Nicaragua, Updated November 7th, 2006

Panga at Anchor on Isla Ometepe

A solitary panga anchored off Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua.

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We found this ghostly image on a wall in San Pedro on Lago de Atitlan in Guatemala. Check out this and other adventure designs at our store.
 Latest News (Updated 11/07/2006):  It sure was difficult leaving our new friends and the great meals in Nuevo Paraiso, Honduras but it was time to see what Nicaragua had to offer. So, we 'bummed' a ride back to Tegucigalpa, caught the next bus to Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, and finally a taxi to Granada our first destination. Granada is another colonial style city on the shore of Lago de Nicaragua. From Granada we took a ferry to Isla de Ometepe, a volcanic island. This beautiful island is like taking a step back in time; ox carts and horses are used extensively to perform daily chores. From Isla de Ometepe, another ferry to San Jorge on the mainland and then on to Costa Rica. But that is a different update.
 
After Costa Rica we returned to Nicaragua to visit Leon. Leon is a vibrant, relatively large colonial city. In Leon we were able to get some insight into the daily lives of Nicaraguans.

Overall, we found the Nicaraguan people very friendly, except for the taxi drivers, and the country beautiful and diverse. Look out though! Century 21 and ReMax were already in Granada and land prices were on the way up!


Background Photo: The bells of a church in Granada, Nicaragua.
Granada, Nicaragua
Wall Art at Hostal Central Granada, NicaraguaAfter a long day of travel, first by bus and then by taxi we arrived in Granada. We met another couple on the bus headed for Granada and decided to share a taxi. We negotiated a price and set off for Granada. But, before we could find a suitable place to stay we had to re-negotiate (argue?) with our taxi driver on the price for our trip. This was our first bad taxi driver experience, but as we found out the norm in Nicaragua. It sure made Pat cranky!

Left and Below:  As in the other Central American countries we visited, we found the graffiti and wall art very impressive. The picture to the left and the two below were taken from the walls of Hostel Central, our home for 2 nights. Pretty cool stuff, huh?
Wall Art at Hostal Central Granada, NicaraguaWall Art at Hostal Central Granada, Nicaragua
Blue Church in Granada, NicaraguaGranada is a relatively small colonial city located on the shores of Lago de Nicaragua. The city felt safe and could be explored in an afternoon of walking. It was easy to see why many ex-pats had decided to settle here, which of course begets an increase in land prices. Are California prices far behind?

Left:  The churches in Granada were especially pretty and well maintained. This church, one of many in Granada, caught our eye as we were looking for a restaurant called The Third Eye. Ummmmm. Food! Very good food!

Below Right:  We were lucky(?) enough to be in Granada for the Running of the Bull(s). Poorly organized, with only 2 bulls set free, one at the time. The event started with a parade including Nica Cowboys on horses and decorated trucks . The woman in the photo, below right, caught us taking her picture and yelled in English: " Hey, pretty cool event, I'm from New York. Where are you from?" Well, so much for taking pictures of the locals.

Below Left: The crowd begins to retreat as the poor bull is released. As the bull passed us a young guy pushed Pat up against a pillar while another guy tried to lift Pat's wallet. Fortunately, Pat escaped before he could remove the wallet. Close call!
The Running of the Bulls in Granada, NicaragauaThe Running of the Bulls in Granada, Nicaragua
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