When we began our journey we never expected that we would make new friends in Nicaragua so quickly. But the warmth and hospitality of the people we met quickly changed that. Allow us to introduce you to some of our newfound friends.
Left to right: Samara Baltodano, Mary, me, Georgios Mitropulos, and Johanna Bello.
Georgios Mitropulos is our special friend and hotel owner and he was our personal tour guide for a week in Nicaragua. Georgios is the embodiment of kindness and gentleness and his years in business in Leon have given him a wealth of contacts for nearly everything you can imagine.
Johanna Bello, Georgios' girlfriend, is a regional manager for Banco Avanz (Avanz Bank). Because her position allows her to work remotely, she was able to join us for the weekend while we were exploring San Juan Del Sur. Johanna has great people skills and a very sharp business mind and no doubt why she has quickly moved up the corporate ladder.
Samara Baltodano is our Realtor in SJDS and she is as fearless as she is capable. Three years ago, after a decade in the coffee business, she decided to take up real estate and based on what I saw she will probably be the dominant agent in the Rivas Department (like a large county in the US) in another year or two.
Other friends not pictured above are the following:
Eileen Patricia Parra and Armando Juarez (Georgios' cousin and her husband). Patricia is a dentist and Armando is a senior IT manager. Both live and work in Los Angeles, California half the year and then in Leon when not working. They were very kind and invited us to their beautifully restored colonial home in Leon (pictured below) for a home cooked dinner our last night in Nicaragua.
This picture, taken from their indoor garage, is the entrance hall to their home.
Medwyn "Blaze" Blazer is Samara's husband. He is an equity trader who works from home electronically trading the stock markets for a living, although keeping up with Samara is probably a full-time job. Blaze was kind enough let us steal his wife for two long days and then used his connections to get us all a huge discount at a private club on Saturday night.
Others. In addition to all these wonderful individuals, several others went above and beyond to welcome us to Nicaragua. Georgios' childhood friend, Pablo Ocaña, took time to show Mary his uncle's horses and other livestock. (Mary is a huge horse fan.) When we needed an attorney, Georgios introduced us to his family's attorney, Marvin Roque, who has handled all their legal affairs for over two decades in business. Finally there was Georgios' mother who was the picture of grace and strength and a pleasure to chat with.
I cannot overstate that our two-week visit to Nicaragua was greatly enriched by these connections, underscoring why our affection for this country runs deep. None of them knew us at all and yet they welcomed us with open arms. Perhaps now you can see why Nicaragua has become a special place in our hearts!