Flor de Pochote

1. Pikin Guerrero Cooperative

One of the very few agricultural collectives from the Sandinista Revolution that are still active. The cooperative was founded in August 1979, just a month after the revolutionary government took power. The land was expropriated from the former owners and handed over to a group of peasants, who have run it since.

The cooperative is divided in a collective area, where they mainly cultivate permanent crops, such as pitahaya, plantano and coffee, and individual lots. In the individual lots most of the members gives priority to annual crops, such as vegetables, tabacco and grains.
The members of the cooperative are still loyal to the FSLN party, that carried out the land reform and helped them with credits and other assistance, as long as it remained in power.
The cooperative members are very open to visits, to show their agricultural experience, or to give their analysis of the national and global political situation. They also organize farm work experience and family housing for visitors.

The cooperative may charge for the time spend, as it has to survive economically in a market economy.

2. The Sapasmapa river and El Pochote Waterfalls

When tropical rainfalls hit the cities of San Marcos and La Conception, the Pochote community, and the Western borderline of Flor de Pochote, are hosting a violent river. After passing our property the river disposes its sandy, red water over the edge of the volcanic basin, making a potent waterfall. We estimate the height to about 80 meters.

Normally the river basin is dry and forms a sandy road, although not passable due to the many smaller and bigger waterfalls or rocky slopes.

In the community we know the river as 'el río', as it has no name. At some maps it is called Sapasmapa, due to the Sapasmapa spring that is the only permanent water source in its upper course. Sapasmapa furthermore is an important archeological site from one of the first settlements in the country.

3. The canyons of Venecia and the caved road to Masaya

The streams running down from Masatepe and Nandasmo have formed many narrow gorges in the rocks. Among the most spectacular you find the narrow canon of the stream down to Venecia, and the caved road that connects this canyon with the road from Nimboja.

Can be visited in our guided walk to the lagoon.

4. The island, common rest place for a group of alligators and caimans

Some years ago the owners of Venecia tried to establish a zoo. During the flood that followed the hurricane Mitch in 1998 two alligators and a caiman escaped from their basin into the lagoon.
It seams that they liked freedom, and the alligators have breed willingly ever since, so that local fishermen now talk about a little colony.

The alligators use to rest in the area arround the island, and may be seen at dusk, if there has not been to much noise arround the place during the day.

5. Las Sabanas waterfall, and the riverbank covered with lianas

The river from Las Sabanas is less violent that the Sapasmapa river. This permits the large trees to grow right next to the stream and cover it with their crowns. The Chilamate tree is one of the principal inhabitants above the waterfall. This mythological tree of the fig family (Ficus spp.) sends long aerial roots down from its branches. Some of these settle in the ground and expand to new stems. When passing, you have the impression of a forest filled with lianas, like the ones Tarzan used. However, try them before you intend to swing. Not all of  them will carry.

6. Nandasmo beach

North of the town of Nandasmo a temporal stream has formed a small valley in the rocky slope around the lagoon. The area is inhabited by a fisherman who watches the property for the owner. In his isolated little world, you find fruit trees, a forest dominated by the particular Jabillo tree, and a nice beach, where the lagoon water appears clean and attractive.

People from the nearby village Vista Alegre use the beach for fishing and bathing, and the young men are normally very willing to show their techniques. If raw materials are available the watchmen will be happy to let you try his special fish soup for a price about 2 dollars.

13. Ruins of Venecia - General Moncadas residence

About hundred meters from the coast line of the Masaya Lagoon you find a big building now totally abandoned. Here lived General and President Moncada from about 1930 to 1945. After a hurricane the lagoon water covered the area for years and filled it with mud. In 1990 the ruins were sold to two Austrians who tried to recover the buildings and establish a zoo and a museum. However, their project ran out of money.

The present owners are planning to open a little show room in the historical building. Flor de Pochote has permission to bring visitors to the area.

21. Stone carvings and caves in the rocks along the coast

The rock formation around the lagoon includes a couple of caves. Most of them can only be accessed by water. In these well protected hidings the nahua population carved figures and symbols in the stones. These carvings have not been explored, and we cannot say what the mean or how old they are.

A small cave is placed below the road to Venecia, and can easily be accessed - but it is without carvings. The only known carvings with access without a boat are in the area of the Nandasmo beach.

The photo to the right shows the most known stone carvings, found in the cave where the Chief Cailagua was buried. These can also be accessed from the Monimbó suburb of Masaya.

22. Area with many findings of ceramics from the Nahua era, before the Spanish conquest

The Meseta highlands were densely populated in the time preceding the Spanish invasion in 1521-23. To tribes, the Nahuas and the Chorotegas, dominated the area. Both had emigrated from Mexico due to the repression of empires like the Olmecas and the Aztecas.

In El Pochote and the area upstream to Sapasmapa a lot of archeological pieces have been found, mainly of ceramics. People keep some pieces in their houses, but the grand majority has been sold or given to people and institutions outside the area.