Lazy Day in Granada

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Most if the time when I travel I don't sleep in the same place more than two nights. My time in Granada has turned into a bit of laziness. So on this Thursday morning I wake as the only occupant in the hostel. It's a very large place so it feels strange to be here alone. The front desk lady makes me breakfast which comes with some sort of lime juice that I can they enough of! Then I decide to be lazy and read for a bit. Life is hectic and busy and crammed full of things these days that it was nice to just sit and read.

Around 11 am I made my way out and headed to the Mi Museo. This museum houses pottery and ceramics from modern times to centuries ago. Upon arrival I find out that today was inventory day. Oops! So onto the next museum. The Covento y museo San Francisco. I had seen the church from the road during my city tour but today it was open and I was happy to go in. Originally built in 1585 it's the oldest church in central America. It was destroyed more than once and rebuilt and of course has been refurbished to what we see today but it's still striking. Inside there is a simplistic charm. The floors are a simple reddish tile. The walls are smooth and cream colored and the ceiling is a combination of dark wood beams and bamboo. It's lovely! The alter maintains this simplicity but adds in a little.more flare with some columns and dark wood accents. But otherwise it's a calming place to sit and visit. One of the unique features is the during the rehab, they left sections of the original wall exposed. The original church was built out of blocks or bricks of mud and hay or grass. The fact that many areas of the wall showcase this amazes me. To have survived this many centuries is incredible.

From here I head into the museum. It's small but is similar to a natural history museum. The first rooms show the life of indigenous people and then I move on to pottery and tools. Some of the items made from clay others from the volcanic rock. Then I move I to the outdoor space that has all of the statues. These were found on the island of Zapatera and are said to be from the Chorotega people. The statues are carved out of volcanic rock and depict mostly a man with some type of animal on its head. Standing a couple of feet in height they are impressive. Many have intricate designs carved into them. They are said to be between 500 and 1500 years old.

From here I move onto to chambers that have photos showing Granada thru the years. To see what it looked like in 1900 was amazing. It was far more developed than I would have guessed.

By the time I was done here it was time for lunch. I went across the street and walked into Kathy's Waffle House. This place is a trip. I sit down enticed by the fruit plate and end up ordering three things. The tables are set with the usual fair but then also a bottle of Aunt Jemima syrupy. Who knew Aunt Jemima was such a traveler! My fruit plate, sweet plantains and couldn't-help-but-order BLT come out and I realize my eyes were bigger than my stomach. The fruit plate is divine. Filled with papaya, banana, watermelon and the best pineapple I've ever had. The plate of sweet plantains is also great and my BLT is lovely. I take my time eating while reading my book. It's such an enjoyable meal!

From here I head back to my favorite little coffee shop for an espresso and then back to the hostel for a little afternoon pool time. When I head out for dinner I decide on a small cafe and get a simple meal of tacos. Another lovely day!

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