Sandal Repair and Sandboarding Declined

We ended up staying in Leon several days during which time John spent several hours frankensteining a repair of his chaco sandals which were about to fall apart. Bet you didn't know that dental floss has so many useful purposes. Luckily his seamstress skills were successully implemented along with the help of a few zipties and he could rest easy knowing he would not be forced to buy some blister inducing imitation tevas in Nicaragua.
 
A side note on options not taken: another big adventure attraction in Leon is to go sandboarding down a volcano. Sounds like fun. We considered it - until seeing the backside of a woman who had taken a tumble. You sit in these cart like things and go careening down the volcano. Well she tipped over and had the nastiest roadburn I have seen in ages. Appartently there is no protective gear - and its hot so people are showing a lot of skin. Ouch!!! Hopefully that volcanic ash burned into her skin doesn't scar!

Tour of the Iglesias of Leon

Although we are not really church goers one can't help but marvel at the workmanship of the churches in Leon. The main Cathedral located in the bustling city center at the Parque Central is an 18th century building that started construction in 1747 and took 100 years to complete - now that was some job stability!  Buried inside is the town's favorite son - Ruben Dario - the famed national poet.

Here's another favorite - Iglesia de El Calvario, also an 18th century building, has a brightly colored facade which displays biblical scenes.  There were many more too - the 18th century Iglesia de la Recoleccia - a yellow baroque facade with carved vines circling stone pillars. The Iglesia de Merced
which was just down the street from our hostal and the Iglesia de San Juan.


In addition to churches, Leon has a fair share of museums as well. We only visited one - the Galeria de Heroes y Martires which is run by the mothers of FSLN veterans and features photos of over 300 men and women from Leon who died in the revolutionary struggle. I'm sure their stories would have been interesting - and sad as well.  War always is.  But, my spanish has not progressed far enough to really have those sorts of indepth conversation.  All in good time I hope 

Lazybones and the Milliondollar Taxi Ride Scare

We had found a great hostal called Lazybones which had a lengthy courtyard with a huge mural, pool table, kitchen and a pool. Given the undying humidity the pool was a welcome site. Our first room was on the top floor of what felt like a barn like structure. It was a large room which shared a wall (if you can call it that) with the men's dorm. It is always interesting to me whether people know that everyone can hear their conversation and they just don't care - or are they oblivious? Either way it provided some entertainment for us as the guys were pretty interesting when they got home from the bar that night.

Our second night in town we were out in search of a good mojito (which we found at the Bigfoot Hostal - yummy) and we met some folks in the bar. First a couple that had had a typical encounter in a US airport where the airline refused to let him bring his surfboard. Normally its a hefty charge but during certain times some airlines flatly refuse. Frustrating but nothing in comparison to the next story. This young couple had fallen victim to the Milliondollar Taxi Ride - or for them $1100. In search of a cheaper cab from one bus station to the next out of Managua they headed out of the station and were lead up the road by a "helpful" person in search of a cheaper cab. When things felt strange and they were about to turn back, a local woman they had met on the bus offered to share a ride. Sounds innocent enough - wrong. She was in on the scam. They got into the cab and in no time 2 more guys got in the back, squishing them in. Then the knife came out - from the friendly local woman! A few punches made contact - just to show they were serious and then they were taken from ATM to ATM to withdraw funds until the card did not work anymore. Luckily the robbers had a tiny bit of conscious and they gave the couple back their passports, their backpacks with their clothes and gave then bus fare before they left them on the side of the road. Frightening for sure! The couple were amazingly calm and upbeat when we met them just a couple days after the incident. They said in retrospect something didn't feel right from the beginning but they didn't listen to their instincts. Moral of the story - pay full taxi fare from an authorized cab (ends up costing an extra $5 or $10) and try to fill cab with people you really know. If you do fall victim - give up your possessions - after all they are just possessions. Unfortunately we have heard that this similar scam is occurring in Bolivia and other parts of Latin America. We will hope our luck holds out and we don't have any run-ins with the local ladrons (robbers).

Leon - Art, Religion and Revolutionary History

Interestingly we start the journey to Leon further northwest by taking a bus east? Did we miss something? Ahh, it becomes clear as our minibus flags down a bus headed for Leon from the highway (as we are barreling down the road) and we grab our bags, run across the highway and continue our journey - in the correct direction - to Leon.

Leon was the nation's capital from the colonial period until 1857 when Managua became the capital. A Sandanista stronghold, during revolutionary times almost the entire city fought against Somoza. Now more of a university town Leon remains politically progressive. Its revolutionary history is vividly showcased by the numerous murals still found through-out the city - although many are a bit faded.

One of my favorites was the Sandino stepping on the head of Uncle Sam (benefactor of the Somoza regime).  Another depicts the story of the local people from happy times to their struggle and bloodshed against Somoza and the US, and back to happy times under the current regime.

Here's another favorite located on a busy street, street vendors selling fried somethings almost around the clock. 

As we entered town we realize there is a celebration going on in honor of certain heroes and martires of the revolution and more recent times. Alongside the murals, banners adorn the streets. Then we notice a small crowd forming along the street. Its unclear why. We wait ... and shortly thereafter we see the crowd start clapping and cheering. We head out to the street to see what is going on and here come a bunch of guys in spandex on roadbikes.

Its a race through the streets of Leon! Ok as we we see them round the corner again we realize it is more of a circuit race of several laps and the strategy is interesting - in front of the crowd which seems to have only formed on one street, the riders go all out, jockeying for position, but as they hit the bend in the road - almost out of view of the crowd - they let up to a more casual pace. The crowd intensifies and then it is over. We couldn't quite make out the winner since as soon as it was over the riders disapated. I think there may have been a podium celebration later in the day.

The Stunning Volcanic Fed Crater Lake of Laguna de Apoyo

We had not originally planned to visit Laguna de Apoyo but after a couple of glowing reviews we decided we should check it out.  The crater lake was beautiful beyond our expectations - crystal clear water with minerals from  the volcano - so swimming was not only refreshing, but also good for your skin.

The Friendly Hospedaje Crater’s Edge - a cozy hostal run by a Canadian woman - had a relaxing floating dock and  few kayaks which we took out for a spin.  The hostal served dinner family style for all the guests and we enjoyed dinner with a couple of guys from Switzerland, one of which lives in Colombia and graciously invited us to his place if our travels took us in that direction.

Originally we thought we would spend only one night but once there we decided to extend our visit and soak up some more of the benefits of the sulfur enhanced water and relaxing atmosphere. 

From Laguna de Apoyo it was possible to hike to the neighboring village of Catarina, one of the Pueblos Blancos (white villages).  We got directions from the hostal and head out on the road in search of the trail.  We were suppose to be looking for a road to the left after a certain hotel.  Well, we didn’t see the hotel, so we didn’t see the turn (which in retrospect was unbelievably obvious) and we walked for about 40 minutes up the main road to the highway before we decided we had missed the turn.  So, we backtracked all the way back down - it seems that the turn was about 3 minutes from our hostal - so our 3 hour hike has now just become 4 ½ hours. Oh well, a little less time to lounge by the waterside.   We continue down the road and came across a family of howler monkeys jumping from tree to tree.  It is unclear who is watching who, but notwithstanding my patience in waiting for one of them to come into a clearing in view of my little tiny point and shoot camera I come up empty and am ushered along by my husband … time to stop stalking the monkeys.

A bit further down the road while looking for the next landmark to turn onto the narrow trail up the hillside we run into a guy we met at Mathilda's near Playa Maderas where we were surfing a couple weeks back.  With all the cities, roads, directions, hotels, etc. it is always a trip when you are traveling and you run into people you have met at other stops along the road. Our hike continues up through the forest along a muddy trail that climbs steadily up the hillside.  At one point we run into a farmer herding his cows up the trail - we suspect they were coming from the neighboring fields.

 Eventually we come to the clearing and a short while further up the road we find the mirador - an established park at the top of the hill, surrounded by small restaurants and shops with trinkets for the tourists.  We enjoyed the spectacular view of sparkling Laguna Apoyo, with the massive Lago de Nicaragua in the background, while we enjoyed some well deserved cervezas.  Then we decide to take the easy way back and catch a taxi to the top of the road leading to Laguna Apoyo.

We know this road well - having been up and down it early today when we missed the trail entrance.  Now there are several farmers walking their cows from one place to the next and other locals apparently coming or going home for the day.  As we turn the corner for the last stretch of dirt road before our hostal a pickup truck passes us, stops and then backs up to where we are wallking.  A young couple stick their heads out and then tell us to be very careful - they were just robbed at machette point coming down the same road we just walked down!  We are shocked as we found the people we were passing to all be so friendly, but I guess it was just the luck of the draw - and luck was on our side today -- had we only been 10 minutes behind it might have been us being held up.  Luckily they just lost their camera and were not harmed.  The owner of our hostal was shocked as she was not aware that anything like that had happened before - I guess even  the sleepy little towns are not free from the random opportunistic thief.  We were a bit spooked but decided not to let it change our plans so we dropped off our camera in the room and with only enough money for dinner we headed to the fishing village for dinner.  Although the machette incident left our bubble of security in this quiet little town with a little hole, we truly enjoyed our stay at Laguna Apoyo and highly recommend a visit here when visiting Grananda.

Check Out this Bike

We ran across this man right outside our hotel one day.  John found his bike intriging.  We only wish he had been loaded with cargo when we saw him.

Pedaling the Streets of Granada

Looks are deceiving, well until you look real close. We rented 2 bikes that looked pretty good. But within minutes we realized we did not look close enough. Breaks are merely a slowing devise, gears don't work and grips are strangely painful. I'm quickly missing my Turner at home and although I am traveling with my mechanic - he left his tools behind.

So we scratch the original plan of a long bike ride after making our way through town where we ran into these kids playing catch in the street.

 





Its hard to resist taking pictures of the kids and now thanks to digital cameras they get to see the photo too which they always get a kick out of. Our new plan - a shorter ride along Lago Nicaragua and out on a dirt road through the peninsula surrounded by Las Isletas.

The ride is actually quite nice - first we follow the lakeside through this Central Tourism area which has numerous beautiful playgrounds and long stretches of grassy lawn. Further down the road there are numerous discos - which is probably a brilliant planing idea as it keeps the really loud parties sufficiently away from the colonial city but close enough to keep a crowd.

Then we turn down a dirt road, rocky in some spots but amazingly smooth in others - and best of all - mucho arbols (lots of trees) which shade us from the sun.

We ride for about 3 hours and luckily time it right - the gusty winds start as we hit the lakeside almost blowing me into a car and we could see the rain coming. We kept up the pace and made it back to town right in time for the rain. I think that calls for a mojito.

Surreal storm clouds over Iglesia de Guadalupe.

Doctor Visit - Otorrinolaringologo

Otorrinolaringólogo - yes that's one word and it means ears, nose and throat specialist and I am told it is the longest Spanish word. We knew there was a chance of having to use the medical facilities sometime somewhere along our trip. Although we are stocked with a pretty good first aid kit it didn't include anything for an ear infection.
When the symptoms first started several weeks ago (pain, itching and swollen) I got some gotas (drops) from the pharmacy in San Juan del Sur. They helped but once I went back in the ocean the problem started again. So when we arrived in Granada I decided it was time to have someone take a look. Dr Ronald was able to see me that afternoon. However turns out he does not speak English. He was patient with my broken Spanish and we were able to communicate sufficiently. I was able to explain the issue, what I had done so far, the symptoms etc. Guess my Spanish is getting better. When he started sticking things down my ears I was glad that he was a specialist rather than a general family doctor. Turns out I had a fungus from the ocean. I had to go to the pharmacy next door and get medicine, drops and a needle and then back to the doctor for the injection. That was a little scary, but we inspected the package and it looked just like the prepackaged sterile ones at home - let's hope! Overall a good experience and under $30 dollars for everything!

Nightlife in Granada - Local Food, Local Talent

Calle La Calzada  is one of the main tourist streets in the heart of Granada. It is very wide and in the evening the restaurants pull tables and chairs out onto the walkway and the streets come alive with locals and tourists as well as several touring groups of young boys giving street performances in between the passing cars. Sadly there are also a lot of street kids that roam the boulevard at night looking for a handout or selling some of trinket or food (cashews are a big item here along with the infamous chicklets and cigarettes)

This young boy who was selling cashew nuts hung out at our table for awhile checking out our pictures and making small talk (in Spanish). Another night I had tried a traditional meal of Nacatamales which is a type of tamale wrapped in banana leaves. Turns out the banana leaves make a great take-away dish and one young boy scored big when he noticed I wasn't finishing my meal. He scooped up the remains of my meal in the banana leaves and went running - a few other boys following close behind him. It is not unusual to see a street kid (or adult) sit down at a table, usually while the guests are still there, and quickly finish the scraps left behind on the plates.

Speaking of traditional meals or tipico comida - check this one out - chancho con yuca which is pork with boiled yucca and is a specialty in Granada. John laughs at me every time I order something new but you gotta try the typical food right? And you have a 50-50 chance of liking it. This one was a thumbs up.

Another truly entertaining part of the evening is when the local boys come out in the street to strut their stuff - old school break dancing.  Several of them were really quite good.  They would take turns in the middle of the street with their crew standing in the background, clapping and cheering them on.  Every once in a while a car would come down the street - but they would just keep performing until the sequence was over.

Check out the flexibility of this guy.  

Walking Tour Granada - Part II

Next stop, the cemetery.  You might be thinking “why would you visit the cemetery?”  Well on our way into town we had caught a glimpse of it - amazing!  Not only is the cemetery itself huge, but the gravesights are elaborate, statutes of saints, virgin mary, and more.

Some families have huge tombs just waiting for family members to join one another on the other side  There were rows and rows of these - we wondered how much they cost - they were works of art.

But as moved further back in to the “low-rent” district you found simple crosses marking a gravesight. I guess the distinction between the haves and have nots follows you in the afterlife.














On the way back into town we stopped near the Plaza de Independencia. Classes for the day must have just ended as the school kids were filling the streets, on their way home or just hanging out with their friends.  This group was clustered around the monument obelisk which is dedicated to the hereos of the 1821 struggle for independence.                 

Walking Tour Granada

We found ourselves spending more time than we would have expected just roaming the streets of the city.  The best place to start a walking tour is at the heart of the city.  I just love the Latin American central parks.  They seem to be a focal point for the community and everything branches out from there.  Here the Parque Central  is lined with mango trees, street vendors selling trinkets, and horse-drawn carriages just waiting to take tourists on a ride through the city.  Each time we walked through the park several of the carriage drivers would give us their sales pitch - where they could take us, what we could see, all in the luxury of a horse-drawn carriage.

Of course every central park seems to have that key tenant - the Cathedral..  This one was built in the 20th Century using the original foundation of an older church.  The bright yellow bell tower can be seen from all over the city.









The area around the Convento y Iglesia de San Francisco reminds us of Nepal with flags drapped across the streets.  The Convento was burned to the ground by William Walker in 1856 and rebuilt a few years later.















The church is a very busy place both for services and tours for the tourists.  We found a great place to people watch just across the street from the Convento - Kathy’s Waffle House - I know, sounds just like the states right?  We indulged in excellent pancakes with real syrup - John was in was in his own idea of heaven.

The most elaborate church was the baroque Iglesia de La Merced.  Built in 1539 it was a victim of pirate attacks in 1655 and then further damaged by Leonese forces in 1854 before being restored in 1862.  The view from the bell tower was unbelievable!  Picture postcard perfect! 

Here’s a few more photos from the bell tower.

Granada - Vibrant Colors, Restored Colonial Buildings and Horse-drawn Carriages

Sitting on the coast of Laguna Nicaragua, Granada is a picture perfect colonial town -  a photographer’s dream with vibrant, sun drenched colored colonial architecture, elegant churches, horse-drawn carriages trotting down wide cobblestone roads and surprising interior garden courtyards which come into full bloom once entering the arched entryways.

Granada is Nicaragua’s oldest colonial city  - founded in 1524.  Located on the northwestern shore of Laguna de Nicaragua and with access to the Caribbean Sea via the lake and the Rio San Juan, Granada was an important trade center - which also made it a target for English and French buccaneers who made several runs on the city.  Conservative Granada and liberal Leon were bitter rivals and the 2 cities entered a full blown civil war in 1850s.

Although Granada suffered huge destruction in those times the city has recently undergone a restoration program resulting in the stunning city we encountered.

We spent our first night at the Hospedaje Cocibolca located in a prime location on Calle LaCalzada a beautiful pedestrian street, with a great view of the Cathedral over the red tiled roofs.  Unfortunately the room was quite small and unbelievably hot - then again it was only $15 a night.

As we planned on spending a few days in town and we had been sticking to a tight budget for awhile we decided to splurge a little and we moved down the street to the Posada San Juan a renovated old colonial building with a friendly staff, AC,  TV and breakfast. Ok it was more than double the price at $35 a night but sleeping without the fan blowing on my face like a hot blowdryer was worth every penny!

Final Days in San Juan del Sur

Since the very first day when we arrived in  San Juan del Sur, every time you are at the beach, you couldn't help but notice the huge Jesus statute perched up on a hill where he could look over and protect the city.  So, in our final days in SJDS we decided we needed to make an obligatory pilgrimage up to the statute.  It wasn't really that far, you just followed the road, up along the coast and then up the steepest road to the gate, where you paid your entrance fee ($1) to get close to the sacred figure of fiberglass.  









The view from the statute is impressive - the entire horseshoe bay of SJDS unfolds in front of you.











 Besides this small pilgrimage to the statute, we also manage to squeeze in a few more days of surfing. My ear is feeling better so we decide to check out Playa Remanso.  There really isn’t much swell but we take some long boards out and have a great time   The beach is nice and there is a small little rancho serving snacks and drinks  Our second day out we decide to take a private transport and get there early. When we arrive we are the only ones there.  Unfortunately the surf is small, but we have a blast just the 2 of us with the entire beach to ourselves.  Not like our normal crowded Southern California breaks which are packed by 6 a.m.  

In contrast to our flash travel through South East Asia we had managed to spend almost 4 weeks in SJDS and it was time to move on.  So we said our good byes to our friends, Randy, Brenda and others at the Gato Negro, and of course, enjoyed one last delicious dinner with Jessica, Carlos and Ximena.  We will miss our SJDS friends and family.

Here are some final beach shots of  San Juan del Sur.