Granada the Good

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From the Internet we can read, “Granada city was founded between Xalteva, and the Cocibolba or the Great Nicaragua Lake, by the Spanish conqueror Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba in the 1524 year, creating one of the colonial settlements more ancient of the American Continent.” The city is laid out on a square grid and when you visit the Convent of San Francisco which has been turned into a museum you can see scale model of the whole city colour coordinate according to epoch of settlement.

And in relation to the city much is said about William Walker, an American.
“The Saga of William Walker by Don Fuchik
President of Lower California, Emperor of Nicaragua, doctor, lawyer, writer—these were some of the titles claimed by William Walker, the greatest American filibuster.

In the mid-nineteenth century, adventurers known as filibusters participated in military actions aimed at obtaining control of Latin American nations with the intent of annexing them to the United States—an expression of Manifest Destiny, the idea that the United States was destined to control the continent. Only 5'2" and weighing 120 pounds, Walker was a forceful and convincing speaker and a fearless fighter who commanded the respect of his men in battle.”

Many of the old buildings have blue and white ceramic tiles attached in a visible place so that the story of the place can be known. The renovations of the city are presenting a brightly colour face … all colours of the rainbow…some more subtle than others and many just plain harsh, like purple and lavender. El Club, where I have stayed in a sweet smelling bed for five nights stands out dramatically in its lavender dress. Many restaurants, businesses, hotels and hostels are similarly squeezed into the spaces left by courtyards and high ceilinged cool colonial beauties.

A very few steps down the street from El Club is La Libertad, a hostel housed in an old mansion. The hostel called The Bearded Monkey was packed full, that is why the group ended up at La Libertad… after the El Salvador experience with that name I am avoiding all mention of liberty.
The dorm seems OK…only saw it in the dark .. i.e. the room is exceedingly dark. The toilets and showers are in the same room and not at all inviting … certainly not where I want to clean up. This place was chosen and apparently $7 /person was paid. I asked for a private bath and room… been there one that …do not need more hostelling and shared bathroom experience.
OK..in Europe hotels are all over $100 a night if you do not want to share with bugs and mold. But here in Granada I had the choice of a nice room for $25 but it was already taken. So I agreed to my own room and the toilet outside of it and the shower outside of that for $15. BIG MISTAKE.

The bed stank; the sheet was so thin I could see the patterns of dirt on the mattress; the barrier between me and the wide world of backpackers was a screen covered with various pieces of cloth; and I am not even going to mention the two pillows. There was a fan which I did not turn on for fear of disturbing who knows how many layers of blended in dust- dirt- hair- lint. Slept … if that what a non-moving ramrod-straight-body-for-fear-of-rolling-of-my-sarong-and t-shirt-covering-the- pillow can be called … only one night here.

RAN to El Club in the morning.

For $18 more I have been enjoying a new set of white towels everyday. The bed is made and the floor is cleaned every day. There is AC and TV with stations in …are you ready… Spanish (of course) English, French, Italian, German and surely Nica.

Spent two evenings and two days with German Mike. He met Will and the bunch while they were still here. Ate German sausage with us… actually I think on the first night he ate my share of sausage because when I came to table only a little one was left!

One night with Aussie Paul and another night with Mike I partook of beefy ribs at Jimmy’s Rib Shack. Excellent choice for a good meal with great service by Daniel and some singing by Jimmy.

And every night Victoria was on the menu … the beer that is … not the queen.

All of Granada was packed with visitors because of the Fiesta for the Virgin of the Ascension, the patron saint of Granada. All weekend the city square was packed with vendors; ice cream, fried chicken, cotton candy, beer, chewing gum, bracelets, cowboy hats, tamales, buggy rides, rice and beans, sunglasses, lottery tickets, slushies, ceramic whistles and vases, and fried plantain in plastic bags.
Bands played on the street. People drank in the street. Drivers were drunk behind the wheel.. By 8:00 the streets were empty and the bars and restaurants were full … until 3 in the morning. Sunday was the finale!

Beer companies and others put up stands where patrons danced and drank and sat to watch the coming parade go by. And by it went …from 2:00 until it became dark at 6:30... 6:45. Horses came up and down the street all day long. Where did they find all the horses? Some of the riders were dressed as gauchos, Spanish gentlemen, flamenco dancers, farm hands, fat overseers, greedy landowners, pampered lady friends. Many small children similarly dressed up and sat on horses led by elders. The horses were either groomed with fancy bridals or had the look of just having been taken out of their working harnesses and ridden down the street.

Suffice it to say there was no end to the excitement between horse and rider, horse and horse, rider and rider, and pedestrian and horse or pedestrian and pedestrian. All possibilities were entertained.

The night before the big Finale Mike and I went Volcano climbing and Bat Cave scrambling… All under the supervision of a guide and in the company of 14 others. We looked deep into the crater of a dormant volcano and in the night saw red reflections on the sulphur gasses spewing out of the Volcan Masaya. The bat cave we also visited in the dark armed with weak flashlights and hard hats. No sanitary little hoods here like in Zacatecas Silver Mine!

No bats … a group went in before us…ergo… they were gone like bats out of hell. Saw one or two tiny ones. Wanted to see the fruit bats fly. Walkd deep…104m… down into the lava formed cave where resistance fighters spent four years of their lives hiding from government troops.

So from bat gung to horse manure … my sandals are a mess and well stuck together.

The pictures will speak to the calm and beauty of Granada.

Wandered:
photographed the colours and people;
avoided the potholes in the narrow sidewalks;
made it back to the hotel before the afternoon rain washed over the curbs and onto the sidewalk;
walked own the street lined with stately homes;
walked around the closed and renovated railway station; gave all my change to a blind man;
ate in a new establishment recently opened by an Englishman who does not know whether he is brave or stupid (his words) to be doing this;
bought nothing I have to carry with me… oops… forgot the book!;
sent money via Western Union to Panama; bought a Copa Air line ticket on line for $337;
arranged a direct ride to the airport for the same price it would have cost to go to Panama on the 28hr bus ride ..$38;
am trying to catch up on my blogs;
am feeling the release and pleasure of not being on the truck; made a new friend in Mike, the German; and am having LOTS of showers.

Granada is good.

For the whole scoop go to nicatour.net .

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Photos

Here's One for My Mom
Mimi was my Mom to my Dad and all her family. Min an I had a goo coffee here before going to the museum. When we got there it was closed for fumigation...cucaraches, ratinos et al

Waiting for Renewal

Canopy to Luxury
The Vivaldi is so exclusive ...in an undeveloped part of town ... that a six DOLLAR charge is imposed just to come have a Limonada.

Le Club
uring the Fiesta weekendd there was no floor swpace to be seen...the music was loud and the drinks flowed till deep intothe night.

The Others at La Libertad
Sitting watching DVD's while Granada is in Fiesta Mode and has the charm of the oldest city in C.A.to offer.

The Mercado 2

The Mercado

El Mercado 3

Very Beautifully Refurbished
On the main avenue mansions from days gone by i.e. 1870's and 1920's are being restore to former grandeur even if only facades are preserved.

Sulphur Spew ..phew
Next volcano I visit has to be spewing lava!

All the Lovely Horses
There was no end to the horse flesh paraded in the street ... am not exhibiting the human flesh that bounced and boobed along the route ...well maybe just one.

Boobing On

Beer Companies Sponsor Fiesta
Last Float by Tona Beer ends the Parade