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Main street granada
Me walking up to get a smoothie / sandwich.After a hectic first weekend we finally get to do some proper exploring and enjoy our surroundings for a couple of days. The small colonial town of Granada on the northern shore of the gigantic lake Nicaragua would be our first taste of central america. A world apart from our previous resting point in Comayagua, Granada is a colourful and welcoming town where even the cathedral is painted a warm summer yellow. Our hostel was situated at the bottom of the main pedestrian street; a cobbled lane straddled by restaurants and cocktail bars with the obligatory street merchants selling jewellery and little wooden animals etc. A classic example of a tourist street for incoming gringos. On a more practical note you will find a nice smoothie place which we used for breakfast both mornings, a good value sandwich/pastry place and a launderette all on the same side of this street.
Granada town itself isn't very big. Theres the main square which is easily found at the top of the tourist street where you'll find the cathedral and a few other statues. Adjacent to this is the central park where they have a small market most days. It is
Cathedral, Granada
They should do more churches like this in Ireland. Much more likely to go to mass i reckon! a great base though for doing some great activities around the area. Leaving granada on Monday morning our group went on a great day trip taking in a boat ride through the small islands and lagoons of lake nicaragua, a drive up to peer into the smoking crater of Masaya volcano and watch a local sculpture hand make some beautiful pottery.
All in all a fantastic day out but my favourite was the visit to the pottery place. These guys are still making amazing stuff using the same techniques and locally sourced clay that their ancestors used hundreds of years ago. To make medium sized vase would take about 10 days. Some of the stuff they had there was amazing. I would have bought a few of the bigger items but common sense availed as the realization of carrying 5kg vase in my backpack for 6 months wasn't going to work out! So in the end me and yvonne picked a small pot each, got the 2 of them for $6.
On the bus ride home our tour guide for the day, Ramon, acted as quiz master and gave us a pop quiz on the days activities. Being
Lake Nicaragua
Morning boat trip on the lake. Really feels like your in the jungle book or something. at the back of the bus i was at a disadvantage as i couldn't hear most of the questions but somehow managed to come 2nd! My prize? A fantastic cd of Nicaraguan music including such hits as Rico cha cha cha and the classic Fiesta Pinolera by La Nueva. Shame i dont have a cd player.......
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