Leaving Managua was a bit hectic, we were surrounded by tip-seekers at
the bus-station, to point us the way to the bus for Grenada. It was
obvious where the bus was, just in front of our nose, but still a
couple of guys were pulling our bags and clothes, and after we sat down
in the bus, they wouldn't leave until they would get a tip, because
they were telling us they brought us there... The bus didn't have his
axe in the middle of the wheels, so we whobbled our way to Grenada,
where we arrived feeling a bit seasick.
Grenada is one of those places where people go if they only stay 3 days
in Nicaragua, it’s attraction is that it’s a colonial town. Some old
churches and a cathedral, and cobblestone-streets with colonial houses
with a patio full of trees inside.
Our hotel was called Oasis, and
this was just the right name. In a colonial house with 2 patios, a
swimming-pool, free internet to catch up, dvd’s, hammocks, a place to
gain some energy again.
And we needed that, because when we visited the museum there, I
thought "I’m just going to sit here for a while", until I found myself
waking up half an hour later..
We met Linda, the Swedish girl from Corn Island again here. One day we
locked ourselves out of the room thanks to some tricky lock system, but
a guy from the hotel was in our room within 2 seconds, by jumping over
a wall which didn’t quit reach the ceiling. it didn’t gave a secure
feeling after that.
In town we heard some trumpets, it appeared to be a procession, where
the guys carry a image of Jesus (made from a window dummy) while
swaying from left to right. At every corner they stop where they pray
and other guys take over.
At friday-nights there was traditional food on the streets and music and
dance, we planned it that way so we could catch this. The food was
indeed very nice, made in old claypots above a fire, one of the best
meals in Nicaragua. It was only not the best setting, because we were
sitting in the middle of the square, and tens of streetkids would stand
at our table begging for food. It gives you very mixed feelings when
you are eating a very nice meal while the kids keep on begging. We
helped one by buying his nuts, which we could give to the others, but
that just attracted more of them...
The music was a teenage band, but they played nice. But dancing seems
to be not done for people over 20 in Nicaragua, it’s only for
kids..When you are married dancing is considered a sin...
The lakeside of town was a tourist-area, but mostly aimed at nicaraguan
tourists. It contained a long string of drinking halls along a muddy
beach, where the water looked brownish from the sewerpipes emptied in
there. Clouds of mosquitos where blurring the view, not exactly a
tropical dream here. Our walk here was accompannied by a chorus of
catcalls, which Flo didn’t seem to mention, but I couldn’t ignore..
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