creative move, McDonald’s introduces fare with a Nica flavor: McWrap NICA: that is egg, onion and peppers, rice and beans, sausage and ripe plantain wrapped up in a flour tortilla.  Sounds DELICIOUS! 

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