1. Travel

Nicaragua

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  • View of Lago Xolotlan (a.k.a. Lake Nicaragua) from airplane, just before landing.

    View of Lago Xolotlan (a.k.a. Lake Nicaragua) from airplane, just before landing.

  • Granada, the oldest colonial city in Central America, during the magic hour just before sunset

    Granada, the oldest colonial city in Central America, during the magic hour just before sunset

  • La Catedral de Granada

    La Catedral de Granada

  • Wall detail

    Wall detail

  • Calle Calzado, lined with sidewalk seating and tons of restaurants and bars. This street is quite a scene at night, equally patronized by tourists and Nicas, but the street kids have caught on and won't hesitate to beg at your table--for food, for money, for a sale.

    Calle Calzado, lined with sidewalk seating and tons of restaurants and bars. This street is quite a scene at night, equally patronized by tourists and Nicas, but the street kids have caught on and won't hesitate to beg at your table--for food, for money, for a sale.

  • El Convento San Francisco, originally built by monks in 1529

    El Convento San Francisco, originally built by monks in 1529

  • Belltower

    Belltower

  • 31st birthday, circa 9:30 a.m. You cannot beat a pre-breakfast swim with delicious local coffee!

    31st birthday, circa 9:30 a.m. You cannot beat a pre-breakfast swim with delicious local coffee!

  • Pretending to read "La Prensa" before digging into our B&B's yummy breakfast.

    Pretending to read "La Prensa" before digging into our B&B's yummy breakfast.

  • Laguna de Apoyo, a volcanic crater lake near Granada

    Laguna de Apoyo, a volcanic crater lake near Granada

  • Unfortunately, we got there just as the sun disappeared. But the restaurant at this public beach made up for it.

    Unfortunately, we got there just as the sun disappeared. But the restaurant at this public beach made up for it.

  • Lunch! There's a fish buried in there somewhere, and it's delicious.

    Lunch! There's a fish buried in there somewhere, and it's delicious.

  • Granada's baseball stadium. It turned out that the Granada Tiburones (Sharks) played on my birthday.

    Granada's baseball stadium. It turned out that the Granada Tiburones (Sharks) played on my birthday.

  • The friendly front desk attendant, sitting proudly before the local baseball heroes.

    The friendly front desk attendant, sitting proudly before the local baseball heroes.

  • Cold beer at baseball game, just like home. But Granada blows NYC away in terms of number of food vendors (like the women who set up a table at field level). It seemed most locals went there for the food first, game second.

    Cold beer at baseball game, just like home. But Granada blows NYC away in terms of number of food vendors (like the women who set up a table at field level). It seemed most locals went there for the food first, game second.

  • Post-baseball change at the hotel, getting ready for dinner at a fancy French restaurant...

    Post-baseball change at the hotel, getting ready for dinner at a fancy French restaurant...

  • But first a stop at the Poetry Festival, an annual event in Granada. Poetry is BIG in Nicaragua, and it was inspiring to see so many locals, including lots of young people, out in the plazas to hear poetry from international poets.

    But first a stop at the Poetry Festival, an annual event in Granada. Poetry is BIG in Nicaragua, and it was inspiring to see so many locals, including lots of young people, out in the plazas to hear poetry from international poets.

  • Cafe Nuit, the bar we hit up after the fancy dinner. Nope, no gringas in Nicaragua.

    Cafe Nuit, the bar we hit up after the fancy dinner. Nope, no gringas in Nicaragua.

  • We left Granada for Isla de Ometepe, an island in Lago Cocibolca (a.k.a. Lake Nicaragua). This woman sold delicious sweet ripe mangoes near the ferry dock.

    We left Granada for Isla de Ometepe, an island in Lago Cocibolca (a.k.a. Lake Nicaragua). This woman sold delicious sweet ripe mangoes near the ferry dock.

  • Not quite as colorful as Guatemala's buses, but close. Volcan Concepción, one of the two volcanoes on Isla Ometepe, rises in the distance.

    Not quite as colorful as Guatemala's buses, but close. Volcan Concepción, one of the two volcanoes on Isla Ometepe, rises in the distance.

  • View from the ferry just before leaving for the island. Volcan Concepción is on the left; Maderas is on the right. Only Concepción is still active.

    View from the ferry just before leaving for the island. Volcan Concepción is on the left; Maderas is on the right. Only Concepción is still active.

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  • The backpacker crowd heads to Ometepe.

    The backpacker crowd heads to Ometepe.

  • Getting closer

    Getting closer

  • On the grounds of our hotel, El Encanto, with Maderas in the distance. It's located right in the middle of the two volcanoes on the island.

    On the grounds of our hotel, El Encanto, with Maderas in the distance. It's located right in the middle of the two volcanoes on the island.

  • Hammock shot #1, taken in front of room #1.

    Hammock shot #1, taken in front of room #1.

  • Hammock shot #2, in front of (better) room #2.

    Hammock shot #2, in front of (better) room #2.

  • Hammock shot #3: my turn. We were situated on a slight rise, so had breezy views of Lake Nicaragua.

    Hammock shot #3: my turn. We were situated on a slight rise, so had breezy views of Lake Nicaragua.

  • We went on walkabout one day to reach a kayaking spot.

    We went on walkabout one day to reach a kayaking spot.

  • Most of the island's roads look like this.

    Most of the island's roads look like this.

  • Cow crossing!

    Cow crossing!

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  • The overcast sky made for a moody landscape.

    The overcast sky made for a moody landscape.

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  • Local cemetery

    Local cemetery

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  • Barbed-wire fencing around cemetery

    Barbed-wire fencing around cemetery

  • These three cuties greeted us near Caballitos Mar, where we went kayaking.

    These three cuties greeted us near Caballitos Mar, where we went kayaking.

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  • Kayaking Lago Nicaragua

    Kayaking Lago Nicaragua

  • Guide Nolan leads the way, with Volcan Concepcion in the distance.

    Guide Nolan leads the way, with Volcan Concepcion in the distance.

  • Entering the Rio Istian, a lush and narrow river of tangled vines and floating water lilies that meanders across the isthmus separating the two volcanoes.

    Entering the Rio Istian, a lush and narrow river of tangled vines and floating water lilies that meanders across the isthmus separating the two volcanoes.

  • We were lucky to be there when these trees, called helequemes, happened to be flowering, making an already beautiful landscape stunning.

    We were lucky to be there when these trees, called helequemes, happened to be flowering, making an already beautiful landscape stunning.

  • Hello tandem kayak! Actually they didn't give us a choice--about the kayak or the life vests.

    Hello tandem kayak! Actually they didn't give us a choice--about the kayak or the life vests.

  • Nolan navigated so gracefully through these waters, while the two of us kept bumping into lily pads and tree trunks.

    Nolan navigated so gracefully through these waters, while the two of us kept bumping into lily pads and tree trunks.

  • Water lily

    Water lily

  • Lily pads

    Lily pads

  • Nolan was trying to scare up a caiman (Central America's version of an alligator) for us. We decided this was not a good idea and slowly backed our kayak out of this channel.

    Nolan was trying to scare up a caiman (Central America's version of an alligator) for us. We decided this was not a good idea and slowly backed our kayak out of this channel.

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    View of Lago Xolotlan (a.k.a. Lake Nicaragua) from airplane, just before landing.
    Granada, the oldest colonial city in Central America, during the magic hour just before sunset