Sofia's Granada

This blog entry featuring Granada, Nicaragua is presented through the eyes of our 11-year- old daughter Sofia. Since she recieved her Canon Power Shot from her grandparents on her 11th birthday she has been taking some incredible photographs. Leyla and I are intrigued to see what she sees and we would like to share these with you. Her photographs fill most of the blog entries already, including the dead fish and howler monkey, and this entry features her work. 

Sofia (self portrait)

Our visit to the oldest city in North America (founded in 1524) surpassed our expectations. Granada lies on the western shore of Lake Nicaragua (Colcibolca) near the base of Mombacho volcano. This former Spanish trading hub has preserved much of its colonial architecture and it is interwoven into the hotel, restaurant and gallery scene within the historic central core. 

View of Granada from Mombacho Volcano.

We stayed three nights at the Hotel Colonial, which is situated half a block from the city's central square. This is a beautiful hotel that takes full advantage of its colonial architecture to create a garden oasis for the guests.



Grandma, Sullivan and Sofia arrive at Hotel Colonial



The courtyard at Hotel Colonial

Granada's central square is a lively scene, bustling with craft vendors, peddlers, small tiendas, live music on weekends, dogs and a long row of horse carriages eagerly waiting to show you the city. Lovely hotels, restaurants, a cigar shop (featuring the fine Nicaraguan tobacco), a huge cathedral and of course Remax, are some of the typical establishments surrounding the square.



Granada Dance



Finger love

  

Ants perspective





 

Yellow is the colour 





 


Mombacho from Calle Vega





Hard day



Busted



Palm frond art

A visit to Granada is not complete unless you hire a horse carriage to show you around. The horse and buggy culture is very much alive in Nicaragua, but I can't help but wonder for how much longer. For anyone wondering what it was like on Canada's streets during the transition from horse to automobile, come to Nicaragua soon. The following set of photographs show what some of the streets and buildings are like in Granada. 



Our car has eyes




My barber




Contrast




Potential




Part time



Chubby guy in trike taxi




Tractor fun



If you wander around long enough on the fringe of the historic district you will eventually find your way into the local market. You can pretty much buy anything here, from giant carrots and spices to underwear and piggy banks. It is an adventure in sensory overload and should not be missed. 



Grandpa just fits



Spicy





Lots of dried things




Waiting for Cordobas




Carrots like volcanoes



Your day isn't complete until you have dined outside on Calle La Calzada. The street is bustling with musicians, street vendors and restaurants that spill out under the stars. Happy hour is very happy when two local cervezas run you about $1.25! This is where I had my 43rd birthday dinner and I have to say it was a memorable one. 



Typical dining atmosphere



I connected with this guy





Lovely girl selling her mother's candies



Serenade





Loved



Yes Vic, your son is 43





Complimentary birthday cake



 If you visit Granada and you have had your fill of the heat and busy city streets then hire a horse carriage to take you down to the boat dock at the city beach. There you will find a number of passenger boats ready to take you out to the islands off Granada's shore. There are 365 islands immediately offshore that formed 25,000 years ago when Mombacho Volcano erupted sending an avalanche of rock into the lake. Today the islands are a cruise of contrasts where you will find the richest of the rich in Nicaragua with their private island mansions mixed amongst your everyday rural Nicaraguans. Perhaps more outstanding is the area's natural beauty.



For sale




Inviting tree




Laundry and a swim




Pads



A gift



The closing photograph for this blog entry was taken outside our hotel as we were heading out for dinner. We saw the horse carriage we had ridden on earlier coming toward us at a good clip. Sofia wanted a picture of it but it raced paced us and she took the picture a little late. As it rounded the corner the outside horse slipped on the pavement but recovered quickly and continued on its way. Sofia's picture captures the slip perfectly, even the sparks coming from the horses shoe. This was her favourite picture from the excursion. Be sure to include Granada in your travels through Nicaragua and take a spin on carriage 35 with Milton, he is a friendly guide and his horses know the streets. 



White lightning



Good times with the Hartling-Gill family

Our friends from Whitehorse, Mike, Alice, Charlie and Ruby, took some time out of their Nicaraguan tour to visit us in San Juan Del Sur for a few days. Mike blessed us with his bionic birding eye and unique ability to communicate with Brahman cattle, Alice discovered the best bakery in town and treated us to delicious sweets for breakfast, Charlie kept us laughing with his unique entrances into the pool and Ruby shared her 7th birthday with us. Thanks for the visit guys we will miss you this year!



Chicken ready bock bock (don't ask me why they would yell that!)

Undersand

Leyla and Alice explore Playa Yankee

Mike sports his new shades at happy hour

low tide at Playa Yankee





Playa Maderas sting ray harvest

Mike demonstrates his cattle whispering skills

Howl no more

Kids Egyptian sand temple at Playa Remanso



Buds



Rivas and Lake Nicaragua

The city of Rivas has become our go to place for supplies that can't be found in San Juan Del Sur. Rivas is located about 30 km back towards Lake Nicaragua and the Pan American highway. It is a pretty drive through farm lands and small villages. Tremendous winds blow across the lake and numerous wind generators have been installed to power the region. This is a windy time of year in Nicaragua and we have wondered numerous times if the roof was going to blow off our thatched roof house! Rivas has a large market area that is very crowded with vendors, horse, human and gasoline-drawn taxis. We enjoyed a tour of Rivas in one of the horse-drawn carriages. Located about 5 km away from Rivas is the town of San Jorge and the ferry terminal for boats crossing to the volcanic islands in the lake. Bring your Gravol if you book onto the passenger ferry; it was bouncing around like a cork as it plowed through the massive waves on the lake.

Dos Amigos

Rivas express

Ready and waiting

Plantain capital of Nicaragua

Love these handy homemade BBQ's made with recycled materials

The feed store



Urbina bus



Pizza bikes

chica with melons

Nicaraguan chariot

sand shadows

boat on Lake Nicaragua

unfortunate fish

Lake Nicaragua with volcanos

Fancy

The View

Life in San Juan Del Sur is living up to our expectations. Our place is about 15 minutes south of town, high on a ridge looking southwest towards Costa Rica. So far our days have been spent discovering the beaches in the neighborhood and body surfing as much as possible. Home school has started in the mornings from 9 - 12, which has its growing pains but we will figure it out. One thing we have learned is that you must keep a clean kitchen. The ants know everything and are watching all the time. The moment you leave food out these tiny little ants establish a optimal route and get to work. Above all, minimal clothing is required, night or day. You have to love that after a good spell of Yukon winter.

The view

Wow the large bag is really large!!

Fresh Mackerel for dinner

Lovely Leyla

Sunset on our boy

Tranquilo

Enticing

Pan-Americana!

We have arrived in Nicaragua!! The last few days in Alberta were wonderful and we thank our family for the great meals, drinks, conversation and the all important lift to the Calgary airport in a snow storm. Vic navigated Deerfoot Trail like a seasoned veteran admist all the fresh snow. We spent last night in Houston, which I wasn't terribly sad to leave, especially because of our cab ride to the hotel. What is with the lazy and down right confusing cabbies in Houston? It is all part of the experience I guess. Today was touch down in Managua where we met our vehicle and the great driver Dennis who drove us to San Juan Del Sur. It feels good to be back in Central America after many years away. The last time I drove on the Pan American highway, avoiding chickens and customized school buses was 20 years ago enroute to Costa Rica. San Juan Del Sur seems like a fun town situated on a beautiful crescent-shaped beach in southwest Nicaragua. It didn't take us long to drop our luggage off and head to the beach. We strolled in the surf and then settled into a beach front restaurant for an early dinner. You just can't beat fresh lobster and mojitos!! For desert we took in our first Pacific sunset of 2013, I can't believe we have 6 weeks of this!! Tonight we are staying at La Posada Azul about a block off the beach. I highly recommend this lovely boutique hotel  http://www.laposadaazul.com/ for anyone traveling this way. Tomorrow our house rental starts so we will be hitting the grocery store and loading up with supplies! Adios!

Sullivan says hello to the Pacific

Premium

San Juan Del Sur bay

Happy

Local lobster

Sofia the beachcomber

Eye Candy in the Ice Fields

There is a feeling of excitement, comfort and home being in the Rockies. Something about the fold and thrust belt, its ragged ridges, bedded cliffs and aprons of pines. It really is hard to get enough. A delicious taste of eye candy lay before us from the slopes of Marmot Basin on New Years day. This is a great ski hill that gives you an expansive view of the Athabasca River valley. The lifts are fast fast and the terrain highly variable. Leaving Jasper was not so difficult because we were heading down the Ice Fields Parkway. First we had to say goodbye to our friend Anne Williams who works as a naturalist in Jasper. We haven't seen Anne in 9 years so there was lots to catch up on. Funny how it didn't feel like 9 years and it was nice to see that Anne is still Anne with her bright, friendly smile. Hopefully it's not another decade before we share some time again. The drive south towards Lake Louise on hwy 93 was truly spectacular. Some of the nicer slopes were carved by skiers and well-worn trails lead to towering ice climbs. Snow avalanches were dispersing their way down the banded cliffs, which added to the excitement. I think the real excitement for Sofia and Sullivan though was stopping at the Candy Store in Banff. I love that place and I love how it hasn't changed one bit since I was a kid. The jaw breakers are still enormous and the assortment of candies by the 1/4 pound bag is dizzying. We pulled into Okotoks and the grand parents house yesterday evening. We have a week here to take care of business and visit family before heading to Nicaragua. It has been a great start to 2013.

Taking in Marmot Basin and the Athabasca Valley

A quick farewell skate ski with smiling Anne

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