{"id":89,"date":"2026-01-11T20:37:26","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T20:37:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/?p=89"},"modified":"2026-01-11T21:56:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T21:56:04","slug":"nicaragua-el-jicaro-nueva-segovia-dec-2025-jan-2026-family-encounters-memories-and-many-culinary-delights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/?p=89","title":{"rendered":"Nicaragua \/ El J\u00edcaro, Nueva Segovia (Dec 2025 \u2013 Jan 2026): Family, Encounters, Memories, and Many Culinary Delights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From December 18, 2025 to January 10, 2026<\/strong>, we traveled to Nicaragua \u2013 Aura, our two teenagers Maia and Lucas, and me. Below is a short travel log with a few impressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me start from the end: when we arrived back in Germany, the first thought was
\u201cHow on earth did we manage this?\u201d<\/strong>
From Frankfurt to Potsdam by car, in the middle of winter, with a storm sweeping across Germany. We arrived back in Germany on Thursday, January 8<\/strong>, although our souls are probably still somewhere above the Atlantic (as of Jan 11, 2026). I wanted to say this upfront because it sets the tone: this journey was wonderful and exhausting at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Arrival: Two Ways, One Destination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We flew from Frankfurt to Costa Rica on December 16<\/strong>. Aura and the kids continued immediately and took the \u201cNicabus\u201d<\/strong> to Nicaragua. After twelve hours of flying and twelve hours on the bus, they arrived in Masaya on December 17<\/strong>. The border crossing at Pe\u00f1as Blancas<\/strong> was especially exhausting for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was able to take things more slowly. As a prosthesis user, I knew this journey right after the flight would have been too much for me. I stayed two nights with Aura\u2019s sister Damaris in San Pablo de Heredia (Costa Rica)<\/strong>. I was treated wonderfully there and had a great time with Damaris \u2013 with good conversations and fantastic food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good food and good coffee, combined with deep conversations, ran like a common thread through our entire trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Flying to Managua \u2013 An Adventure of Its Own<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On December 18<\/strong>, I flew with Sansa Airlines<\/strong> in a small Cessna from San Jos\u00e9 to Managua. Flying over the Costa Rican rainforest, Lake Nicaragua<\/strong>, and the many volcanoes was unforgettable for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The two nuns sitting next to me prayed throughout the entire flight, and for a moment I felt very close to heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At Augusto C\u00e9sar Sandino Airport<\/strong> I reunited with Aura and the kids. With our fantastic driver Alex from El J\u00edcaro<\/strong>, we drove north in a huge Nissan pickup to El J\u00edcaro \/ Nueva Segovia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicaragua has changed a lot: hardly any visible poverty, new shops, better infrastructure, new roads, and growing towns. That made me very happy to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From the afternoon of December 18<\/strong>, we were in Aura\u2019s hometown, at her mother Marcelina\u2019s<\/strong> house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Full House, Warm Encounters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On December 20<\/strong>, the Loymanns family from Miami<\/strong> suddenly arrived: Sebastian, Araceli, Loymann Junior and Loymann Senior \u2013 Aura\u2019s cousin, and with them also Damaris. The house filled up instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, this was challenging for me. I\u2019m not used to having so many people around all the time. Looking back, it was incredibly beautiful: many conversations, encounters, and small moments you can\u2019t plan, but that stay with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

El J\u00edcaro was full of Christmas decorations. Nicaragua loves Christmas, even giant nutcrackers were standing in the streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Food and Happiness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There were so many meals that at some point you stop counting and start remembering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the best dishes was a beef soup with quequisque, malanga and yucca<\/strong>. The kitchen became the heart of the home and the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Do\u00f1a Marcelina sells charamuscas<\/strong>, homemade ice pops. And then there was this running joke about chocolate bananas: people kept dropping by, but this time there were none.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Breakfast: gallo pinto, tajadas, eggs<\/strong>, plus this fantastic fresco de nancite<\/strong> at the caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The best part for me was sitting on the veranda in the rocking chairs, watching everyday life pass by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Between Daily Life, Rituals, and Chickens with Names<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Organizing SIM cards (Claro, Tigo), topping up credit at the gas station, photographing giant nutcrackers; just everyday life. El J\u00edcaro is growing, economically supported by mining and coffee trading. Toyota Hilux trucks everywhere, a sign that people are doing better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On December 22<\/strong>, the house was fumigated, men with devices like leaf blowers against sancudos<\/strong> (mosquitoes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then there were the chickens: the kids named them. Our \u201csave the chickens petition\u201d didn\u2019t work out; they ended up in the cooking pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On December 23<\/strong>, a pig was also slaughtered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Coffee Farm, Fritanga, and Change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An outing to the coffee farm of Aura\u2019s aunt, Aura Lila<\/strong>. Raw coffee beans were laid out to dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One time fritanga \u2013 nice; another time too crowded and too many drunk people. Nicaragua can be warm and chaotic at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On December 24<\/strong>, a Christmas sleigh mounted on a truck drove through town. Motorcycles everywhere: in front of the police station, confiscated bikes were piled up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Christmas Eve<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Turkey, endless food, a table full of \u201ctoo much\u201d (in the best sense).
Gift-giving took place on the morning of the 25th<\/strong>: US-style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jalapa, Tobacco Fields, and a Broken Baseball Bat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On December 26<\/strong> we went to Jalapa<\/strong>, one hour north, passing tobacco fields. Hardly recognizable anymore. A very special thank you to Lenard<\/strong>, Aura\u2019s wonderful brother. He welcomed me so warmly and we drove to Jalapa together with him<\/strong>. I will never forget his kindness and that trip.

A Chinese department store, a baseball bat for Said, made of aluminum, broken after one game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New People, Long Evenings, and a Grill Made from a Car Rim<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On December 27<\/strong>, I met Ronaldo and Rolando<\/strong>, a dentist and a bar owner. We grilled on a barbecue made from a car rim; an evening that stays with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On December 28<\/strong>: tomahawk steaks, conversations, togetherness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then the relatives from Miami left, and Ashley, Kirstin, Etienne and Emma arrived: youthful chaos with UNO marathons, styling, and Fanta Rojita<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New Year\u2019s Eve & New Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On December 31<\/strong>, the house turned into a beauty salon. Pi\u00f1ata \u2013 and at some point I was simply exhausted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On January 1<\/strong>, a walk with Aura: El J\u00edcaro is quiet and peaceful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Farewell & Managua<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On January 4<\/strong>, we headed toward Managua: a stop at Pollo Tip Top in Estel\u00ed<\/strong>.
Camino Real<\/strong> hotel: heat, inflatable snowmen, that feeling of saying goodbye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One last evening at the Casablanca<\/strong> restaurant, with a huge parrot aviary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A day just for me: pool, coffee, writing. My prosthesis worried me a bit, but I made it through the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Costa Rica as a Contrast<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Expensive, perfectly marketed, many Americans. Imperial Zero<\/strong>, conversations, encounters, time with Damaris\u2019 family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes: jet lag, storms, sore spots.
But this journey was rich: in food, voices, images, encounters \u2013 and in the feeling that something has grown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I want to go back at the end of 2028.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From December 18, 2025 to January 10, 2026, we traveled to Nicaragua \u2013 Aura, our two teenagers Maia and Lucas, and me. Below is a short travel log with a few impressions. Let me start from the end: when we arrived back in Germany, the first thought was\u201cHow on earth did we manage this?\u201dFrom Frankfurt […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=89"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109,"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions\/109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=89"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=89"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/photo.schernthanner.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=89"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}