Nicaragua Travelogue - Granada, Nicaragua

While Rodolfo works this week, we have decided on a special treat for Rosa (Pastor Aburto's wife), Shalom, their daughter, and Elisabeth, Rodolfo's 18 year old sister.  We are going to Granada!   Granada is a gorgous, Spanish Colonial town, dating to the time of Coronado, the Spanish explorer, located about an hour from San Marcos.  Our taxi driver will charge us $20 to get there. 

We stop by Masatepe to pick Rosa up at her school at 1 and we are in Granada at our hotel by 2.  After a little bit of typical Nicaraguan confusion about which rooms we were to have (we wanted to all be together) we were settled in a lovely adjoining room, with a balcony looking out towards Volcano Mombacho.  It's much hotter in Granada.  Bob still isn't feeling 100% so while he rests, all of the girls head to the pool.  The pool is lovely, tucked in the back of the hotel.  If you've ever been to the hotel in Memphis, Tennessee where they have ducks in the fountain, you would really like this place.  They have ducks in the pool! 

After our swim it is time for a little exploring around Granada.  Grand streets lined with colonial mansions and large walkways lead to a gorgous park, complete with a gleaming colonial cathedral.   We eat dinner at the Hotel Alambra, the classic old hotel located right on the square.  You just have to do it!  The most expensive entree on the menu is about $12 US but the service is that of a true luxury hotel.  And...they have a mariachi band.  They asked Bob if he would like 3 songs for $10.  He said, no, how about 1 song for $5.  He drives a hard bargain!!  Por que no?

We enjoyed our dinner with Rosa and Elizabeth, laughing a lot and also recalling the Lord's work at the Crusade.  They speak no English and we speak little Spanish, but all of us are anxious to understand each other and the Lord manages to make it work.

There was lots of music and lots of life in the square, so after dinner we walk around a bit.  There is a poetry festival going on (Niccaraguans are famous for their love of poetry).   There is even a performance of traditional Nicaraguan folk dancing.  We're tired though, so after a little bit of walking we head back to our hotel and get some sleep.  Look for lots of pictures of our time in Granada on Facebook.