Weekly Photo Challenge: Signs For this challenge, share an image of a sign: it can be a sign near your home — a comforting sight after a long journey — a sign that doubles as art, or other types of signs that hold meaning for you.
This looks like a fairly commonplace sign, but the business and people it represents are anything but common. I snapped this photo while I was on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua.
Puesta del Sol started in 2004 with 6 families who would rent one of their rooms to tourists and also share their meals with the guests. It has now grown into 18 families! It is mainly managed by the women and has allowed them a way to make money which has improved not only their lives, but has helped the entire community.
For the tourists, it offers a very unique experience. These are hard working families who live a mainly agricultural life with few of the comforts and conviences that we consider normal. The homes participating in Puesta del Sol have prospered and are some of the best looking homes in the area but still, the tourist will get quite a different view of life and people on Ometepe than they would get in any hotel or hostel. To read more from some of these tourists, click this link to Trip Advisor. Their comments are overwhelmingly positive.
For me, we spent almost three weeks in the neighborhood so I met and talked to many of the participants on a daily basis. These people are warm and friendly and a real joy, and I am so happy for them that they have developed their hospitality skills and their business is prospering. Every time I think of Puesta del Sol I think of the new friends I made there.
It may be only a sign but it means a lot to many people, myself included.
The Panama Adventure 
Beautiful post, Kris! I’m sharing it with the Puesta del Sol Association. They are wonderful people, and they are going to love this post.
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They are indeed wonderful people and I’m so glad we got to meet so many of them. I could have said a lot more! Glad you like the post and please give everyone my greetings.
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A fascinating response to the challenge.
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Thanks 🙂
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I went to their website last night! Looks like the perfect fit for us during our trip :). Thanks!
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That’s great! 🙂
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Hi this is DAVID I posted once before a while back about cost of living there ,, is air fare also cheaper there then in the states,, let’s say I was living there and wanted to fly to ,,,,say Hong Kong or phillippines ,, is it cheaper or about the same?? ,, I also wanted to say I love your blog and one day hope to meet you ,, take care,
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hi David! Thanks so much, glad you enjoy the blog. I don’t know about the cost of airfare though. I have only flown back and forth to the US. I’m afraid you’ll have to do your own research on that one.
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