Scenes of Nicaragua

We went from high humidity and a temperature in the mid-eighties (Fahrenheit), where we were wondering if we should use the hotel's pool and swatting mosquitoes; to freezing temperatures back in Denver and shoveling snow the next day! Its like we're transported to another dimension ... Well, in fact we were! Our two daily realities are worlds apart.




In an earlier post I observed that many horses in Nicaragua are not well cared for. This was particularly true of the carriage horses in Granada. It was much less true in the countryside, and here is an exception within the city. This is some one's prize stallion on a Sunday ride within Granada. You can see the Cathedral in the background, but note the street is unpaved. Actually, in this case it was being re-paved, but in smaller towns like Esteli it may be dirt or gravel and never paved.



Here is a gentleman in a small village we visited north of Esteli called Ducuale Grande. When you zoom in on his t-shirt you see it pictures baseball players. The sport was brought to Nicaragua early in the twentieth century by U.S. Marines, but is embraced by the country as their own. I have never seen a more enthusiastic crowd, and the game we observed looked comparable to a Little League team.

We found people, in general, friendly although not particularly outgoing towards us. In more remote places we were clearly a novelty, a curiosity. As for photos, they were less reserved than the Mayan cultures of Mexico and Guatemala. I did give out dollars for photos unless I believe it would be insulting. I don't think anyone refused my request to take their picture.