Brian (Four Days in Granada)

[January 13-14-15: Nicaragua]
[yes, I am going back in time trying to get caught up on the blog]

I was hot. I’d ridden through some invisible curtain and the temps soared while the humidity rose. Dang, it’s just plain UNCOMFORTABLE in a full-on riding suit.

So I was irritable, my memory wasn’t helping me to find the really cool place Karina and I had found two years ago, and I was just going to leave Granada and go out to the Monkey Hut on Laguna de Apoyo. I stopped and asked the guard at the Western union office how to get to the Laguna, and was headed out of town. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a hostel that looked like I could enter with the bike.

As I backpaddled the bike the wrong way down the narrow one-way street, a fellow came out of the hostel and asked if he could help. I asked the price, (dorm=FIVE dollars!) amenities (free coffee and WiFi and use of kitchen) and my #1 question??? Secure parking for the bike? (YES!)

The folks were friendly, the Wifi signal was pretty strong, there was a super restaurant right next door, and for four days I kept saying “one more day”. Every night I would tell them I was leaving in the morning and every morning I would tell them I was staying another night. Part of my thinking was that I’d just had parts shipped to me in Panama and now I had to take my time getting there, so I’d relax a bit and catch up on the blogs.

Granada is Nicaragua’s 4th largest city, but even saying so it “seems” a manageable size to me. Seems quite small , actually.

When I arrived at the Viajero Clandestino (clandestine traveler) this cute kid, Brian, 8 years old, was recharging his ample batteries for more visit with the tourists (his mother is one of the cooks in the restaurant attached to the hostel)

Che, the national hero.

Breakfast my first morning. Rice, scrambled eggs, and fried bananas. YUM!

The next dayBrian kept hanging around and asking me questions and I w as trying to work. I finally told him that if he left me alone I’d ask hs Mom if he could go with me when I took some pictures around town.

A TOUR OF GRANADA

Here’s Brian posing with the Bocadito on the corner–the hostel is just down the street on the right, the green building.

The church in the earlier post–again I chose not to pay the $2 to climb the belfrey.

There were kids playing soccer in the courtyard of the church, and riding skateboards. The church is at the crossroads of two neighborhoods t seems, so there is lots of traffic and lots of people hanging about.

Donuts, Nicaraguan style.

City street scene.

Street scene.

The cathedral of Granada, just off the main park.

One of the most popular ways to see the city.

The Parque Central.

Statue in the center of the park.

Brian seemed enchanted by fountains. Since he is a poor Nicaraguan boy, there are many places such as the nice hotels where they have lovely fountains and gardens…I entered some so he could see the fountains.

The main pedestrian area, where all the foreigners hang out. I do not care for crowds of gringos so I just walked through.

Dog in a windowsill.

My tourguide / companion

Brian wanted to see this fountain again now that it was lit up

Dinner. Yum.

The next day I asked Brian’s Mom if I could give him a gift. I do not carry much, but the nice owner of the saloon in Honduras had given me this hat…brian was ENORMOUSLY pleased and proud of himself.