Piedras y Olas is a unique socially conscious hotel and real estate development project that pairs a thriving for-profit hotel business with their nonprofit partner, Foundation A. Jean Brugger. At Piedras Y Olas they continue to be an active, vibrant, welcoming and responsible member of the community in San Juan del Sur. Through their partnership with the Foundation they provide educational funds, school uniforms, a scholarship fund, on-site vocational training and long term employment for hundreds of San Juaneños and surrounding communities.
Piedras y Olas is comprised of hundreds of curving brick stairways flowing through the property, connecting statuesque Villas to rejuvenating pools, gourmet restaurants to contemplative vistas and cozy cabinas…all intertwined to offer their guests time to enjoy a sense of connection to nature and make the most out of the varied and extraordinary views glimpsed from their hillside properties.
With an attentive and friendly staff your every possible need or special request is always fulfilled. The service is superb offering the most elegant gourmet dining in town. Piedras y Olas puts quality and attention to every detail first. With breathtaking ocean views, locally hand crafted furniture, tropically landscaped gardens and high ceilinged rooms you will notice the by playing a proactive and vital role in the development and sustainability of the community, particularly in its children. Their partnership with Foundation A. Jean Brugger provides many educational opportunities for many young people in and around the community.
Their community projects include a school uniform project, a scholarship fund, school supplies and books, as well as environmental projects concerning reforestation and trash collection to name a few. They also are involved in vocational training and offer a special outing and luncheon for ancianos in San Juan del Sur. One of their recent projects concerns an art gallery, La Galeria del Sur, which acts to promote local Nicaraguan art and artists.
Another component of Foundation A. Jean Brugger and partner to Piedras y Olas Hotel & Resort is the veterinary clinic. Stones and Waves Veterinary clinic is not only dedicated to providing quality healthcare for domestic animals but is also a developing wild life center. They are striving to provide the same level of care for captive wild animals in and around San Juan del Sur with the goal to rehabilitate and re-release them back into their natural environments.
Piedras Y olas has two top class restaurants, La Cascada and Bistro La Canoa both offering unique international cuisine with breathtaking views of the bay. With happy hour from 4-8 pm Wednesday and Friday, there is no better place to sip on a strawberry margarita while watching the breathtaking sunset.
The resort has 3 infinity pools including a half size Olympic lap pool. Activities include surfing lessons and surf trips, yoga classes, fishing trips, horseback riding, ATV tours, and much more!
Piedras Y Olas is a unique tourism and development project of the highest quality, one that should not be missed on anyone’s trip to Nicaragua’s beautiful Pacific coast

Two Sandinista candidates for municipal elections in Nicaragua were killed on the weekend in two separate incidents, local media reported.
Erling Cruz, Sandinista leader of the northern municipality of Terrabona, died Monday in a hospital in Matagalpa province, northeast of Managua. He was allegedly shot by Edwin Bojorge, a member of the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC).
Cruz was reported to receive nine gun shots Sunday in Matagalpa after he had a verbal confrontation with Bojorge.
The other victim, Juan Robleto, is the Sandinista candidate for the councilor in the Caribbean municipality of El Rama. He was killed on the weekend by unknown people during an ambush in the community El Toro, some 300 km east of Managua.
Local media blamed PLC activists for the violence.
The elections will be held on Nov. 9 in 146 municipalities in Nicaragua.

This is a column about a country that has scarcely been mentioned in the presidential campaign, that has disappeared from the American press and that has essentially been forgotten by Washington — which is the oddest part of the story. After all, two decades ago Nicaragua and its president, Daniel Ortega, inspired fierce passions.

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By Canadian Press.

Central Sun Mining Inc. (CSM) has stopped work on its Orosi gold mine in Nicaragua after an unnamed international bank failed to come through with financing.

Central Sun, already operating the Limon gold mine in Nicaragua, had earlier entered into a non-binding term sheet with the bank for $22.5 million to complete the Orosi project, on which it has spent $31 million to date and which was expected to be competed next spring.

However, “due to the current global financial situation, the banking institution was unable to proceed with the debt financing,” the company said.

It is “continuing active discussions with various other financial institutions,” but has “temporarily suspended” work at Orosi, acquired in July 2006 and being converted from a heap leach operation to a conventional milling system to increase gold recoveries.

The company “will implement various cost-cutting reductions throughout its activities, where necessary,” while continuing to operate the cash-flow-positive Limon mine.

“Central Sun has unfortunately been negatively impacted by the current financial situation,” stated CEO Peter Tagliamonte.

“We continue to work diligently to secure the required funding to restart and complete the Orosi mine expansion project. We are confident that we will be successful, as the Orosi mine project is very advanced with approximately six to seven months remaining to bring the mine back into operation at a production rate of 80,000 ounces per year.”

Central Sun stock declined two cents to 20 cents on the TSX, down from $2.50 last spring and representing a market value of $12.2 million.

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The dates are set for Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd of November 2008. Last year we had over 80 people in attendance with 50 golfers of all skill levels along with 5 professionals and this year we anticipate approximately 70 golfers and around 100 attendees! While Iguana has double in condos and homes since our last tournament we are anticipating a full house so space will be limited. Please reserve your spots now by calling Humberto Sanchez at humberto@haciendaiguana.com or calling (505) 855-7906. IF you cannot attend we are still taking donations and sponsors. Hopefully two major liquor distributors will take part this year! We already have commitments from Costa Rica teams!

By Richard Walden, Just ten years ago, tens of thousands of us sent help to victims of Central America’s worst-ever natural disaster — Hurricane Mitch. You may remember the terrible images we saw on television and in our daily newspaper: millions homeless, over 10,000 dead, lush agricultural fields washed away, even the collapse of a volcanic crater lake which flooded areas 20 miles away and buried alive a village of 2000 poor Nicaraguans.

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From my book…’Once again on our way, we passed through the northwest corner of Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua, and along the southern shore of the huge Lake Managua.

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Pneumonia is the biggest killer of children under five in Nicaragua but those days may be over the country starts a nationwide vaccination campaign.

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Nicaragua’s capital city has a lot more to offer foreign visitors than a short layover on the way to somewhere else

By Regis St Louis

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The Central American country of Nicaragua is hoping to follow in the footsteps of its neighbor to the south, Costa Rica, and become a popular destination for holiday travelers and especially retirees. With some 450 miles of coastline on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, great weather and some of the lowest property rates in the Western Hemisphere, the country is poised to become a property hotspot.

Nicaragua recently launched its own pensionado program to attract potential retirees. Any person over 45 with a pension or salary of more than US $500 a month can import up to $10,000 worth of personal goods and a car duty free and be exempt from taxes on foreign income and property for ten years. Average prices are much less than in other neighboring countries and the country has seen some new developments in recent years that offer idyllic property along both coasts.

According to eh Economist Intelligence Unit the country is the Western Hemisphere’s second safest behind Canada. Property costs for a quarter acre beachfront lot averages $159,000, about a third of what the same would go for in Costa Rica. The major airport in the country is August Sandino International Airport, or Managua International Airport (MGA), located near Managua. From there, it is best to rent a car and drive as that is the best way to get around the country.