Last night, without making any prior arrangements, a group of Canadian ex-pats gradually began to congragate at Smokeys Sports Bar. Smokeys is located directly on the beach in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua and has a massive projection screen for watching sports. Generally, the fare is limted to baseball, football, and basketball but last night was different. We Canadians knew that it might be the last time we could see a Canadian team play hockey this season. Sadly, the Vancouver Canucks were the only Canadian team left in the play offs and they were behind in the series 3-2. If the Canucks failed to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks they would be eliminated.
A good representation of Canadians gathered to cross their fingers and cheer for the Canucks. The Canadian guy who runs the hostel belonging to another Canadian guy was there. Another of my real estate collegues was there. The Canadian bartender from the Maritimes was there. And the young Canadian guy who promotes a real estate development on the way to Costa Rica was also there. We were joined by a handful of Canadian travellers.
What a game it was! We joined at the start of the second period and the score was 2-1 for the Hawks. The lead changed hands multiple times before the Hawks ended things with a 7-5 win. The game was great except for the ending and it was fun to think a group of Canadian, far from home, could watch NHL play-off hockey on a beach in Nicaragua while listening to the surf break.
May 13, 2009
Jan 30, 2009
Road Hockey in San Juan del Sur
With the number of Canadians living in San Juan del Sur, it was only a matter of time before road hockey blasted on to the scene.
The NHL (Nicaraguan Hockey League) inaugural game was played on Canada Day 2008. The Canadian bar flies that frequent Big Wave Dave's had arranged for some Canadian ex-pats to bring down enough plastic hockey blades to field two teams: Canada vs The World. The rest of the equipment could have been taken from an episode of Gilligan's Island. The nets were constructed from bamboo and the netting from vegetable bags. One goalie wore a motorcycle helmet while the other wore shin guards crafted out of baking pans. Team World (primarily Americans) showed their lack of experience by showing up in flip-flops (big no no), army boots (again no), and jeans! Team Canada looked jaunty and sporty in sneakers and shorts. Team Canada won handily and was awarded a large and very heavy marble Stanley cup replica with a duck on top (the Stanley Duck) which apparently was made for a Canadian ex-pat the year the Mighty Ducks won!
Since the first game, games have been held approximately once every 6 weeks. Canada (and once when the World couldn't come up with 5 players, Team BC) has confidently defended the Stanley Duck. I noticed the "Duck" in Repubika the other day which is appropriate as the owner, Canadian Chris, regularly shows games from the other NHL.
The equipment has also evolved as Canadians on trips back home collect "real" goalie equipment, more blades, hockey tape, etc.
If you are traveling through San Juan del Sur, please feel free to join the game. Notice of the games is generally posted at Big Wave Daves or pop in to ask Chris at Republika.
(Go Sens Go)
The NHL (Nicaraguan Hockey League) inaugural game was played on Canada Day 2008. The Canadian bar flies that frequent Big Wave Dave's had arranged for some Canadian ex-pats to bring down enough plastic hockey blades to field two teams: Canada vs The World. The rest of the equipment could have been taken from an episode of Gilligan's Island. The nets were constructed from bamboo and the netting from vegetable bags. One goalie wore a motorcycle helmet while the other wore shin guards crafted out of baking pans. Team World (primarily Americans) showed their lack of experience by showing up in flip-flops (big no no), army boots (again no), and jeans! Team Canada looked jaunty and sporty in sneakers and shorts. Team Canada won handily and was awarded a large and very heavy marble Stanley cup replica with a duck on top (the Stanley Duck) which apparently was made for a Canadian ex-pat the year the Mighty Ducks won!
Since the first game, games have been held approximately once every 6 weeks. Canada (and once when the World couldn't come up with 5 players, Team BC) has confidently defended the Stanley Duck. I noticed the "Duck" in Repubika the other day which is appropriate as the owner, Canadian Chris, regularly shows games from the other NHL.
The equipment has also evolved as Canadians on trips back home collect "real" goalie equipment, more blades, hockey tape, etc.
If you are traveling through San Juan del Sur, please feel free to join the game. Notice of the games is generally posted at Big Wave Daves or pop in to ask Chris at Republika.
(Go Sens Go)
Dec 30, 2008
The Bands Have Arrived
An unexpected perk to buying real estate in Nicaragua is the omnipresent music. In Nicaragua music enhances everything and loud music REALLY enhances everything.
Purisma is the celebration of Mary in December. Each day the statue of the Virgin Mary to carried from the church to a different barrio accompanied by a marching band. Each evening Mary is carried back to church, accompanied by a marching band.
The week before Christmas a "rumored to be tipsy" marching band travels through the village at 5AM calling parishioners to a 6AM mass. After every funeral, friends and family make a slow procession through the village following a horse pulled wagon carrying the casket of their loved one, accompanied by.....you guessed it....a marching band.
A child's birthday party is not complete without a pinata and a marching band, which in this case is mostly a standing band.
The other day a followed the sounds of a marching band only to discover an entire marching band sitting in the front sala of a very small house. It was crazy loud on the street and I couldn't imagine the sound levels in the sweltering home.
I have been in San Juan del Sur on and off for just more than 2 years and I haven't lost the child-like excitement of hearing a marching band. I regularly hear the strains of a trumpet a few blocks away and follow the sound until I find the raison d'etre of the marching band.
The bands that arrived last night aren't really bands at all. They are 15 foot speakers which line the beach, pumping out pop music accompanied by a massive drum track that just might re-set a pacemaker. And in Nicaragua, if it ain't loud, it ain't good! I could hear the thumping until 4AM and I expect I will hear it every night until January 1st. I live 2 blocks back from the beach so it isn't very disturbing for me. Beach front denizens must be going insane or perhaps they are visiting their friends who bought real estate in the foothills overlooking San Juan del Sur.
For some cool pictures of some of the celebrations that take place in Nicaragua in December check out: http://www.vianica.com/go/specials/8-december-celebrations-nicaragua.html
Purisma is the celebration of Mary in December. Each day the statue of the Virgin Mary to carried from the church to a different barrio accompanied by a marching band. Each evening Mary is carried back to church, accompanied by a marching band.
The week before Christmas a "rumored to be tipsy" marching band travels through the village at 5AM calling parishioners to a 6AM mass. After every funeral, friends and family make a slow procession through the village following a horse pulled wagon carrying the casket of their loved one, accompanied by.....you guessed it....a marching band.
A child's birthday party is not complete without a pinata and a marching band, which in this case is mostly a standing band.
The other day a followed the sounds of a marching band only to discover an entire marching band sitting in the front sala of a very small house. It was crazy loud on the street and I couldn't imagine the sound levels in the sweltering home.
I have been in San Juan del Sur on and off for just more than 2 years and I haven't lost the child-like excitement of hearing a marching band. I regularly hear the strains of a trumpet a few blocks away and follow the sound until I find the raison d'etre of the marching band.
The bands that arrived last night aren't really bands at all. They are 15 foot speakers which line the beach, pumping out pop music accompanied by a massive drum track that just might re-set a pacemaker. And in Nicaragua, if it ain't loud, it ain't good! I could hear the thumping until 4AM and I expect I will hear it every night until January 1st. I live 2 blocks back from the beach so it isn't very disturbing for me. Beach front denizens must be going insane or perhaps they are visiting their friends who bought real estate in the foothills overlooking San Juan del Sur.
For some cool pictures of some of the celebrations that take place in Nicaragua in December check out: http://www.vianica.com/go/specials/8-december-celebrations-nicaragua.html
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