We arrived back on the ship in time for tea and sunset after a full day in Nicaragua. Our conclusion about Nicaragua is that we’ve “been there and done that” and have no need to come back.
Where as 60% Costa Rica’s population is “middle class” 70% of Nicaragua’s is in poverty: 40% live on $1-3.00/day. Decades of corruption, revolution and civil war depleted the country of its financial assets and the political stability required to attract tourists. Our tour guide continually reminded us that Nicaragua is now safe and he is hoping that Ortega, who was just elected president, will be moderate and enhance the stability of the country-unlike his position in the 80’s when he led the Sandinistas in war against the Contras. The guide also noted that 62% of the voters voted against Ortega and he still won the election.
We drove two hours to the colonial town of Granada which was founded in the 16th century by a gentleman from Andalusia in Spain by the name of Cordoba. The town has Spanish influence and one building, a church still remains in part from that era, although it was damaged during civil war with the town of Leon and repaired. The entire town burned in 1856. The museum had pictures of William Walker from Tennessee who came to Nicaragua to help the town of Leon fight Granada the civil war. He was a self-proclaimed “president.” and engendered much interest. This town had more charm than anything else we saw, although it clearly suffers from poverty as well. A newsman tried to interview us about the garbage in the streets: there was a strike going on to try to gain better wages from the city.
We were entertained by dancers, several of whom wore masks and costumes that appeared to be archetypes of Nicaraguan culture (we saw dolls with the same costumes). We listened to the music with the dancers and heard music as we ate lunch as well. We saw more folk figures and drummers in the street. Children tried to sell us cashews, chewing gum or trinkets. Cashews, sugar cane, rum, coffee, mangos and plantains are among the products of Nicaragua. We were told that people live to their early 60s and that 60% of the population is under 25 years of age.
We went to another village to a market place in an old fortress. Sadly the crafts were not very interesting and we left empty handed. I had seen some interesting artwork at the museum in Granada as well as at the “Alhambra” hotel, but we did not see comparable work for sale.
Following a traditional lunch of rice, beans and meats, we took off to see one of the 32 volcanoes of Nicaragua. The country is known as the land of volcanoes and lakes. We drove along Lake Nicaragua which is huge and has 400 hundred islands in it. It comprises fully 10% of the area of Nicaragua. It also has saltwater sharks. The Masaya Volcano
Is only 1800 feet tall, but is one of the 6 very active volcanoes of Nicaragua. Interesting to see….and smell the sulfur!
The volcanoes are the reason that Nicaragua was not selected for a canal connecting the Pacific and the Caribbean oceans. From a geographical perspective, it was considered more appealing. Panama won out. Cornelius Vanderbilt at one time had a venture transporting people from coast to coast and considered building a canal. Mark Twain even visited during that era.
On the way back to the ship, we again drove over a combination of the Pan American Highway and local roads. While the Pan American highway was better, all of the roads were in bad shape and had many potholes and bumps. Children fill the potholes and then hope that drivers in the passing cars will pay them. We saw more bikes, horses and ox-driven carts than cars. There were horses, goats and cows all along the roads, eating the wild grasses we saw. People sold fruit at small stands along the roads and we saw the poorest of homes, with tin or scavenged boards as siding. While the homes were sad looking they were surrounded by tropical plants, bushes, flowers and trees. The humidity does contribute to beautiful vegetation.
Back on the ship, we relaxed and watched the sun set over the ocean-—and illuminate the boat-a peaceful end of the day.
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