10 a.m. Rainy and chilly morning, feels like 17 C even though the AccuWeather tells me it is 27 C. Firecrackers already going off. Vendors doing their morning rounds walking up and down the streets yelling from the top of their lungs bananas, galo pinto, underpants, or whatever else they have for sale. ‘Advertisement trucks’ cruising the city with huge loudspeakers on full blast promoting various products and service. Feels like any other morning, but it isn’t. For today is Christmas Eve. And I am in Granada, Nicaragua.
One week of watching the life go by, even in a surfer’s paradise, was more than enough. I felt the time has come to watch the life go by somewhere else and called for the door-to-door shuttle service. 15 USD and 1, 5 hours later I found myself in an entirely different world; Nicaragua’s colonial gem – Granada.
I am not easily impressed but Granada’s colonial past or rather its amazing colonial-era architecture made quite an impression on me. I cannot get enough of the picturesque colorful colonial houses. Green, orange, yellow, blue, purple, pink. Paradise for architecture lovers. Paradise for street photographers.
The city is small and easily walkable. Perhaps five, six square blocks. The Central Park is right in the middle. A pompous Cathedral embellishes one of its corners and most beautiful and colorful colonial houses surround it. The park (more like piazza with trees than a park) is where the action is, this is where locals meet, this is where kids come to play, this is where people come to watch people. Take a front seat on the deck of Alhambra Hotel and just watch the locals celebrate, kids play, tourists take snapshots, horse drivers wait for clients. Watch the life.
Or take a stroll down Calle La Calzada, the pedestrian street jam-packed with restaurants, connecting the square with the lake. Granada is becoming a true foodie town. No matter which restaurant you choose you will not get disappointed. Even traditionally bland local cuisine tastes good. Most of the establishments offer happy hour, two cocktails/beers for the price of one (1 USD) and small dishes to go along. The later in the day the more customers come by… and so do the vendors. They are very polite and friendly, nothing in comparison with Hue’s hawkers but a nuisance, nonetheless. If you’re looking for total tranquility and/or don’t like to have your dinner interrupted every 30 seconds take a seat in the inner garden. Most restaurants have one. Such is the charm (and convenience) of colonial houses.
The largest lake in Central America and the 19th largest lake in the world, Lake Nicaragua, is only a 10-minute stroll down Calle la Calzada. But don’t expect (as I did) to find breathtaking views and fantastic colonial mansions along the lively beautiful waterfront. Instead get prepared for the deserted, polluted and smelly body of water. No people, no cafes, no activities on the lake. No colonial mansions either. There were only two buildings, one of which was Surfing Donkey hostel where a clean, well ventilated, a mosquito net protected dorm bed with lake view goes for 10 USD including breakfast and pool access.
Still, the stroll itself is pleasant. The lake is also worth a glimpse. A night stroll along the lake, however, is not advisable.
What might be worth a stroll is Market Street. It is a few blocks long, very crowded and difficult to navigate street where locals sell/buy anything/everything there is to buy/sell. Fun to watch. watch your kids too. They can easily get lost in the crowd.
6 p.m. And so this is Christmas. There is a Christmas tree in the park, there are few Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas) signs here and there. Firecrackers go off from time to time while people are still going about their everyday business. This is it.
No Christmas carols. No Christmas spirit. Just a silent night (with an exception of crackers going off).
9 p.m. I hear the music. Latino music. More and more firecrackers go off and they are louder. People of Granada have begun to celebrate Christmas … in the privacy of their homes and in the company of their families. My Airbnb host just invited me to join his family for dinner. Merry Christmas everyone.
And so this is Christmas
I Hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
Colonial Granada
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