The first rooms showed all kinds of jewelry and art from the area, some tools and some life-sized models of the everyday life of historical Nicaraguans. It was very interesting, but I was glad to have the tour guide along to help explain some things. The final part of the museum was an open-air courtyard, which housed the monolithic stone carvings. They are pre-Colombian carvings, larger than life size, and carved out of volcanic rock. They were found on the shores of an island in Lake Nicaragua in 1849 and were the first evidence of pre-Colombian people in the area. The sculptures are amazing, half-man and half-animal demigods, supposedly chosen for their mystical power and suggesting specific rituals. They date from 800-1200 A.D.

Gunshot Houses, Granada, Nicaragua (Degan Beley)

Far from being quaint, Granada has managed to balance the beauty of history and old world charm with an energetic resurgence. The dictatorship has been over for thirteen years and the tourists are starting to come back, drawn by the bargains and the culture and the beauty of the place. This in turn is boosting the economy and wheels are getting put in motion. For my part, I am happy for the country and for the tourists. For the time being everything is working together. Visitors are treated to gorgeous colonial architecture, history and new cultural experiences and locals are earning money while developing their identity once again. They realize that part of that identity is being a player on an international scene and products and services seem to pop up wherever there is a need.

Monastery Mural, Granada, Nicaragua (Degan Beley)

Horse-drawn carriages line the square ready to take tourists on a clip around the city, posh renovated hotels provide well-stocked wine-cellars, patio dining on long breezy porches, live music and swim-up bars. The people of Granada know what their city is capable of and are open to the idea of a new Granada. At night, bands play in open courtyards and there is a lively bar scene. A movie theatre, Internet cafés, good shopping and other modern amenities hint at Granada's movement on its way up to being a major international city. There are still crumbling houses and buildings that are badly in need of repair and the roads are a constant problem in Central America, but it's starting to look up. Businesses are investing in new development, and scaffolding is everywhere. Nicaragua is rebuilding itself and Granada especially is getting ready to be a culturally and artistically important city. I just hope that it doesn't all happen too soon and go too far in the direction of catering and molding itself around tourists. From what I've seen, it seems like Granada has things carefully in balance—a strong sense of self and culture, and an earnest desire for people to come and be a part of it. Granada is definitely somewhere I want to return to and I won't be surprised if the dreaded posh art galleries and boutiques have appeared. I just hope that it manages to keep the style and charm that are so much a part of the city.

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