Estelí
Panoramic of the City of Estelí
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): "El Diamante de las Segovias" ("The Diamond of the Segovias")
Motto: "Estelí, amante del presente, forjador del futuro" ("Estelí, lover of the present, builder of the future")
Estelí
Coordinates: 13°05′N 86°21′W / 13.083°N 86.35°W / 13.083; -86.35
Country	Nicaragua
Foundation	1685
Government
• Mayor	Francisco Ramón Valenzuela Blandón
• Vice Mayor	Rosa Argentina Rugama Flores
Area
• Total	795.7 km2 (307.2 sq mi)
Elevation	843.97 m (2,768.93 ft)
Population (2005 est.)
• Total	118,909
• Density	144.4/km2 (374/sq mi)
Website	http://www.alcaldiaesteli.gob.ni/

Estelí, officially Villa de San Antonio de Pavia de Estelí is a city and municipality within the Estelí department. It is the third largest city in Nicaragua,^[1] an active commercial center in the north and is known as "the Diamond of the Segovias."

Located on the Pan-American Highway, 150 km north of Managua, Estelí is a fast growing and progressive city of about 119,000 people. It enjoys a pleasant climate throughout most of the year due to its location in the north central highlands at a mean elevation of 844 m above sea level. The city is also surrounded by forested mountains of pines, oaks, and walnuts, and plateaus that go up to 1600 m above sea level, some which are protected as natural reserves.

Estelí was the scene of heavy fighting in the civil war against the Somoza government from 1978 to 1979. The city was heavily air-bombed by the regime's National Guard to the point that most of the city looked like a giant cemetery of building shells. The human casualties were around 15,000; many of them youngsters massacred on suspicion of being part of the insurrection. The city was totally rebuilt but some structures still show bulletholes as a sad remainder of the destruction.

Economy & Tourism[link]

The land around Estelí is perfect for growing tobacco for use in cigars, and the town became a refuge for Cuban cigar makers after the Cuban Revolution in 1959. Award winning cigars have made Estelí one of the most important cigar-producing cities in the world. Estelí also has many language schools, restaurants, and hotels that cater to tourists traveling to nearby natural reserves and other parts of the region. Natural Reserves around the area include Miraflor, Tisey-Estanzuela, Las Brisas-Quiabuc, Tomabú, Tepesomoto, and Moropotente.

According to the World Bank and International Finance Corporation's Municipal Scorecard 2008, which complements the annual Doing Business report, the municipality of Estelí ranks 1st and 2nd, out of 143 municipalities in ten Latin American countries, in quality and efficiency to obtain a construction permit and municipal operating license respectively.^[2] Esteli has improved its performance from the Municipal Scorecard 2007, where it ranked 5th out of 65 municipalities in five countries.^[3]

Sports[link]

Estelí is home to one the best and most popular football (soccer) clubs in the country, the Real Estelí, nicknamed "The Train of the North." It is also home to a professional baseball team, Estelí, which makes it one of only three cities in the country with both a professional football (soccer) and baseball team. During the 1970s, Estelí participated in the "Roberto Clemente" baseball tournament and had one of best baseball teams in the country with the help of one-time big league players like Porfi Altamirano and Albert Williams.^[4]

Infrastructure[link]

Estelí has the best water supply system in the country with near-full population coverage. It also has an extensive sewage disposal coverage.^[5]

At least three airfields have been built in Esteli throughout history, although none exists today. One of the first airfields documented played the role of alternate airport from 1930-34 when TACA established the service to carry passengers with an El Salvador-Tegucigalpa-Danli-Ocotal-Esteli-Managua route. La Thompson, which is three miles north of Estelí, is where the second airstrip was built and used by a company named "Thonsson Corwell" to help complete a stretch of the Pan-American Highway. The third airfield was built in the north end of town in the 1980s but has now been urbanized.^[6]

In 1940 efforts were made to expand Nicaragua's railroad from El Sauce to the north via Estelí. Thirteen kilometers of rail, the town of Río Grande, and a railroad bridge were built with the intention of taking the rail up to Esteli along the Aquespalapa or Villanueva river, which originates in the Quiabuc mountains; however, the project was abandoned.^[7]

Gastronomy[link]

Due to its altitude Estelí can be quite chilly at night or in the morning and even cold in winter. Thus, like all northern mountainous regions of Nicaragua, Estelí's gastronomy consists of a hearty mountain diet of beef, game, veal, rabbit, geese, sausages, and heavy soups like albóndiga, queso, res, etc. There's a high consumption of milk products like smoked or spicy cheeses like ahumado and picante, and regional corn-based dishes like delicious montucas, salty-sour repochetas, and semi-sweet güirilas. For breakfast, chorizo, refried beans, sour cream, and home-made style bread are more common and black coffee is the king of drinks any time of the day. Though illegal, cususa (a clear alcoholic drink) is also consumed, especially on the outskirts of the city or in small cantinas (bars).

Gallery[link]

• 

  Montenegro Theater (1962), destroyed in the war against the Somoza government in 1979.

• South End of Esteli.jpg

  South end of Estelí looking towards Las Brisas-Quiabuc Natural Reserve.

• 

  Nuestra Señora del Rosario Cathedral.

• 

  Nuestra Señora del Rosario Cathedral.

• 

  Esteli Cinema, near the Central Park

• 

  Los Arcos Hotel

• 

  Colegio Nuestra Señora del Rosario.

• Foggy morning in Esteli.jpg

  Foggy morning in Estelí valley.

• Mftrees.jpg

  Near Miraflor Nature Reserve, just outside of Estelí.

• SALTO ESTANZUELA NICARAGUA.jpg

  Salto Estanzuela (Estanzuela waterfall) located in the Tisey-Estanzuela Natural Reserve.

• 

  Rappelling down el Salto de la Estanzuela

Sister cities[link]

• Bielefeld (Germany)
• Delft (Netherlands)
• Évry, Essonne (France)
• La Habra, California (United States)
• Linköping, Sweden
• Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Spain
• Sheffield, United Kingdom
• Stavanger (Norway)
• Stevens Point, Wisconsin (United States)

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Estelí

Coordinates: 13°05′N 86°21′W / 13.083°N 86.35°W / 13.083; -86.35

v t e Estelí Department Capital: Estelí Municipalities Condega Estelí La Trinidad Pueblo Nuevo San Juan de Limay San Nicolás

External links[link]

• Petroglifos de Esteli, Nicsragua - www.esteli.info
• Norte de Nicaragua

Tito
Tito "El Bambino" on January 31, 2011
Background information
Birth name	Efraín David Fines Nevares
Born	(1981-10-05) October 5, 1981 (age 30)
Origin	Puerto Rico
Genres	Reggaeton, Latin pop
Years active	1996–present
Labels	On Fire Music
Website	[1]

Efraín David Fines Nevares (born October 5, 1981) age 30 known professionally as Tito "El Bambino" is a Puerto Rican recording artist. He rose to fame as Tito of the duo Héctor & Tito.

In 2010 his song, "El Amor", written with Joan Ortiz Espada, was awarded Latin Song of the Year by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).^[1] He was awarded Songwriter of the Year at the 2011 ASCAP.^[2]

Musical career[link]

1996–2004: Héctor & Tito[link]

Tito and his partner released a number of hit songs in their native Puerto Rico, including "Amor de Colegio" (ft. Don Omar), "Felina", "Baila Morena" (ft. Glory), and "No Le Temas a Él", a song which not only raised their popularity, it helped raise popularity for the then up-and-coming Trebol Clan. After years of working together, they separated, but not before releasing a final album, Season Finale, which featured some of their greatest hits. The duo broke up due to Tito's belief of disloyalty from Hector.^{[citation needed]}

Héctor y Tito released their first album in 1998. Together they became reggaeton stars releasing several successful albums and making appearances in several compilations, becoming one of the most sought-out duos in the genre. Both became the first reggaeton artists to sell out a massive concert in Puerto Rico, opening the path to other artists such as Tego Calderón, Daddy Yankee and others. Bakalao stars

2004–2006: Solo career and Top of the Line[link]

After much delay, his first solo album was released, Top of the Line. The album was a hit, reaching #1 in Puerto Rico and knocking R.K.M & Ken-Y's album, Masterpiece to #2.

Top of the Line featured 20 new songs, with collaboration from artists such as Daddy Yankee, Don Omar and Beenie Man. It featured quite a number of hits, such as "Caile", "Mía" (ft. Daddy Yankee), "Tu Cintura" (ft. Don Omar), "Flow Natural" (ft. Beenie Man and Deevani) "Secreto", "Máximo", "Tuve Que Morir" and "Me Da Miedo" among others.

Top of the Line/El Internacional is a limited edition of Tito's first album Top of the Line. It features 5 bonus new songs that were not included in the original version: "Siente El Boom (Remix)", "Enamorado", "Calentándote", "Bailarlo" and "Voy a Mí". The first single of the album is "Siente El Boom (Remix)" that is a big hit in Argentina. "Siente El Boom" is also on Chosen Few II: El Documental featuring Randy.^{[citation needed]}

In Top of The Line: El Internacional, the remix features Randy, along with his partner Jowell, & De La Ghetto. The second single recently released, "Enamorado", did not get a lot of airplay as "Siente El Boom" was still a hit on Puerto Rico's radio stations. "Siente El Boom" expanded throughout Latin America, peaking at #14 in the Billboard Hot Latin charts. Apparently "Enamorado" got cancelled and now the third single is "Bailarlo" that's starting to get airplay on the radio and a video has already been released.^{[citation needed]}

2007–2008: It's My Time[link]

It's My Time is the second album by Tito "El Bambino" released October 2, 2007. The first single Solo dime que sí is already getting plenty of airplay on the radio. Artists featured on It's My Time are R.K.M & Ken-Y in "Fans", Pharrell in "Booty", Toby Love in "La Busco", Jadiel in "Sol, Playa y Arena" with Arcangel and Franco "El Gorila" on the remix and with many other hits like "En La Disco" Olga Tañón on the remix and "El Tra".

2009–2010: El Patron[link]

El Patron is Tito El Bambino's third solo CD. The hit, Vamos Pa'l Agua was released before the CD to let fans know what lay ahead, but was ultimately not included in the album. The CD includes his fellow reggaeton artists Zion y Lennox, and Plan B. Some chart toppers of this album include "El Amor" and "Under", which also have chart topping videos. "El Amor" was officially remixed four times with four different artists: Yolandita Monge, Jenny Rivera, Chiky Flow, and La India.^{[citation needed]}

In February 2011 Tito El Bambino's label, On approached producer duo group GrüvStar to create the official dance remix of the song "Llueve El Amor" to support the record during mix show play at Latin Urban radio stations.

Tito is also trying his hand as a producer, with his label ON FIRE MUSIC.

2011-Present: El Patron:Invencible[link]

His younger brother now known in his last disc, "Invencible," by his artist name, Emanuel El Bambi. Tito has said that he will still be doing this type of music 10 years from now.

Personal life[link]

Tito married Jessica Santiago in January 2005 after a seven year relationship and got a divorce in 2009. Tito has a daughter, Jeinaliz Fines, from a previous relationship.^{[citation needed]}

Discography[link]

• Top of the Line (2006)
• It's My Time (2007)
• El Patrón (2009)
• Invencible (2011)
• Invicto (201?)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website: English/Spanish
• Official MySpace
• Official Twitter
• Official Youtube Channel
• Official Facebook Profile
• Official Facebook Page
• Tito El Bambino, Artista Destacado - Billboard En Español