LOS MOKUANES: The hardest working fiesta band in Nicaragua

August 12th, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

MO-KUAN-ES! MO-KUAN-ES! MO-KUAN-ES!

Every show begins with this deep-voiced recorded announcement, as the smoke machines are turned on and the crowd gathers. At the fairgrounds in Managua last week (Microfer 2010), thousands started walking toward the stage when they heard the cue, chanting along and preparing to dance. (more…)

Travel Writer Julian Smith follows Mark Twain’s path across Nicaragua—in today’s Washington Post

August 7th, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Like Mark Twain? Like Nicaragua? Here’s a story you probably did not know:

“I’ve arrived 100 years after the great American writer’s death to retrace one of his lesser-known journeys. In 1866, Twain crossed Nicaragua on his way from California to New York. He was fresh off his first lecture tour, and his writing career was just starting to take off…. Today, the route he took runs through a country not in revolution, but in evolution. Tourism is growing faster in Nicaragua than anywhere else in Central America; safety-wise, it’s second only to its tourist-magnet neighbor, Costa Rica.”

In Nicaragua, following in Twain’s footsteps - and his dreams

On assignment in Nicaragua, first stop: León

August 4th, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Hola amigos! I’ll be blogging about my trip to Nicaragua this week from the official author blog at my publisher’s website: MOON.COM.

Also, when possible, I’ll be tweeting from @tranquilotravel–>

See you in the heat….!

MOON.COM: AUTHOR BLOG JOSHUA BERMAN

Prime-Time Nicaragua: loud, proud, and still rough around the edges

July 23rd, 2010 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

The CBS hit show Survivor is currently filming two seasons of their reality show in southwest Nicaragua, the first of which will premiere on September 15, 2010. I’ve never watched Survivor; I have no idea how important the actual setting is behind the drama and Darwinian democracy. I suspect not so much, besides providing viewers with wild, dripping greenery and providing Survivor’s producers with the opportunity to attach their brand to such a gritty-sounding place-name as “Nicaragua.”

Originally a Nahuatl word alluding to majestic waters, “Nicaragua” has a different connotation for most of the modern world, a picture best captured, I believe, by Dave Eggers: “Nicaragua sounded dangerous … like some kind of spider. There it goes, under the table—Nicaragua!” (more…)

Colonial homes walking tours of Granada, Nicaragua, proceeds go to library and school projects

July 20th, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

A friend asked me to share this, sounds like an excellent opportunity for anyone visiting or living in Granada, one of the most beautiful cities in the world (and the oldest on the North American continent!):

Enjoy a morning walking tour of some of Granada’s most beautiful and historical colonial homes. Learn about the history and the Spanish colonial architecture while viewing  the city’s private homes. Proceeds benefit the children of Nicaragua by providing books, education and other activities through Biblioteca Puedo Leer and Sacuanjoche Kindergarten. (more…)

Power to the People mixes renewable energy, voluntourism, on La Isla de Ometepe in Nicaragua

July 18th, 2010 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

This short film abut a solar energy installation in rural Nicaragua was produced by Brad Allgood, an independent filmmaker, and Jenean Smith, founder of Power to the People, both of whom, I’m proud to say, are fellow Peace Corps Nicaragua brethren (I love hearing about RPCV compas who have found creative ways to stay connected to their host countries … but I digress).

The video opens with a wonderful, marimba-filled tribute to Nicaragua, then follows a group of volunteers as they travel to La Isla de Ometepe to assist with a solar panel installation. Beautiful scenery, interesting story, worthy cause. Enjoy.

“Strap ‘em on and hit the road!”—Tranquilo article on adventure vacation with young children

June 22nd, 2010 | By Joshua | 3 Comments »

My family and I make an appearance in this article about voluntourism and family travel. It was written by Amy Hatch for aol.com’s parenting website:

Not Your Ordinary Summer: Taking A Family Adventure Vacation

I’m quoted about what age is appropriate to take a child abroad (I aimed low), but I especially like this line by Richard Webb, co-founder of ProWorld: “No matter what kind of adventure travel experience you decide on, the effect it has on your family will be immeasurable. There is so much learning that we get when we expose ourselves to others.” READ THE ARTICLE->

The magic of place: Silvio Sirias’s expansive portrayal of Nicaragua in Bernardo and the Virgin

June 13th, 2010 | By Joshua | 21 Comments »

The Tranquilo Traveler is proud to host Silvio Sirias’s book tour today. FREE GIFT: Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win crafts by Panamanian Kuna artisans [[gift is closed, congratulations monica!]]
* * * * *
The first book I ever read about Nicaragua was Blood of Brothers, by Stephen Kinzer. It was 1997 and I’d just received my invitation from the U.S. Peace Corps to work in Nicaragua as a forestry volunteer. All I knew about Nicaragua was that it was in Central America, it sounded exotic, and I would be living there for the next two-and-a-half years, little else.

Kinzer gave a sharp, alluring portrait of a country during its hottest hours (the Sandinista revolution of 1979 and subsequent social experiment and civil war that lasted till 1990); but I was looking for more. The second book I read about Nicaragua was also non-fiction, by a Nicaraguan this time, also about the war. And the third. You get the picture. It took some digging to find other periods of Nicaraguan history, and still I found few descriptions in the literature about the life in store for me, about modern-day, small-town Nicaragua. (more…)

Eric Volz’s memoir hits the shelves, Nicaragua murder debate rekindled

May 31st, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Eric Volz’s memoir, Gringo Nightmare: A Young American Framed for Murder in Nicaragua, was released this month from Macmillan. The tag-line reads, “In the spirit of Midnight Express and Not Without My Daughter comes the harrowing true story of an American held in a Nicaraguan prison for a murder he didn’t commit.”

I have not read the book yet, but since people continue to discuss the issue (i.e. scream at each other) in the comments section of this post from 2007 (SERIOUSLY, read these comments, they are damn entertaining), I thought I would add another update. There is a lot of wild speculation flying around the case, and passion obscures facts more often than not, so I’m glad Volz has a chance to tell his unique story in book form. I look forward to reading it and posting a more complete review, hopefully for my summer reading list. In the meantime, for information on Eric Volz’s book tour, visit his site: Friends of Eric Volz

Original post: April 26, 2007

Nica-American novelist Silvio Sirias in HECHO magazine

May 26th, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Here’s a profile I wrote about novelist Silvio Sirias, published in the new edition of HECHO, a quarterly magazine out of Managua in its second year. HECHO is the coolest thing to happen to Nicaragua culture/art/music scene since Cafe Amatl. Anyway, I’m proud to be part of it. I’ll be posting more about Silvio on June 14, when the Tranquilo Traveler will be hosting him on his blog tour to promote his book Bernardo and the Virgin.