Unless I am going to the states, I am usually taking a trip with other people or a friend who also needs to leave. This time around, no one was here that needed to go and so I went it alone.
At first I considered the Pacific side of Panama, however, the getting there and back became more complicated than I wanted to deal with and so my plans were changed at the last minute to head north to Granada, Nicaragua, a beautiful city I have been to twice before.
For doing this by myself this turned out to be the easiest, least expensive trip ever. Thursday morning I simply caught the 7:30 am bus that comes into Esterillos every morning headed for San Jose. 3 hours later I was there, had lunch and then caught the 12:30 pm bus to Granada. Riding the Tica bus is like taking the Greyhound in the states. It is convenient, always on time, gets you there. This was the same bus I took on the 3 day trip with Desirae back in December to Guatemala. Like the last time, this bus was also freezing cold but I was prepared. The movies were again horrible - the one going up was the life story of Bruce Lee, dialogue in Japanese with spanish sub-titles - the return movie featured Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallon and Arnold Schwarzenegger shooting up the world...... in Spanish with amazingly... spanish sub-titles. Very loud, very obnoxious. Gotta love Tica Bus.
Since I have been there before I returned to the hotel I have always stayed. The same desk clerk was still there - Edgar. I knew I was in good hands.
From Wikipedia, here's Granada: Granada is a city in western Nicaragua (1,040 km²), and the capital of the Granada Department. With an estimated population of 110,326 (2003), it is Nicaragua's fourth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities both economically and politically. It has a rich colonial heritage, seen in its architecture and layout.
Founded in 1524 by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and one of the first European cities in mainland Americas. Unlike other cities who claim the same, the city of Granada was not only the settlement of the conquest, but also a city registered in official records of the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Castile in Spain.
Granada is also known as La Gran Sultana, by its Moorish and Andalusian appearance, unlike its sister city of León and historical rival, which has Castilian trends, both of the Baroque time.
From having been there before one of the things I most love to do is get a massage above the Euro Cafe that donates space to a local blind school. Here blind adults have been trained to give massage as a way to raise needed funds for their support. On Friday I had a partial massage before I headed out on a volcano excursion in the afternoon. Saturday I went back, late morning and had a full massage. This time had the same man as the day before and this turned out to be the most unique massage ever and one of the very best.
The trip to Masaya Volcano included a stop at the art and shopping district in the town of Masaya. I have been to so many markets like this one that it all sort of looks the same however I did buy a plate for my new house. After an hour of being on our own for shopping we headed up to the volcano. Before we got there, our amazing guide took me and 2 other couples on this tour, thru a museum that was absolutely wonderful and explained so much of the area and colorful history of the volcano which included human sacrifices, being included as one of the "7 gates to hell", captured solders and officers - on both sides being dropped into the crater during the 80's. Afterwards we went to the site of a huge smoldering crater, followed by a hike to the closest highest point for a spectacular sunset. Upon our descent, we then rode in the van to another area - were given hard hats and flashlights and walked in the dark to a lava tube.
Lava tube - again - according to Wikipedia: Lava tubes are natural conduits through which lava travels beneath the surface of a lava flow, expelled by avolcano during an eruption. They can be actively draining lava from a source, or can be extinct, meaning the lava flow has ceased and the rock has cooled and left a long, cave-like channel.
We were told in meters just how long this one was but I - who still has no understanding of just how long a meter is.....have no idea how long this tube was but it was quite a ways. When we got to what appeared to be the end we, were told that in the 80's - during the revolution, once a child turned 12, he or she was forced to become part of the army. Many families in the local towns surrounding this volcano hid their children in this lava tube. The boulders at the end where actually piled there to make this look like the end of the tunnel incase the enemy was in search. We were told children would live here for months at a time - in total darkness. A series of taps on the rocks was the clue their parents were bringing food, etc. While we were in this place, we turned off our flashlights for 5 minutes. It seemed like forever. No one spoke, all that could be heard was the bats and sounds of the tube. Amazing!
Afterwards we went to the entrance of another cave. Here we were told to turn off our lights and just sit still. Within moments after the lights went off you could hear and feel the air flow from the many bats coming out of the cave. Not once did any of us get touched.
Then, back in the van and back to the edge of the crater. Here we were taken one at a time to stand on a platform slightly hanging over the edge and told to hold onto the cement post and look down. By now it was pitch dark, the sky full of stars, the crater no longer visible but what you could see was the soft orange glow from the lava far below the surface. Despite the sulfur dioxide..... this was breathtaking!
My last night there I had considered having dinner at one of the fancy hotels that looks out over the plaza. Everything is so cheap there, even the finest dinner would cost about $15.00. Afterwards I planned to take a horse drawn carriage ride thru the city and down to the lake. So...Saturday, about 5ish, I put on the dress I had brought with me and headed out. Once I got to the hotel, looked around, considered my options I felt uncomfortable at the idea of sitting there alone looking down on the locals sitting in the plaza with the beautiful horse drawn carriages in the street between the hotel and the town square. I simply could not sit there above all these people who have so little and then flaunt it all by riding in a fancy carriage alone. The plan was ditched. I did however go to another area that is touristy, had a great meal at a sidewalk cafe. Walked around the plaza again and then heard music. For the next hour I sat listening to live rock music again in the area I had just eaten. The whole weekend there had been celebrations and small parades in celebration of the youth of Granada. Sat. morning there had been several youth races around the plaza before the final 5K marathon.
The trip back yesterday worked like clockwork. Caught Tica Bus at 7am, the crossing at the border went fairly smooth, arrived at my stop at 2pm. Needed to take a taxi to catch a local bus to Jaco and then on to Esterillos. When I got off the Tica bus there was another girl there who also needed to take a taxi and so we shared the fare and eased my concern as this is the one thing I hate about traveling alone - getting in a taxi by myself. Arrived in Puntarenas in time to catch the 2:30 pm Quepos bus. About 2 hours later I got off at the entrance to Esterillos. Walked 10 minutes down the dirt road to where I live and wha la....I was home.
For some who live here, the 90 day requirement is an inconvenience and can be costly if you have a family. For me, it is an excuse to get out of town, seldom know where I am headed until it is here, always an adventure I will never forget.
Thank you Granada for the hospitality and experiences you shared with me this time around.
Pura Vida!
1 comment:
Sounds like a great time. I always enjoy your travel tales. But we are so opposite- the thought of being on the non-english speaking bus alone really freaks me out. But I have no problems jumping in a cab.
Stay well.
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