Granada
(DAY065 : Tegucigalpa - Granada : 250 miles)
(DAY066 : Granada)
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 (minus parking) 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.
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.
First time Katirga spends a night on the street.
(DAY066 : Granada)
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 (minus parking) 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.
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.
First time Katirga spends a night on the street.
posted by Serdar at
7:14 PM
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