As we walked around the square, our guide told us that the city dates from 1524, but it burned down in 1856 and left only a handful of original houses. The Cathedral is original, although both towers burned and were rebuilt, and the San Francisco convent, a gorgeous blue and white structure, is still around after all that time as well. What happened was that William Walker, an American, had his eye on conquering Central America and started by seizing Granada, making himself president of Nicaragua and instituting some reforms. It didn't last long. The people of the region joined forces against him and he ran, but not before giving the order to torch the city behind him. Granada started rebuilding the cathedral the next year, using stone from the lower part of the Mombacho volcano that overlooks the city. It was finished in 1910, but was under scaffolding while we were there as well, possibly for a cleaning or maintenance.

Twilight, Granada, Nicaragua (Degan Beley)

The side streets are every much as beautiful as the centre of town, which we found as we left the plaza. We ducked into courtyards and hotels, fine restaurants and long shady verandas, all the while in wonder at the grandeur of the place. It was so far removed from the dirty, poor and war-torn Nicaragua that the world had become so familiar with during the dictatorship. And the people of Granada were proud to show it off. We saw stocked wine cellars and evidence that even in Granada you can drink at a swim up bar, in the courtyard of one of the big hotels. There was no one in the water, but it looked really inviting. The sun was so hot and it was obvious that the city was built around that fact. Almost every home and hotel has a covered arcade on the bottom floor and patio on the second floor.

All the decks had rocking chairs lined up on them as well, for a well needed rest in the afternoon. Banana trees, ferns and palms grew everywhere for shade in the public spaces and some of the finer hotels had beautiful courtyards with fountains and greenery in the foyer, as well as stages for live music. It was a leisurely paradise. Continuing on our walk, we explored some artists' studios and theatres. The whole city had an element of creativity to it and looked like it was actively supporting artists, so it was nice to see this side of it as well. Lots of new ideas and art is emerging from here in the visual arts, theatre and music, and that will help bring the tourists back, but there also is a clearly defined sense of self. Granada feels like a small artistic community, self-sufficient and exploding with energy. The one piece that wasn't obvious is streets full of overpriced galleries catering to the tourist trade, but I'm sure they are not far off. I hope that it doesn't go so far as to change the laid-back nature of the town. In one studio we stopped to look at what I thought at first was a very ugly piece of art—a brown and grey bumpy-textured piece hung on the wall. Luckily, our guide was there to explain it. The artist had found a place near one of the volcanoes where the people running from an eruption had left their footprints in the mud. Soon after, the lava flowed in and hardened the earth. It stayed untouched until recently when the artist made a mould out of plaster and brought it back to the city. At some point in the process it was carbon-dated and found to be over 3000 years old, which proves that there was life in the Americas during the time of the pyramids! Incredible. I loved that this piece was a comment on the history and geology of Nicaragua, as well as being hung in an artists' studio. There is a real sense art intertwined with the way of life here and it reflects strongly on the people. Everywhere was creativity and style and a feel for the exquisite culture around them. With all that appreciation for beauty and fine things, you would think Granada would be an expensive city, but the prices were still very reasonable. Nicaragua is a good deal by any standards.

Boy, Granada, Nicaragua (Degan Beley)

All bargains considered though, there is less begging and dirt in Granada than you will see in other parts of Nicaragua, and if the street hawkers are a little more aggressive than you would like, you can't really begrudge them trying to earn a living in a country that is still getting back on its feet thirteen years after their civil war ended. On a side street on the way to visit the San Francisco convent, a young boy asked for money. He was persistent and mildly annoying. We soon named him 'the crying boy' because he mewled on and on in a kind of fake crying way, but he didn't have the look of outright despair that you often see in children of poorer countries. Some donated to his cause and he seemed happy enough with that, possibly as much for the company and activity as for the money he got. There were not a lot of tourists about, but he found another group outside the San Francisco convent and was off crying to them in a few moments time.

The San Francisco convent is dazzling. In comparison to the flat white of the main cathedral, it is gorgeous Caribbean blue with white trim that looks absolutely majestic in the sun. Combine that with the postcard vistas of palm trees and volcanoes in the background and it was one of the most picturesque places of our entire trip. We spent a long while outside in the quiet sunset, looking at everything before finally heading inside. The nave of the church was perhaps nothing special, more functional than elaborate, but there was a lot to learn. A detailed mural depicting the history of the country—complete with pre-Colombian warriors and Spanish conquistadors—was on one wall of an inner courtyard, and a rose garden, and finally a museum. It was a surprise to come across modern display cases in the dusty rooms of the monastery.

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