Nicaragua

"What do you need?" A street vendor in Managua. Managua, Nicaragua.

This guy was all smiles. So I asked him "may I take your photo?" He said "sure". And this is the face he gave me! Masaya, Nicaragua.

This guy was the partner in crime to the grumpy looking fellow in the photo before. Masaya, Nicaragua

This fellow was hanging out with the two fellows in the two previous photos. They were all laughing and joking and smiling, very friendly. They stopped me to ask me if I needed directions or help and then of course they had their photos taken. He was the only one of the three that smiled! Masaya, Nicaragua.

The three fellows in the three previuos photos asked me what I was looking for, I told them that I was looking for the mercado. They told me that there were two, the mercado and the mercado de artesanias. The mercado de artesanias is for the tourists, the mercado is where people go to buy their stuff, it is the everyday market. So of course I headed to the mercado! Masaya, Nicaragua.

The mercado. What I really like about this photo is the woman standing on a muddy, dirt road in her high heels with her hand on her hip looking imperiously over her shoulder. She dominates the photo and no doubt dominates that portion of the market! I found out later that locals call this woman a giletera. This is a derivative of Gillette, which is the generic term for razor blade, much like in the American South when asking for a soda everyone asks for a Coke no matter what type of soda they want. What this means is that this woman is the kind of woman who could very possibly end up in a knife fight. To be honest I would run from this woman! Masaya, Nicaragua.

Grand Central Station, Nicaraguan style! This is the main bus stop in Masaya. The funny thing is the city is very small and this bus stop is huge and full of life! Masaya, Nicaragua.

Two working men having lunch. Masaya, Nicaragua.

"I am not above kicking your ass" Masaya, Nicaragua.

This fellow was just sitting on a curb watching traffic go by. Masaya, Nicaragua.

A local lady with kind eyes! Masaya, Nicaragua

Catedral de Granada in the main square. Granada, Nicaragua.

The main square of Granada. This is where everybody, tourist and local alike, comes to spend a relaxing afternoon. Highly recommended. Although if you are going to purchase something, be prepared to negotiate! Granada, Nicaragua.

This is the Catedral de Granada (The Cathedral of Granada). It is funny, when I was doing my research for this caption I went to vianica.com (which is the national Website for Nicaraguan tourism) to find the name of this cathedral. You should visit the site and look at the photo they have and the photo I have. Thas is all I will say : ) Granada, Nicaragua.

These are some of the locals mentioned earlier enjoying a ittle bit of shade in the central park. Granada, Nicaragua.

Old fellows in the park being old fellows! I especially like the fellow on the right. Granada, Nicaragua.

Leave me alone gringo, I've got thinking to do! Granada, Nicaragua.

Deep thoughts! Granada, Nicaragua.

Looking both ways before we cross the street. Mom would be so proud! Granada, Nicaragua.

The next Latin American Idols! Granada, Nicaragua.

This is the Hospital San Juan de Dios. It was nearly destroyed in an earthquake and still today sits ruined. Granada, Nicaragua.

This is the Iglesia de la Merced (The Merced Church). This church is probably most famous for the fact that in the 1800's William Walker, the American pirate (my words not the history books) used the bell tower as a sniper nest to try and repel the forces of Chamorro, seriously damaging the church in the process. Granada, Nicaragua.

This is stained glass window inside of la Iglesia de la Merced. Granada, Nicaragua.

This is a group of school children on a field trip. The arm that you see on the bottom left of the frame belongs to the priest that was leading the group. He had the kids arrange themselves on the stairs and was taking their photo with a tiny little camera. I stood on the bumper of a jeep behind him with my gigantic camera and the kids thought it was the funniest thing in the world! He didn't know I was behind him and bumped into me after taking his photo. I apologized, he said no problem and he lined the kids for me again and had them shout something in Spanish to me and wave. However, I like the photo with his arm in it the best! Granada, Nicaragua.

Having a great time in Nicaragua, wish you were here! Granada, Nicaragua.

All of these works of street art were painted on a wall outside of the UCA (Universidad Centroamericana) The Catholic University. It was just across the street from a bus stop. One of the first things that you learn when traveling in Central America (or anywhere really) is to be careful around the bus stops. So I was hesitant to take these photos as the works were stretched out over about a half of a mile. This means that I was across the street from the bus stop in Managua on a very obvious course (once again something you learn not to do) but I had to get the shots! These works are amazing! Managua, Nicaragua.

Something else I learned later was that in general when you see graffiti you are not in such a nice neighborhood. But I had to get the shot! (and I did, no problem). Although in the interest of full disclosure this was the only time in my travels in Central America when I took my extra memory cards and put them in my sock. Just in case! Outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

What this says in English is "Ignorance is the worst sin of a nation and the best [tool] of a tyrant." Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.

Graffiti on the wall outside UCA. Managua, Nicaragua.