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Published: July 10th 2008
School Kids on Mombacho
Big smiles with Eileen McMillanSaid our farewells to Rene and Li Nhi at Rivas, they departed for the Tica Bus heading south, we went in the opposite direction on yet another chicken bus, our backpacks ended up on top of a load of dirty vegetables.
Read good reviews about two hostels in Granada, the Bearded Monkey and Oasis, one a bit more lively than the other. We plumped for the quieter Oasis, especially when one traveller declared that it was the best hostel he had stayed in. Overheard an English girl on the bus mention Oasis, made the mistake when we reached the bus station of asking directions, with complete conviction she managed to send us the wrong way.
One thing I do have is a good sense of direction, realised pretty soon something was wrong so we asked a local shopkeeper who sent us back to where we came from!!!
In actual fact, the hostel wasn't that far from the bus station. Carrying our backpacks in the midday sun is no joke, Eileen wanted to catch up with the English girl to give her a slap!!
Granada is a colonial city founded in 1524
making it the oldest original Spanish city in Central America. It´s centred around the Cathedral and Parque Central with restored town houses branching off in a grid system. Most of these dwellings come complete with carved wooden doors and impressive inner courtyards. The outside gives little indication of the grandeur found inside.
One of these lovely buildings is home to Hostel Oasis. A great place to chill !!
Not only does it have an inner courtyard dotted with hammocks, it also has free internet and a swimming pool, not much bigger than a snooker table, right enough!!
Euro 2008 has started. First time I´ve watched a football match on TV, whilst sitting in a pool with a beer in hand. 20 Cordobas (50pence) for a Tona.
Pretty Cool !!
Granada appears to be the biggest tourist destination in Nicaragua, horse and carriages line up in the main square waiting for customers and in the evening most travellers head for renovated Calle Calzada, a wide avenue full of restaurants with outside tables.
The volcanoes in Central America are fascinating, they run in a line along the spine of Costa
And the Living is Easy
Chillin' in Oasis Hostel Rica and up the western side of Nicaragua, many of them active.
Granada is overlooked by Volcan Mombacho, we went for a visit, this included the now customary trip on a sweltering chicken bus. No danger of us running past our stop, as it approached we were greeted with a chorus of Mombacho!! Mombacho!! Mombacho!!
Dropped off at the entrance to be met by a bunch of Tuk Tuks, didn´t take up any offers, wanted to walk the 1.5Km track up to the visitor centre. When we arrived it was obviously closed, Couldn´t believe it !!
Didn´t know you could close a volcano.
A young Nicaraguan fella phoned the research centre and they told him, they could send a 4x4 vehicle down to take us on a special tour for US$160.
An offer we politely declined.
Asked if we could wander along one of the trails, he said, "no"
So that was that !!
Luckily we had a great time with some school kids on the way up. How do they keep their white uniforms so clean?
Most people in Nicaragua are extremely poor but they life their life in good grace and
Eileen and Kathryn
Night Out in Granada dignity. A lesson everyone could learn.
Another volcano we looked forward to visiting was the nearby Volcan Masaya, this time we went as part of a day tour, in case that was shut, also!!
US$25 to visit the volcano, Masaya Market, local villages, family pottery business, stuff like that, only really interested in the "Big hole in the Ground."
It´s possible to drive all the way up the national park to the mouth of the Crater and peer in. Masaya is actually a group of 5 craters, Santiago is the only one which is still active, it constantly fumes sulphur dioxide into the air. Incredibly, it doesn't bother Green Parrots who roost inside the crater walls every night.
Before Columbus, local people used to throw virgins or small children into the crater to please the gods. In the 16th century the Spaniards called Masaya Volcano "The Mouth of Hell" and placed a large wooden cross near the top to rid the crater of demons, the replica cross can be seen from miles around.
Actually, we´re lucky it wasn´t closed, they evacuated the national park a few days before after the
At the Craters Edge Hostel
From right to left, Eileen, Megan, Jonathon, Texan Fella, Nicaraguan Girl, and John crater started to rumble and spew out some rocks and lava.
All the vehicles in the car park have to face outwards. Just in case!!
Back in Granada, our room in the Oasis Hostel was extremely hot so we decided to change accommodation.
Not surprisingly, Eileen managed to secure a reduction for a nice room with AC/TV at Hotel Valeria, a place recommended by Rene and Li Nhi. The normal price was US$35 for a room only, we paid 32, which included breakfast.
This is where we met Kathryn a lovely girl from the Isle of Man, who was travelling throughout South and Central America. She took great pleasure in knowing that she had actually been to Patagonia and the Galapagos Islands. It's great that so many young females are prepared to travel on their own.
Took advantage of Valeria's free bike hire and cycled to nearby Lake Nicaragua, at the end of the lakeside drive we came across a golf driving range. Had to give it a go!!
It was only 150 yds long, very narrow with the road on one side, and heavy rough on the other. I used a
Masaya Crater
Spewing out Sulphur Dioxide wedge and an 8 iron, have to say I was striking it well, watch out club members back home. Even so, I did push a couple of shots into the rough on the right, after I finished the young staff member who was intently watching me, set off over the fence into the knee high bundi to look for the two golf balls I hit there. I guess it's not quite like the UK, here everything has value, nothing is wasted.
We left Granada for the aptly named Craters Edge Hostel at Laguna De Apoyo, another place we were desperate to visit. It sounded fantastic, accommodation perched on the edge of a crystal clear volcanic lagoon containing thermal vents and surrounded by dense forest, home to a great variety of wildlife such as Howler Monkeys, Armadillos, and Coral Snakes. This is even more of a chill location than Oasis in Granada.
Spent our days relaxing, kayaking or swimming in the warm water out to a wooden platform. The water is said to contain beneficial minerals, don't know about that, but when you make a splash it bubbles like Alka Seltzer or Andrews Liver Salts.
We met a nice couple from Colorado who were travelling south from Mexico. Like us, Jon and Megan had taken a year out to experience Central and South America, they are also writing a travelblog.
We were enjoying dinner together when we noticed twinkling lights in the darkness, turned out to be lightning bugs or blinkies as they are known locally, hadn't seen anything like it before.
It was quite magical to see.
Weren't sure where to go next, Jon and Megan recommended a place in Leon, why not give it a try?
10.30 shuttle to the highway, then flagged down a micro bus heading for Managua, where we waited ages for a minibus at a typically chaotic bus station in the capital. Eventually made it to Leon and the Lazybones Hostel.
The accommodation felt familiar, probably because it is almost a replica of the Oasis in Granada, Good!!. It does mean we're chillin' again, seem to be doing that more and more as we near the end of our trip.
This city is larger, and not as touristy as Granada, however it has a certain charm that we warmed to. Leon
Leon Rooftop
Former Revolutionary giving the Peace Sign also has a university and is more politically aware than its southern neighbour. The city became the heartland of the Sandanista movement during the 1979 Revolution and as a result saw heavy fighting.
It feels great to actually be in Nicaragua, a country whose fortunes I have followed closely since they ousted the CIA backed Somoza Dynasty and then fought against constant foreign aggression during the eighties. In those days I never put pen to paper, however I was so outraged that I sent a letter of support to the President of Nicaragua.
He never replied!! maybe he never received it, probably blockaded by the US Navy.
At the park and across from the cathedral sits an old run down building, once home to the brutal Guardia Nacional, this ironically, is where former Sandanista Revolutionaries have compiled a small museum, detailing the history of their struggle against the Somoza Government. A former combatant gave us a guided tour, completely in Spanish, we understood most of it. Yeh Really!!
Afterwards, he took us on to the roof for some photo ops.
Once again, on a chicken bus!! This
time to a quiet undeveloped little beach resort on the Pacific Coast called Las Penitas, It has a lovely stretch of sand and a nearby coastal reserve. Damage to property was still visible from the recent tropical storm, however, the highlight of our day occurred on our outward journey.
A local guy actually boarded the bus carrying a LIVE CHICKEN!!!!!
We hit the jackpot.
Not many travellers can say they saw "Chickens on a Chicken Bus"
Eileen asked if she could take a photo.
He was awfy chuffed!!!!!
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