Granada

Tegucigalpa - Granada : 250 miles

The border crossing to Nicaragua was tidier. As soon as I arrived, a guy with a badge and official-like attitude (whatever that means) started guiding me through the windows. They surely can't have an official for guiding each arrival, so I was curious to see how this would pan out. When all was done, he handed me a printed piece of paper indicating an $18 due fee at the bottom. It's the mandatory traffic insurance Nicaragua requires. I paid with USD and he gave me the change in Cordobas, but did try to cheat me for about $2. When he saw I was about to object, he handed me another 20 Cordobas, still leaving me a dollar short. That's ok, I counted it towards the tip I would have given him and moved on. In total the border cost me less than an hour and a bit over $20.


Indication of approaching a border

Nicaragua's roads are a significant improvement. Surface, markings... Heck, there are even signs.

I needed gas, and hence local money, so I started looking for an atm at the first town I came across. There were 3 machines, yet only one of them accepted MasterCard, and that of course was out of service. The branches were not open either as it was weekend. Then, as I was yapping about my problem to a local, he asked why I didn't buy my gas with card. I went quiet and wondered since when might that have been possible again.

A while after I enter Granada, a guy on a bicycle promises to take me to a cheap yet very nice place. Already having toured the town twice on my own with not much luck, I accept. It's cheap all right, but I really don't want to do that cheap tonight. He takes me to a bunch of other places, gradually more expensive, and all the way up to $55 a night, but today I'm picky. I tip him and carry on by myself again, heading to the most expensive looking hotel in town, right across from the central park. At $87, it's not gonna happen, so I move on to the second most expensive looking, right next door. Hotel Alhambra has exactly what I'm looking for, for $50. A clean, roomy room with a real window (not facing some corridor), AC, hot water, and WiFi (that later proved useless). They also promise that it's safe to park in front of the hotel. I surprise myself and take their word for it.

For good live music, or if all town looks dead at night, go to Cafe Nuit, two and a half blocks north of Hotel Alhambra. There, you've got the most essential fact about Granada.








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