Granada

I have been in Granada for the past 10 days and I have fallen in love with the city. The ancient colonial city has an irresistible and inviting charm amongst its vibrant colored buildings and historic churches. At the city’s center is the central park that is full of local vendors and food stalls surrounded by upscale hotels and restaurants. Mingled in the mix are bars and real estate companies cashing in on the booming market.

For the first week I stayed at a lively hostel called the Bearded Monkey. The Bearded Monkey hosted a bar and delicious food menu at a reasonable price. At the center of the hostel was an open aired garden lined with hammocks and candle lit tables. The vibe was anything but mundane. Travelers would filter in and out every few days, each looking for adventure and new travelmates.

At night Granada turned into any other Central American city, meaning you should always walk in groups and take taxis when traveling more than a few blocks. Walking towards the lake at night would ensure Nicos (local people) to approach you selling drugs or asking other invasive questions. Needless to say during the day Granada poses no worries, but at night the seedy people always emerge as if they solely wake once the sun goes down.

Granada boasts many interesting activities. There are good museums and beautiful architecture everywhere you look. The nightlife in Granada is decent too. Similar to any Latin city salsa reigns supreme. It is not hard to find discos/clubs staying open until dawn. Also nearby is Nicaragua’s largest Market called Masaya where you can shop until you drop without spending your paycheck. One of my favorite places around Granada is a lake called Apoyo. Apoyo actually sits on a massive crater. The lake has crystal clear water and many relaxing places to enjoy the rays and the calm waters.

I got really lucky a few days into my stay and meet this girl Ana. Ana was born in Nicaragua, but at a young age her parents and she fled to America in hope of a better life. She now lives in Miami but has made her annual return to Granada for the holiday season. Ana and I became good friends and she invited me and others to virtually every family event including Christmas parties, meals, birthday parties and the famous Purisima (religious event). I got to see first hand Nico life to the fullest. Her lovable grandma insisted that I stay at her house and join every family affair. I met countless cousins, uncles and aunts. Her family was very liberal and loved to dance and throw massive parties. She was a great person to meet and even though she returned to Miami I still hangout with her cousins and of course her grandma.

I also decided to take a Spanish course at a local private school. The school provided a homestay for a nominal fee for a week which included a private room and three daily meals. The school is good, but 4 hours a day can be a bit of an overload. The family I am staying at is in a great location and is really friendly. The father is a doctor and the mother is a school teacher. There are 3 children ranging from 24 to 30 living in the house too. We practice Spanish during our meals and hangout during the day. The homestay really forces you to identify with Nico life. Right now I don’t know any foreigners in Granada which is nice considering Granada is full of tourism. By choosing to do the homestay I have been able to spend x-mas and new years the Nico way. Today is December 31 and the next two days are fiesta time. I’ll write more on the other side of the year.