Poco de Belleza: Granada, Nicaragua

Photo credits, except the breakfast shot, to Sam and Maeve

Last weekend, we went to Nicaragua, on a visa-run. As long-term tourists in Costa Rica, we're eligible for a 90 day visa which is renewable, but only after leaving the country for a few days.We were happy to oblige with a visit to Granada, on the shores of Lake Nicaragua. [As a side note, though we are able to easily obtain a new visa, our car is not. The car would have to be out of the country for three months in order to qualify for another 90 day permit. So... we've begun the process and payment of importing the car, swapping New Brunswick license plates for Costa Rica ones.]

The guy in the ghostbuster outfit is part of the team that blows a puff of smoke into your car, 'disinfecting' it before entering Nicaragua.

Wind turbine, one blade dangling

The border crossing itself was uneventful and we passed through in record time (just under two hours!) Not long past the border, there is a gigantic wind farm. The winds have been particularly strong in Nosara lately. They must have been in Nicaragua as well. We first passed a wind turbine that had a whole blade ripped off and then a wind turbine that had completely toppled.

Families hanging out at the shore of Lake Nicaragua.

Granada is the oldest Spanish-built city in Central America. Set near the Pacific Ocean, Granada became very wealthy as a shipping port for gold and other minerals (ie. like many other colonial cities, it became rich from exploiting the local people and land.) In the mid-1800s, Granada was burned to the ground by order of William Walker, an American 'adventurer' who took control of the city and country for a time, but was then overthrown. (You can read more about his exploits or watch either Marlon Brando or Ed Harris portray the character in the films loosely based on his life.) Today, many of the buildings have been restored and repainted in their pastels, as the city is a central part of Nicaragua's tourism industry.

Busy on the steps of our hostel

Our hostel in Granada was right outside the city's main market. The market was bustling at all hours and was full of bright colours, (deep green mangos! deep pink bras!) interesting smells, (freshly plucked chickens! warm cheese!) and cacophony (people greeting friends! people swearing as their carts or goods toppled over!) It reminded me of living in Tanzania, when I would walk through the market on the way home, picking up vegetables for dinner, sometimes returning for breakfast of chips mayai (potatoes fried in egg!) at Mama Mzee's stall. In fact, I found myself looking for the same kids I used to see there. Speaking of kids, it was interesting, unsurprising to see the market be a bit much for Sam. The challenges of taking in all those smells, avoiding the rows of fresh meat and about-to-die chickens, trying not to step in various piles and puddles of things... he handled them bravely, stoically, but would have preferred a gentler stroll through the woods.

Oranges were peeled and the top sliced off, for people to squeeze directly into their mouths.

A horse-drawn hearse-carriage. Tim Burton-esque I think.

Reading about the history of chocolate at ChocoMuseo

We had chocolate for breakfast! The ChocoMuseo is set in an old mansion in the middle of town and offers factory tours, workshops, and a history of chocolate and its production in Nicaragua. They also have an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast which you can enjoy in the small cacao plantation in the courtyard. The kids and I had done a chocolate project years ago, so it was pretty fantastic - and delicious - to immerse ourselves in a place where the production happens. Nicaragua is quickly emerging as the largest producer of organic cacao in Central America.

Thrilled with their breakfast


Some of the colour from the arts/crafts market

Mostly, we walked. We walked through the central park where families and friends were hanging out. We walked along the streets, both more touristy and more local. We walked to the gelato shop, twice. We walked down to the lake (the kids were surprised/concerned at the level of garbage lining the shore and the kids hanging out there despite.) We walked alongside street kids who made us beautiful flowers and grasshoppers out of sugar cane stalks. We walked in and out of old churches and up to the bell tower for a view. We walked through an art centre and peeked at the art and in on a group rehearsing for their performance that night. We walked back through the market to the hostel for a swim and a read.

Check out her hair! I wish we had a before, during and after shot.

Initially, we'd hoped to explore more of the political, revolutionary history, and culture of Nicaragua in Leon, but an unreliable car and friends awaiting us when we got back to Nosara made this a quicker trip. I look forward to a longer trip.