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Author: Dr. Edmundo Mendieta Gutierrez
Contributer: Jimmy D. Mendieta
Photography: Jimmy D. Mendieta
Translator: Jimmy D. Mendieta

This story was told by Don Crisanto to my uncle Edmundo when he was only 15 years old, in the beach of Casares. Dr. Edmundo Mendieta Gutierrez, married the granddaughter of Don Crisanto, Mrs. Daisy Briceno de Mendieta. It is the story of how my great-grandfather Crisanto Briceño (father of my grandmother Mrs. Ernestina Briceño) is the founder of this beautiful beach of Casares.

My uncle Dr. Edmundo Mendieta Gutierrez writes…

“The moon of March, a mystical moon in various regions and religions of ancient peoples, as its full moon was the closest to the spring equinox and therefore the precursor of green fields and flowering of trees, as well as warm temperatures inviting swimming in the beaches and rivers. The diriambinos, were no strangers to this influence, which was considered more of an enchantment, which fortunately coincided with the completion of the harvesting and sale of the coffee crop, the main crop of the land. In this peaceful and quiet town of Diriamba lived a pretty young woman named Juanita Echaverry, to which two young men courted her, with the gentlemanly rivalry of that time. Both were of the best families and wealthy, but with a difference. While Enrique Granja, tall and elegant, with a large fortune, carelessly spending it by the hand full, Crisanto Briceno could not do the same, as even though he possessed a considerable fortune when he was orphaned, it was administered by an executor who gave money in instalments.

Due to the smallness of the population everybody was aware of the tiniest movement of each family, and even of each person. So the two young men became aware that Juanita and her family had left for La Boquita beach. The two would be suitors of Juanita came simultaneously with the idea of ​​following Juanita to continue the courtship of the girl, but each in their own way. Crisanto borrowed from a relative a mare, nothing fancy, but according to its owner’s own words, good and very reliable. Enrique left first with his friends. A server boy who would be responsible for the care of the horses, followed them, being also very careful with the box containing Enrique’s violin, an instrument that was considered more elegant and refined than the guitar which anyone could play. Crisanto left late compared to the procession of Enrique who strictly observed the custom of the stopping at specific spots along the way, some times three some times four as they advance along the dusty road. Crisanto’s mare, true to its owner’s words, continued with a steady and pleasant trot, which, however, was not meeting Crisanto’s wishes in order to cover the distance of five leagues that separated him from his beloved Juanita. For him there were no stops, he didn’t even carry food or drink in his saddlebags. He could not do anything but let the mare follow her natural pace. Finally he felt the sea air as he cleared the final slope before the last corner from the gate at La Boquita. He hurried to arrive. Crisanto found his beloved Juanita sitting on a waggon, with her flowing hair reaching to her waist, while drying it under the sun. Perhaps she even believed that the sun was giving it its golden color. Crisanto approached her and proposed. Juanita accepted!

About two arrived the procession of Enrique, firing their pistols into the air and cheering for La Boquita. Crisanto approached him and told Enrique the news that he had proposed marriage to Juanita and that she had agreed to be his wife. He then invited Enrique for a drink. Enrique was very serious and probably turned pale, but as a good gentleman, congratulated Crisanto and both went to have a drink.

After they married, Don Crisanto Briceño and Doña Juanita returned to La Boquita and already in possession of his fortune, Don Crisanto did not like La Boguita for Doña Juanita and their children as it was very loud and generally a party centric place. So they went to find another place to spend the summer. Searching a few kilometres south of La Boquita, there was a beach full of tamarind trees close to the mouth of Rio Grande, and a very placid beach, almost like a bay.

The area was known as Casares, according to some locals it was named after an Indian Chief, according to others, it was a name given by Spaniard who settled on that beach in colonial times, that came from Casares, the Mediterranean coastal city in southern Spain.

The family of Doña Juanita and Don Crisanto, grew, coming to have nine children and Casares would be like her tenth child, which they grew till it eventually becoming the favorite resort of the people of Managua, the Capital of Nicaragua. The third character in this story squandered his fortune, reaching old age in poverty, earning a living playing the violin in the functions of the parish.”

Dr. Edmundo Gutierrez Mendieta – “This story I heard from Don Crisanto’s own lips, which he told to summer vacationers whenever he had the opportunity.”