Managua Archives – Studio Laguna Photography

Over the many days we were in Nicaragua for Laura and Victor’s wedding, we tried to explore as much of the country as possible.

We started in Managua, the capital city and second largest city in central America. I highly recommend just reading a basic history of the country (especially how the US manipulated the politics here) to get a grasp of what the people have been through. This is a huge statue of Sandino, a hero of the revolution.

The main Cathedral was made structurally unsound after the big earthquake, and has remained in semi ruins for many decades. I hope soon some money will go into restoring this truly gorgeous building. I may or may not have gone over some barbed wire and caution tape to get this shot while John played lookout 😉

The city is vibrant and full of contrasts…and there can be a lot of traffic.

On our way to Leon, a beautiful colonial city, we saw a smoking volcano. The country is very seismically active and the locals are used to earthquakes and volcanic activity. And we were here during rainy season, so everything was very lush and green.

Leon was gorgeous…our favorite city of the trip.

After the wedding, John and I decided to have a few days to ourselves before heading back to the states. We drove to Granada, the oldest colonial town in Central America. On the way, we stopped for a few minutes in Catarina, a gorgeous little oasis at the top of a volcanic lake with sweeping views and a lovely cool breeze (which was very appreciated in the tropical heat).

A quick ride later and we were at the base of Mombacho Volcano in Granada, Nicaragua.

We stayed at this amazing place, Hotel con Corozon. It is a not for profit hotel started by a Dutch company. They hire their staff at higher than normal wages, and give 100% of their proceeds to local education to help children get off the streets. It attracts a very international collection of tourists, and is very eco friendly. And it is designed to encourage relaxing.

Though it was ridiculously hot, we spent the day walking around Granada.

We went to the top of a Cathedral to get a beautiful view of the city, and the clouds rolled in…rainy season rocks =) This is no photoshop, just FYI.

What a beautiful country!

Most destination weddings include multiple days of events, and Victor and Laura’s was no exception. They were excellent hosts and truly bent over backwards to make sure all of their guests had gift bags on arrival, a welcoming committee, a guide of Spanish basics, and places to see. Each group of family and friends chose different outings and ways to spend their time and it was fun to hear of all the adventures.

We all started off in Managua, Nicaragua’s capital city. Destroyed by an earthquake in the 70s and kept from rebuilding because of revolution and civil war, the city started revitalizing in the 90s and now is a very large bustling city. Though there is quite a bit of culture shock due to the fact that this is still a developing country, there was a lot to see and do, and much to learn…this is definitely a country for the adventurous and people that love the outdoors and a more relaxed way of life.

Two days before the wedding, Laura treated her family and friends to a mani/pedi and mimosas. It was a great way to get to meet all of her friends from different parts of her life and from all over the world.

After a fun afternoon, the out of town guests went to El Patio for dinner. Laura and Victor chose to have their wedding during rainy season, since it would be a bit cooler…but we also witnessed how a torrential downpour can take you by surprise. As we arrived at the restaurant, thunder and lightning was quickly followed by a lot of rain.

The BBQ chicken was delish!

Since it was the 4th of July, we had patriotic straws…such a cute touch!

The next day, the entire out group hopped onto a bus for the journey to Leon. Leon is a former capital and a beautiful colonial city near the Pacific Ocean. We arrived at El Convento, and got acclimated to the heat (well, most of us cranked up the AC and took a siesta). That evening, family headed to Victor’s house for the civil ceremony.