catahoula fan
09-04-2009, 05:48 PM
We seem to be on a fairly level stretch of track on the roller coaster that is life in Nicaragua so it was time to catch up on some of those things we've been putting off. A trip to Catarina for culinary and medicinal herbs is something I've been needing to do for about 7 months, but hey, everything takes time here, huh? It was definitely worth the wait!
Catarina is even more lovely than the last time I saw it, if that's possible. The new rotunda and wide, smooth roads are enough to make one smile. The jardines are a riot of color and there seems to be more variety...if that's possible. We were looking for some specific medicines this trip so we invited a good Nicaraguan friend to translate. He invited an agro friend of his to help track them down and we discovered a part of Catarina we'd never seen before.
We always stop at Vivero Ecologico for an awesome selection, and this trip we drove down the road past the jardín, one that's got new Somoza pavers. The houses are spread apart with the plants set back from the road. You almost don't realize that you're passing garden spots. The folks who live here are the real nurseries behind Catarina, and we met some very friendly Nicaraguans who seemed more than happy to show us around their gardens.
The first fella had guanabana trees, but a bit too small for what we need. Still, at 10 cordobas for two, who could pass that up? He also had tire planters, artfully displayed with lots of color and a variety of plant selections. I never did ask how much, but I'll get some pix on my next trip. A little farther down the road, we stopped to visit an aged, gnarled woman who had larger guanabanas and gorgeous Roma tomato plants. I've got tomato plants coming out the ying yang so didn't need any for myself, but I was pleasantly surprised; this was the first time I had seen tomatoes growing in Catarina.
The last stop was my favorite and I'll be heading back there real soon! The owners came out to the front gate with big smiles. They seemed to know all about customer service and quickly directed us to their medicinal herb section, of which this fella had more than half a dozen different plants. I just love talking with knowledgeable herbal medicinal folks, even though I usually need a translator's help to do it. You could see this couple was brimming with pride in their garden and plants and, as we left, the woman of the house went around her gardens picking Dahlia flowers. As she handed me this delightfully bright-hued bouquet, I was all smiles!
We found Mexican tarragon (called anise down here) and spearmint, two great herbals to have around the house, and I just couldn't resist the healthy jalapeño they showed me next. Roger realized he needed to get me outa' there soon as my eyes were glazing over at the selection of incredible flowers. I was fixin' to go into serious shopping mode!:eek:
Never could find the boldo or damiana that we need, but that just means another trip to the jardines of Catarina...always a good time!!
*Below are pix from a previous trip.
Catarina is even more lovely than the last time I saw it, if that's possible. The new rotunda and wide, smooth roads are enough to make one smile. The jardines are a riot of color and there seems to be more variety...if that's possible. We were looking for some specific medicines this trip so we invited a good Nicaraguan friend to translate. He invited an agro friend of his to help track them down and we discovered a part of Catarina we'd never seen before.
We always stop at Vivero Ecologico for an awesome selection, and this trip we drove down the road past the jardín, one that's got new Somoza pavers. The houses are spread apart with the plants set back from the road. You almost don't realize that you're passing garden spots. The folks who live here are the real nurseries behind Catarina, and we met some very friendly Nicaraguans who seemed more than happy to show us around their gardens.
The first fella had guanabana trees, but a bit too small for what we need. Still, at 10 cordobas for two, who could pass that up? He also had tire planters, artfully displayed with lots of color and a variety of plant selections. I never did ask how much, but I'll get some pix on my next trip. A little farther down the road, we stopped to visit an aged, gnarled woman who had larger guanabanas and gorgeous Roma tomato plants. I've got tomato plants coming out the ying yang so didn't need any for myself, but I was pleasantly surprised; this was the first time I had seen tomatoes growing in Catarina.
The last stop was my favorite and I'll be heading back there real soon! The owners came out to the front gate with big smiles. They seemed to know all about customer service and quickly directed us to their medicinal herb section, of which this fella had more than half a dozen different plants. I just love talking with knowledgeable herbal medicinal folks, even though I usually need a translator's help to do it. You could see this couple was brimming with pride in their garden and plants and, as we left, the woman of the house went around her gardens picking Dahlia flowers. As she handed me this delightfully bright-hued bouquet, I was all smiles!
We found Mexican tarragon (called anise down here) and spearmint, two great herbals to have around the house, and I just couldn't resist the healthy jalapeño they showed me next. Roger realized he needed to get me outa' there soon as my eyes were glazing over at the selection of incredible flowers. I was fixin' to go into serious shopping mode!:eek:
Never could find the boldo or damiana that we need, but that just means another trip to the jardines of Catarina...always a good time!!
*Below are pix from a previous trip.