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The mysterious mounds of Nicaragua

Stone Pages Archaeo News: The mysterious mounds of Nicaragua

Clipped from: http://www.stonepages.com/news/archives/005027.html

18 May 2013
The mysterious mounds of Nicaragua
National Geographic explorer and archaeologist Alex Geurds is currently in the field investigating a prehistoric, ceremonial center of stone circles in Central Nicaragua.
     Researchers will be working for the next few weeks at the site of Aguas Buenas, located to north of the city of Juigalpa. In that area, stone and earthen mounds are visible at regular intervals. The Central Nicaragua Archaeological Project is an ongoing archaeological investigation to shed light on the prehistory of Nicaragua, in particular its extraordinary indigenous tradition of monumental stone sculptures and its poorly understood ceremonial complexes.
     As part of this, the Aguas Buenas archaeological site holds special interest. Recent explorations of the site have revealed its unequalled architectural characteristics and extraordinary number of mounds, spread out over the hilly Chontales landscape by means of wide concentric semi-circles. Current knowledge of prehistoric monumental architecture in Central America cannot tell us anything specific about why this site looks like it does. Nor is there a significant amount of previous archaeological research in the region to help us out in understanding Aguas Buenas.
     The 2013 field season features students from Leiden University, the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua and the University of Calgary, geared towards completing a GPS mapping of the site and excavating several of the more than 500 mounds. What are these mounds actually? When were they built and how? Do they serve a purpose as individual mounds or rather playing a role in the larger complex of the site itself? These are just some of the questions fuelling the effort to withstand scorching heat, prickly shrubs and the occasional snake and scorpion.
     Standing among the mound, one would never guess the 600-meter diameter semi-circular patterns these mounds clearly follow from an airborne perspective. Researchers determined the mound to be excavated by working on creating an understanding of when distinct sectors of the site may have been built and how comparable the contents of mounds really are.
     The excavation progress can be followed online.
Edited from National Geographic News Watch (13 May 2013)

The Diner








On Monday, I took a drive on scenic South Highway (Carretera Sur) in Managua, Nicaragua.  On my way back from El Crucero some evening a few months ago, I had seen what seemed to be an old fashioned style diner...and I found it again!  It's located at km. 8.5 Carretera Sur in the Centro Comercial La Liga. 

As you can see, the decor is that of a 50's diner, complete with the old Cadillac, actually a 1961 Fleetwood Seventy-Five (or the back end of it).  You will be swooned with oldies in the background and, as was the case at lunch time on Monday, a really loud bunch of people waiting for their food.

Service was good.  José Luís was very attentive.  The owner shows interest in her clients as well and speaks both English and Spanish.  The best part, however, was the food.  Can you believe that bunless hamburger in the picture? (Click on the picture to enlarge).  It's called the Light.  I was like: "This doesn't belong here.  This looks like something from Restaurante Azul at Hotel Contempo in Managua".  It was absolutely beautiful... a hamburger!  I ate the Classic (the other picture), which, as you can tell, is not made with common hamburger.  Tasted like ground steak, char-broiled to perfection (6 oz. of meat claims the menu).  I almost ordered a second one (but I'm on a diet).

Now, do I top it off with a milkshake or apple pie a la mode?  Since my wife loves apple pie, apple pie it was.  Delicious!!!  And she's pretty picky about her apple pie....

The Diner is a winner.  The only thing I would like to figure out is when there are less people inside - it got real noisy.  But, I guess that's what diners are all about huh?

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give The Diner an 8 (excellent quality and preparation of the food won me over).

For prices, click here.


Madre quesillo

Although it wasn't a trip to La Paz Centro or Nagarote, Nicaragua, nontheless I was able to buy a quesillo.  Got it at Plaza Inter, a shopping mall in downtown Managua.  And, of all quesillos, it was a Madre Quesillo -  both a traditional quesillo and a trenza (braid) quesillo, wrapped in a corn tortilla and smothered with onions in lime sauce and buttery sour cream.  Yummy!




the quesillo, and tiste and cacao to drink - N...
the quesillo, and tiste and cacao to drink - Nagarote, Nicaragua (Photo credit: dane brian)

Central Court Complex in Managua



Pictures of the new Central Court Complex (Complejo Judicial Central de Managua) in Managua, taken from the back side and from the North Highway.  It was previously located near El Zumen (Carretera Sur) in the southwest part of Managua.  Previously, you had to enter the courts passing through dozens of street vendors selling "fritanga", fruit, soda pop, newspapers, legal books, etc.  Now that is a thing of the past with this modern, well designed building.  I still hope to never have to set foot in there...ya know what I mean?

Old Cathedral of Managua


This picture of the Old Cathedral in Managua (built in 1928-1938) was taken from the backside in the surrounding barrio Rubén Darío.  It's the same place the famous salsero Luís Enrique filmed the video for "Qué sé yo".  A famous building....ruined by the earthquake in 1972 but great for pictures of the old downtown Managua.