Adventures in Central America: Granada, Nicaragua

Much like Easter last year, I was continually checking flights as the 2018 Easter long weekend approached, hoping to find something that would allow me to get away from Edmonton and the late March snow and cold (-20 C with wind chill two days ago!).  While I did not find a flight for $500 like I did last year, I did find one for $700, to Managua, albeit out of Calgary.

I bought it on Tuesday as yet more snow began falling outside of my office window.  The fact that it would allow me to visit a new country--and the only country I had not yet visited in Central America--made the cost easier to swallow.  Plus, I actually have a five day weekend, because I have not only Good Friday-Easter Monday off, but Tuesday as well.

I landed at Managua late last night, after a 3+ hour bus ride to YYC; a 3+ hour flight YYC-IAH; and a 3+ hour flight IAH-MGA.  I arranged a pick up from my hotel, and got to Granada shortly after 1:00 this morning.

I did not get all that much sleep, and was out the door by 9:00, ready to explore.

At 10:00, I was back at the hotel for a delicious breakfast in the courtyard.

This is the door to my room, just off the courtyard.

After breakfast, it was time for a $3 hair cut at Barberia Jehova Jireh (the green building below).

The hair cut was great, and the barber spoke English quite well, and was excited to tell me lots about Nicaragua and Granada.  For example, he recommended I go to the square for lunch and try vigaron, which is famous Nicaraguan street food: curtido, boiled yuca, and chicharrones, wrapped in a banana leaf.

The cathedral is right on the square, so I went inside after lunch.

For a dollar you can climb the bell tower, and these are the views:

I went just down from the cathedral for a cup of coffee in a nice cool courtyard next.

These flags fly along this pedestrian street, and I find both the Vatican and Sandinista (red and black) flags noteworthy.

Later I walked down to Lake Nicaragua, the second largest freshwater lake in Latin America.  The lake is maybe a kilometre or so down from the centre of Granada.

The lakeside park is nice, but the beach is certainly not.

Originally Granada's location was critical, because the Caribbean can be accessed through the lake and a river, so it was an important safe port for the Spanish colonists.  Today the port seems to be just for pleasure and fishing boats, but the building on the pier is still impressive.

One thing I was sad about in terms of the timing of my visit to Granada is that the baseball league takes a break over Easter.  Otherwise, I would have been very excited to go to a game.

I walked by this amateur set of fields:

And later drove by the professional stadium:

I spent the extreme heat of the afternoon in the hotel's courtyard working on an article I am trying to publish, and enjoying some of Nicaragua's refreshing beverages.

Late in the afternoon, I happened upon this Holy Saturday parade.

In the evening, I tried some of the local Flor de Cana rum, which I was amazed to find out is considered one of the best rums in the world.  I had never even heard of it before!