Teaching English was always a way for me to get out and live my dreams, but I’ll admit that Nicaragua was never on my radar.

The way from Costa Rica to Nicaragua is simple: there’s a bus that leaves frequently from the station in Liberia. Ignore the drivers harassing you for overpriced taxi rides, stock up on some water, and enjoy the trip. Keep an eye out for vendors who will board the bus at nearly every stop, advertising their local baked goods, all while balancing plates and baskets on their heads as if it were a magic trick.

After passing through some confusing and scary border checks, including soldiers with rifles going through your bags, you’ll finally be in Nicaragua. Looking out the window, you’ll be able to see the definition of rural living. Cattle aimlessly wander the highways, people walk around the streets with machetes, and tropical landscapes leave you mesmerized. Miles of poverty and three hours later, the city of Granada will finally come into view.

Walking the streets of Granada will put you directly into the age of Spanish colonialism. The first thing to notice is the architecture. While walking, you’ll come across brightly painted buildings with colorful arches framing the doorways. They might seem centuries old at first glance, but peer into one of those doorways and you’ll see modern interiors with a historical twist. The locals have a taste for gardens and fountains within their establishments, giving the city a very Moorish and Andalusian feel.

Of course, keep walking and you’ll soon realize that you’re still in Central America. The streets in the center are generally chaotic with vendors aggressively trying to sell you bootleg DVDs from twenty years ago, among many other things you don’t need. Step into the city park however, and it’s a little more peaceful. Tour guides casually try to persuade lost tourists and Granada even has its own restaurant row. Watch out for seemingly poor children begging you for money while you eat. They’re often sent by their wealthy parents for extra money.

Many ornate buildings are found around Granada. Quite a few of them are historical churches, reflecting the conservative and religious vibe of the city. The first picture I used in this entry is a good example. It’s the Granada Cathedral and the symbol of the city.

Side-note: One time, I got stuck in the bell tower for an hour during mass. After uselessly banging on the door to get some attention, I walked up to the top and took the sunset picture you see on this page.

Wander around the city center for long enough and different people will approach you offering one of Granada’s many tour options. Among these are a boat tour of small islands that form a peninsula on the coast of the city.

The guide will be waiting for you on the edge of the local lake with his boat. As you embark to find your way through the maze of islets, tropical animals will come out of hiding for you to quietly admire. Each islet is unique. Some are nothing more than grass and trees, but others are beautifully decorated with quaint houses.

After sailing along for a few hours you’ll see the imposing Mombacho Volcano in the distance. What you may not realize is that the island peninsula that you’re sailing through was formed after Mombacho blew its top right off. The cracked shape of the crater makes it easy to imagine.

Hike up Mombacho with a guide and you’ll come to a mystical cloud forest. These ecosystems are extraordinary because of the precious amount of wildlife found nowhere else. Cloud forests are rare but scattered across the tropics and well worth a visit.

Once you reach the crater of Mombacho, you’ll be treated to a spectacular view of the city below. The island peninsula will take shape within the vast boundaries of Lake Nicaragua. It’s one of the biggest lakes in the world, a natural phenomenon, complete with a history of piracy as well. The views are incredible, but your camera lens will probably get some condensation on it. Fair warning!

One of my favorite things about Lake Nicaragua is included in the photo that ends this article. I took this photo from an airplane flying from one side of the country to the other. You’ll see a near-perfectly symmetrical island named Ometepe resting in the middle of the photo, home to two different volcanoes, Maderas and Concepción. Each volcano takes up about half of the island, and Concepción is still active today. Ometepe is visible from so many places around Granada, including Mombacho volcano. All of this and more adds to the fiery landscape of Nicaragua, but that’s for a future entry.

The View from Mombacho Volcano

¡Fiestas!

The Corner of the Old Woman