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Background: The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

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By davegtt
July 23rd 2008

Granada

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

We arrived in Granada shortly after leaving Ometepe but again travelling with the English girls it cost me a fortune in taxis. This is where I got my first real taste of what I expected of Central America, its still touristy but has a very authentic feel to the place. I found it really easy to get around and knew a few people in the hostels near by which Id already met in other places so we were able to go out in groups. A group of us went cliimbing the bell tower of the church whilst a funeral was going [View Full Entry]

By Jenny in Latin America
May 14th 2008

Honduras & Nicaragua

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

Copan Ruinas

Hmmm.. so I didn't get round to updating within a month. At least the intention was there! Been very busy since the last epic blog so I won't promise this will be short :) Diving in Utila was awesome, the night dive was incredible. We saw a great big blue octopus chilling out on some coral and big hairy sea cucumbers and, as promised, cool phosflourescent stuff! (i forget the proper name!). Diving in the dark is a very bizarre experience, only seeing the small area where your torch is pointing, trying not to think about all the other stuff that [View Full Entry]

By Amy and Simon
April 28th 2008

Can you believe its been a month

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

Tikal ruins
We think this is temple 3...

Hola I think Amy finished her last entry the night before our 3am start to go and see the sun rise over the Mayan jungle ruins of Tikal. After a slightly bleary eyed bus journey we did a 30 minute sprint up hill through the jungle in the dark, trying not to trip over too many tree roots (or sleeping snakes as Amy thought they were) as we passed the slightly ghostly shapes of various ruins. Eventually, knackered and feeling slight stunned by running that early in the morning, we climbed the stairs up to the top of Temple 4, one [View Full Entry]

By rayanhindi
April 18th 2008

granadiense...

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

000047

granada, colonial town, really pretty, very touristy, supposed to be great party but believe me we looked for it! at night by the lake, the typical horror movie start, a group of young guys try to go party they scare each other in the absolute dark of the road, and there a house, with low light and a sign squeeking... visited a cigare shop that made one in front of us, went around the churches and plaza central, wandered around, ate local food in the local market (not so good, especially digestively speaking). on our last day we went to the [View Full Entry]

By LittleDave
January 30th 2008

Sunny in Granada

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

On Sunday I got off at Harlem and 125th again, this time walking East, eventually I hopped on the Subway for two stops to Rockerfeller Center where I looked for tickets to SNL. Good thing I didn´t head there for the 6am free ticket call, as the writers are on strike and no tickets to be had. Took me another 30 minutes just to locate a bathroom before heading off to Jackson Hole for some of the best burgers in New York err not, tasted like a lot of chemicalized beef. My meal the night before at Bobby Flay´s Mesa [View Full Entry]

By djlolo
December 8th 2007

granada to lago de apoyo and back to granada

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

well we left the bearded monkey yesterday to go to the monkey hut in lago de apoyo. it a crater lake on a volcano. the place is gorgeous. right on the lake u can graba kayak or an inner tube or jump off the dock and swim to a floating dock and lay out in the sun. it was very relaxing there but there was hardly anyone there so after we swam we just kinda sat around and read and played a couple of games of war. mike is beating me 9 games to 8 so far. we didnt know if [View Full Entry]

By djlolo
December 7th 2007

san salvador to nicaragua granada

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

after spending a day in san salvador i was more than ready to leave. we stayed at the tica bus hotel cause it was the most convinient place cause we had to take a bus at 5am. we walked around and the smog in the center city is brutal. we walked around the the market and i was getting queezy by all the exhaust fumes everywhere. we went back to the hotel and decided to venture out for dinner. we found a pizza hut and ate then headed right back to the hotel to get an early night sleep so we [View Full Entry]

By Kari12
May 5th 2007

In ideal Family of the Place Paragraphs to Enjoy!!

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

Monkeys!!
On our tour of the islands we happened upon a monkey island

This was not the original title of the blog... it was going to be something like, Bearded Monkey, Monkey Hut and Monkey attacks, but upon being given a brochure of a resturant with this as itÂ´s slogan I had to change the title. Give me your ideas of what you think it might mean... Frank and Dody and i have ours. So I headed to Granada and spent 3 days lazing around in the hostel, The Bearded Monkey. I did walk around the city, sit in the park and take a lovely boat tour of the islands in which I [View Full Entry]

By Team Dalziel
March 17th 2007

The Bearded Monkey

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

Cathedral , Granada

So, after leaving San Juan del Sur (along the craziest road ever!) we had our first chicken bus experience. Wasn´t so bad there actually. It was just from Rivas to Granada which was only about a 3 hour ride and the bus wasn´t crowded at all. We had heard about the hostel The Bearded Monkey a few times so thought we would give it a shot. The only problem was arriving in Granada mid day and not quite knowing where we were. Though we thought it would only be a few blocks walk. So, we asked for directions from a [View Full Entry]

By lisalisasf
March 14th 2007

"Central America on One Foot"

Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey

Blue casts unite!
Met Galo from Costa Rica at my hostel Oasis... spotted his blue cast from across the room and we bonded over breakfast about how fiberglass can really complicate your life.

I think this will be the title of my first travel book. I am getting around just fine these days. Not much exciting stuff to report, but have posted a few new photos of Granada and some of my travel friends from Australia. It is so nice to meet people, hang out for a few days- but then you have to say goodbye, which is never fun! Plan is to head through Costa Rica in next few days and make my way to the Carribean Coast by bus. Meeting Jen Cocohoba- a friend from San Francisco in Panama at Bocas del [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Granada » Bearded Monkey