Granada and Happy New Years!

From Leon, Nicaragua we moved on to Granada. We have been here for, roughly, one week. Its been great and by far our most favorite spot in Nicaragua. Its charming, got a colonial/carribean type feel...the old refurbished buildings are painted in pastel hues with columns and quaint, palm shaded courtyards.

Our hotel is amazing. Hotel Con Corazon (http://www.hotelconcorazon.com/) is a nonprofit that directs earnings towards the education of local kids. Its modern yet charming and has some luxuries... hot water. Yup, hot water is a total luxury and although its not really necessary it hot climates such as this, its nice to have a little warmth every now and again. There is a pool, and that has been a bonus especially in the eyes of the young one. Our afternoons consist of a little swim, followed by showers, followed by cocktails and a great dinner out. There are some fabulous restaurants in Granada. Kathy's Waffle House serves a kick-ass breakfast including awesome smoothies and delicious banana pancakes.  Garden Cafe has great sandwichs to match its peaceful garden ambiance and two restaurants register in the category of best dinners ever, those being Imagine and Encuentros.

Hotel Con Corazon.. view of the courtyard from the second floor

Hotel Con Corazon, a little sanctuary nestled in the city of Granada

Church, off the main square in Granada

There are several great day trips from Granada and so its been a great spot for a home base, allowing relaxation, allowing Henry to get his daily naps and also allowing us to still see what there is to see. We checked out Volcano Masaya- its an active Volcano, and as the guidebook says, in any other country there is no way you´d be allowed to view the steam it spews from its crest. The sulfurous, gasy smoke makes you cough when the wind sends it your way, and you feel, as you look at it, that you have landed on the moon. The whole place has an air of unease. Its pretty amazing and pretty barren, in a out-of-this-world kind of way. We also took in the view of Lake Apoyo... a lake that is adjacent to Granada. Granada, and the piece of land its on, is wedged in between two lakes, Lake Apoyo and Lake Nicaragua. So the view of Lake Apoyo includes that of the city and Lake Nicaragua. Its beautiful. 

Daniel and Henry standing alongside Masaya. Yup, thats a gas mask!

Lake Apoyo

We also drove through a little town  (called Catarina, known for its green houses and bright tropical plants that visitors take home to plant in their gardens) in the midst of celebrating a saint, whose name we couldn't quite catch. Everyone comes baring gifts of fruit and flowers by the wagon load. They were all placed in a huge, but pretty pile next to the town's chuch. There was a band. Apparantly the towns people give the gifts to the saint, and later the church then sells back the fruit to the people so the fruit doesn't go to waste and the church makes some money. Not bad, huh? Pretty smart way to make a buck or two. Nonetheless, it was a pretty scene and the fruit and flowers were certainly beautiful in their colorful abundance.

Another day trip was a two hour boat ride through Las Isletas..a bunch of tropical, tiny islands off Granada's coast in Lake Nicaragua. It was pretty. There were monkeys to whom we fed a banana; not something I'd normally do, but did.

Las Isletas

Monkey time!

There is a serious rocking chair culture here. Families, elders, everyone and anyone sit on their stoop in a rocking chair. And, when you look into the open doors of their homes there are always rocking chairs; usually about 6-8 sitting in a circle or around a coffee table. Last night, at all the new year´s eve parties, there were people sitting around socializing in their rocking chairs. It’s a total riot.

Last night at midnight everybody, and I mean everybody, hit the streets with fireworks. For ten minutes at midnight, there was a non-stop display. The sky was flooded with bursts of color and the sound that accompanied it woke us. Oh yeah, we were in bed and asleep by 9:30. It was better than any fireworks I've ever seen, anywhere. The whole sky, across the whole city was busting with color. Truly crazy.

New Years Eve dinner

 All the loot, left over on New Years Day

Happy New Years! May it be safe, happy and filled with good travel.

We´re off to Isla de Ometepe tomorrow. Internet will be sparse..