{"id":7078393,"date":"2026-10-06T18:00:26","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T18:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7078393"},"modified":"2026-10-06T18:00:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T18:00:26","slug":"a-wandering-widow-solo-travel-granada-nicaragua","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7078393","title":{"rendered":"A Wandering Widow – Solo Travel: Granada, Nicaragua"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\u00a0Two things stood out on our bus trip from Leon to Granada.\u00a0 Firstly the number of farmers we saw working their land, which, to be honest looked pretty tough, scrubby land to make a living from, and secondly the large number of furniture shops lining the road, side by side for at least a kilometre, all selling exactly the same furniture.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Apoyo Lagoon Photo by Thomas Bauer<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

We stopped briefly at Santa Caterina for a panoramic view of\u00a0 Apoyo Lagoon, a spectacular volcanic crater lake, beside the Mombacho volcano.\u00a0 We also took a stroll through the large craft market nearby although the stall keepers seemed more interested in sleeping than selling!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Hard at work<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Granada is pretty and colourful.\u00a0 Founded by the Spanish in the early 1500s it has a colonial feel to it.\u00a0 The buildings are\u00a0 painted in an array of bright colours, even the huge cathedral is a vibrant yellow, which gives the town a joyful feeling. We enjoyed a wander around the town and through the lovely main square before dinner.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Antonio Prieto<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The next morning we were booked on a day tour and our first stop was at an amazing facility run almost entirely by the deaf.\u00a0 We met the founder,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Antonio Prieto, a truly good and inspirational man, who gave us a talk about how he arrived as a visitor from Spain and on seeing how little was offered by way of assistance to the hearing impaired set about providing that assistance himself.\u00a0 He set up a workshop to teach them the useful trade of weaving hammocks and other woven objects, he also set up a school and a cafe which the hearing impaired run and where we had breakfast.\u00a0 Antonio is a very special man who came to Nicaragua simply as a tourist and has stayed there making this his life’s work. This was a most uplifting start to our day.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Sign language on the cafe wall to help you order.<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>Our second stop was at the Iglesia de La Merced to climb up the tight,<\/span><\/b> narrow winding stairs of the bell tower for a view over the town.\u00a0 The climb was worth it, the views were excellent.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

A drive through town led us to the lake’s<\/span><\/b>\u00a0edge where horses and cows were grazing freely.\u00a0 We were going on a cruise on Lake Cocibolca. Our small boat threaded its way through pretty wooded inlets, under shady trees and around a number of islands. It is said that there are 365 islands on this enormous lake.\u00a0 Some are home to the large, ornate mansions of the very wealthy and some are home to small shacks owned by poor fishermen. Along the way we spotted a variety of birds and even some monkeys living on a tiny island.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Photos by Thomas Bauer<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


Laguna Resort was our location for lunch and there we had the option of kayaking or swimming but the day was closing in and the rain became persistent.\u00a0 \u00a0Fortunately they have a bar in a small cabana overlooking the lake where we sheltered, had lunch and drank rum punch.\u00a0 We had the most brilliant time, singing along to the pop songs playing in the bar, laughing and joking and generally having fun.\u00a0 It was great.\u00a0 A man at the bar enjoyed our antics so much he gave us a tip and wanted his photo taken with us. Sometimes a change of plan can make for the best experience ever and this was one of them.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Fun times drinking rum punch and singing along to pop songs\u00a0
\u00a0Photo by Amanda Schofield<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

But we couldn’t stay there forever, we had more to see and do, so we headed off to view an active volcano. After a walk on the lower slopes, and fortunately not seeing any rattle snakes or boa constrictors that live there, we waited an hour for the gates of the road up to the volcano to open. It was worth the wait, what a sight!\u00a0 Staring down into the swirling red of the crater was like looking into the depths of hell.\u00a0 Amazing and spectacular.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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The fiery depths of an active volcano\u00a0 Photo by Thomas Bauer<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

This had been a fantastic day packed with diverse activities but it wasn’t over yet.\u00a0 Back at our hotel, Hotel con Corona, we were treated to what I thought was the best meal of the trip beautifully cooked and served.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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Salsa Lesson at Hotel con Corona Photo from Video by Thomas Bauer<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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To top the day off the hotel had organised a dance instructor to come in especially for our group to teach us salsa. A small group of us took advantage of this and before long had mastered the few simple steps.\u00a0 Some of the staff joined in and told us that they had never had so much fun on the job.\u00a0 It was enjoyable but hot work so after 40 minutes we called it a day and headed off to bed, tired but happy after another great day in Central America.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n