A Personal Note from Martijn

Another week gone by and another step closer to that long-awaited day when the first guests come through the gate. Almost a full 2 1/2 years have gone by since we first arrived in Nicaragua with the intention of finding a small property close to the pacific where we could quickly build a few cabins and open our doors within a year. Remember?

One might be forgiven for wondering how we ended up on a 6 hectare farm on the slopes of a volcano on the remote side of an island in the middle of a lake with no access and no power. Rest assured however that the three of us here are more convinced than ever that this project is where it should be. We are more excited and energized than ever before and not only because of how the project is coming along...

I would like to announce to those who don´t yet know, that congradulations are in order to Jonathan & Roslyn who, if calculations are correct, will be proud parents come January (apologies to them for not having a better picture). They have found an excellent doctor in Managua and plan to stay in Nicaragua throughout the coming year. Moreover, they expect the little one to be wielding a machete and chopping weeds by the start of the next rainy season!


Besides my own excitement at becoming ´Tio Martin´ (tio meaning uncle in spanish) I am equally (and dare I say even more) excited at finally being truly united with the woman I fell in love with nearly four years ago. Her name is Patricia, she´s from Spain, and somehow we have managed to keep a strong relationship alive without actually ever living in the same country. After visiting Nicaragua twice in the past two years she has boldly chosen to take a full year sebatical to come and live with us here and will be arriving on the 21st of October. Suffice it to say that the three TOTOCO managers are looking forward to all things in the coming months.