Granada

Kamilla and I just spent the week staying in Granada. The city is located an hour to the south of Managua and is an ancient colonial rival of León, the city where I was working and living for more than three months.

Granada is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nicaragua, and it´s easy to see why: There are indeed many interesting and accessible sights in and around the city, and many fine restaurants cater to the tourist dollars. It is a pretty town, as all the colonial adobes have a fresh coat of bright paint.

But though we certainly enjoyed our time hanging out there, I´ve decided that I still like León better. There´s a certain vibe to my city that I came to know and appreciate--artsy, liberal, filled with students, with many outlets for music and art. Though not as photogenic on the surface of Granada, I found there were many meaningful pursuits that lay just underneath those worn facades.

More and more, though, I´m finding that the Nicaragua I´ve come to love has been the Nicaraguan experience I´ve forged for myself here: living in my house in León, working with my students, hanging out with my friends, interacting with the locals, riding around on my bicycle in search of frescoes, and just enjoying the rhythms and routines of daily life I´ve created for myself here.