08.03 We’ve slept really well here in room 7 at Hotel Kekoldi in Granada, Nicaragua. We are looking forward to having breakfast. It will be served to us as soon as we have walked to the dining room which is located in the back of the courtyard here at the hotel. Ten years have gone since we experienced a day that we will never forget on this date.

08.45 The first thing we noticed when we left the room was that it rained. Our breakfast was one of the best on the trip so far. We were offered a buffet table with toasted bread, margarine, jam, dried banana, pineapple, papaya, watermelon, gallo pinto (rice and beans), fruit juice, cereal and milk and coffee. Afterwards, we had two slices of orange star fruit and finally a small light green and long, narrow fruit. The taste was acidic to say the least but the aftertaste was sweet. It was even tastier with a little salt on. It is supposed to be great to tequila. The fruit was picked from the trunk of a tree which grows here by the breakfast table.

09.32 I have been reading in one of the rocking chairs, it has been many rocking chairs on this trip. Nicaragua is actually known for its rocking chair manifacture and Granada is the center of it all. Christer have checked the internet. We have a computer which is in a corner on the patio. The fruit we got after breakfast is called bilimbi.

10.28 We have kept on reading in our books. I have just finished the book Blood Hunt by Ian Rankin. I can really recommend it. Now we will leave both the room and the hotel for a while, a hotel which I also can recommend.

10.41 We've gone out and walked up the stairs in Torre de la Merced, a church tower in the La Merced Church. The view over Granada is fantastic. We can of course see lots of rooftops but also Lake Nicaragua, the surrounding mountains and the city's yellow cathedral. Bless you to the person who just sneezed. Car alarm sounds out there somewhere in the city. At the open, paved area in front of the church a football field is marked.

Granada

View from the churchtower.

Christer together with the bell at La Merced church.

11.24 We have arrived down to ground level again. The visit to the church tower was definitely worth the one dollar it costs. You sometimes need to see the world from above at some times. We have walked a few intersections and stopped at Parque Central, and also the Plaza de la Independencia. Now we are sitting on a bench. We are slowly moving towards the big lake.

11.54 We walked along Calle La Calzada and found an Irish pub, a school with beautiful wall paintings and the old Guadalupe Church.

12.12 The lake, Lake Nicaragua, was reached and we went into the tourist zone here. Before reaching the gateway to the tourist area, we were courted by various shipmasters who thought that we should join them for an excursion on the lake. There was an entrance fee of 5 córdoba to leave the ordinary world behind us and get into the special tourism zone with a park and restaurants. Here we strolled along the water and now we have sat ourselves down at Bar-Restaurante Cocibolca for some lunch. Cocibolca is what Lake Nicaragua was called before the Europeans arrived in the 1500s and discovered all what is here.

12.57 We really like the food. We that’s Christer, myself and a small cat which is under the table. It was not too fond of the vegetables but a piece of meat which I offered was yummy.

Horse carts waiting for tourists in central Granada.

Parque Central, the heart of Granada.

Calle La Calzada, the street leading to the lake.

La Iglesia de Guadalupe

Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, the founder of both Granada and Nicaragua. The currency has his name.

The entrance to Granada´s tourist zone, Centro Turistico, along the Lake Nicaragua.

Fisherboat on Lake Nicaragua.

13.40 The lunch was ok but nothing which will go down in history. After lunch we have visited a public toilet which probably has not been cleaned since Somoza was the dictator of the country. The last or among the last that we saw before we left the lake area was a fire truck which once rolled in Bregenz, Austria. Now it was used as some kind of medical vehicle. It feels strange that it is five years since we were in Bregenz. Now we are back at Parque Central. Here we take a bench break and was just offered to buy a toothbrush from a lady passing by.

13.52 We were just too popular among the beggars, vendors and others. There was a regrouping to Euro Café at the corner of the square. Here it will be some coffee, muffins, ice cream and postcard writing. Well, now even more vendors.

14.13 It was good coffee and snacks. It was fresh with the ice cream with lime flavour. It went well to write the postcards. It went so well that a tourist lady came up and asked where we had bought postcards. She had not found any herself.

Tourists walking towards Granada city centre.

A happy child in a local means of transport.

Plaza de la Independencia, Granada.

15.20 We have left the cafe and went to the post office. We left the stamped post cards and went to the supermarket Pali. There we bought two bottles of Tampico and a sealed bag with Xedex nutiacción. Tampico is the orange juice for tomorrow's trip and Xedex is a detergent for future washes. We heard a song by Roxette outside the supermarket. The Swedish music theme continues.

15.59 The clothes we have sweated down during the day have been washed and they are drying here in the room. To hang clothes outside is double stupid. First, they might disappear and second the rain might be pouring down again. I must admit that my brain is starved as it comes to music. We heard an advertising jingle in Parque Central and that jingle keeps running in my head. It has now replaced the political "Nicaragua triunfará". The jingle was for a phone company named Claro. You can listen to it here: Claro

17.34 We have been consuming the tasty orange drink Mirinda and an internet check has told us that the Swedish ladies football team has lost the semi-finals of the World Cup against Japan.

Our tree with the sour bilimbi fruits is getting wet when the evening rain is all over us.

You are never alone in your room in a tropical country.

18.56 We are sitting down discussing the classic evening question, where should we eat tonight? This question will, like most other nights, be sorted out. We could always go back to where we were yesterday.

19.34 There was no comeback to yesterday's place. They had unexpectedly closed. We walked further into the rain and now we sit by the big TV at The Grill House. A very long and slender gentleman just came in and on the TV it´s the Claro jingle playing. I had just got it out of my head. So what is on the TV? Well, there is football from the Copa America. It is 1-1 after one half of the match between Brazil and Ecuador.

20.01 Things are finally happening. We have been served food. There will be a sausage dinner with Nicaraguan sausages. We have received four sausages each with cabbage/carrot salad, onion and pepper and mustard. In addition, Ecuador scored to make it 2-2 and now Brazil made it 3-2.

20.44 It was a good meal and we got to see yet another goal. Brazil had time to make the 4-2 also. Now we are home to pack our things. Umbrellas are set to dry. Our shoes are moved to the bathroom. The reason is that the shoes smell like .... It has, beside this, been a great day. Thankfully it was nothing like the day ten years ago.

This evening´s sausage dinner.

Thursday 14th of July

07.41 Our umbrellas have dried and are ready to be packed. I just forgot what I was supposed to write. I do know that we are thinking about trips from the past. I'll see if I will remember what it was I meant to write.

09.04 Most of the morning’s chores are done. Breakfast was of good quality today as well. Now we basically just have to leave the room, pay our bill and check out. Well then, we also have to find the right minivan and leave the city.

09.40 We walked from our hotel to the Parque Central and on to a gravel pitch a bit further away. A man just blew in an orange whistle. Our minibus was soon crowded. It just started and a dog which was sleeping has woken up. It's time to leave Granada. I have not figured out what I forgot to write. I guess I will never find out.

09.52 Our bus host is efficient. He stands in the open bus door and shouts "Managua, Managua, Managua" wherever there are people waiting. He just managed to make a passenger that was going to another bus which it said Granada-Managua on to board our bus.

10.57 The bus has reached the Nicaraguan capital of Managua. We have traveled about half way and must change buses here. Here things just got wrong. I misunderstood the bus host and stepped out too early. He corrected me and we went 50 more meters and came to the right part of the minibus station. We are now as well as (hopefully) the backpacks in a black minivan on the way from Managua to León. We are not the only tourists on board. We have, like so many times before in the summer, Americans with us.

11.34 On my right hand I have just seen Lake Managua and also a volcano which it seems to raise smoke from. The singer on the radio lisps as he sings a romantic ballad. The volcano is probably Momotombo. The bus driver likes to honk. The horn sounds like a police siren.

11.55 Things sure happen here! A police siren was heard just now. This time it was from a real police car. The police car just passed us. We just drove past a car with various luggage, a man and three little pigs on the truck.

Hostal Colibri in León. We could see lots of Swedish signs, books and notes in this place.

The lush garden outside our room 10.

We are staying close to the yellow beautiful Iglesia de la Recolección.

12.54 The last hour it has happened a lot. We were twenty kilometers before Leon and we just met about 20 identical white buses. Some of them had Russian license plates. In addition, we saw a van with a hefty pile of mattresses on the roof. Our minivan stopped in the outskirts of the city and the driver commanded step us to step out. He thought we were in the same company as the Americans that were getting off there. We cleared the confusion and stepped on board again and went on. We got out of the minibus in a chaotic bus station similar to the one in Rivas. We quickly boarded a taxi. It, or its driver, gave us a quick ride to the Hostal Colibri (http://www.hostalcolibrileon.com) by the church Iglesia de la Recolección. There was also a sign which said Swedish Cultural Studies in Swedish!. The gate was locked and we rang the bell. A middle-aged lady helped us to check-in. Now we are in room 10 for 8 U.S. dollars/night and that includes breakfast. We also have free coffee and internet, not bad at all. Christer´s towel has CL written on it but it doesn't say PJ on mine. A cardboard box bearing man joined as for a while in the taxi ride. We guess this city also uses the system of collective taxis.

14.04 The number of unwritten pages in the journal are getting fewer rapidly. We are ready for lunch at the restaurant El Sesteo. Next to us is the city's cathedral and a monument of those killed in the fight for freedom. The restaurant is also at a corner of the city's main square, perfect for some people watching.

14.26 Our calm meal has been disturbed by a demonstration in the square. There are retired people who raised their voices and protest against something, not clear what they really want. We can not read their signs from where we sit.

15.20 We left the restaurant and saw a sky which was all but innocent blue and soon afterwards the rain was upon us. Some pictures were taken in and around the square and some postcards were bought inside the tourist information. The great cathedral here in the square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is from the early 1500's. It is one of the largest churches in Central America and it is rumored that it should actually have been built in Lima, Peru but the building plans ended up in the wrong place. Now, Christer is inside the grocery store La Unión while I stand guard outside. I am guarding the backpacks and umbrellas.

We had a good lunch at the restaurant El Sesteo.

UNESCO World Heritage listed Catedral de la Asunción in León, one of the largest churches in Central America.

The weather looks threatening.

15.53 When Christer was met by a deluge as he came out of the store. It is not raining; it's way beyond that. We have nowhere to go in this weather and will stay where we are for a while. However Christer has bought some tasty things for this afternoon and evening. He has also bought a toothbrush of the same brand which can be purchased at home in Sweden. Here it only costs 50 cents.

16.28 At last the rain calmed down and we walked home avoiding the puddles.

17.25 We have had some coffee and a mini-bimbo, it's a pastry. There are traces of Sweden here in the hostel. In the bookcase there are books in Swedish by Swedish authors. In addition there is a note which says in Swedish that you can borrow a book only if you return it. At the hostel fridge door hangs a toy elk and on a tourist map you can see advertisements for club Cameleon with the phrases like; the English cheers, German Prost and Swedish skål!

George W Bush isn´t very popular in Nicaragua either.

The ice cream man feels the first raindrops.

In this street corner you can see pictures of the young men who died fighting the dictator Somoza.

18.43 We have been reading in our Nesbø books and on various internet sites. We now have more facts about tomorrow's opportunities for transportation. We are thinking about dinner. The question is if we return to El Sesteo or try something else in this city.

19.24 We are once again going to have a meal at El Sesteo. We haven’t found any other reasonable alternatives. My beer, Toña, was cold, icy cold. I got mostly foam in my glass as I poured the beer.

20.23 We were under heavy surveillance during the meal. Two dogs showed interest in our food. We however did the same so their pending appeal was in vain. It was pretty quiet in the restaurant; only the two of us and some Israelis with hangover.

22.13 We're back at the Hostal Colibri and have been sitting and drinking Mexican beer and munched on Brazilian sweets. While we did that several bats flew by us in the roofless courtyard. Bats, it evokes memories. For almost exactly ten years ago, we were also visited by a bat. I threw it straight out of a window. Is it time for revenge?

The beggars tonight weren´t human.

Friday 15th of July

08.03 It is actually possible to shower although there isn't any shower head attached. We are about to have breakfast here at Hostal Colibri. First, I should put on a little more than a pair of sports shorts. The expected bat revenge seems to have been cancelled.

08.42 After a few slices of toast with margarine and marmalade and juice and coffee, we are now ready for a little short city tour. It smells strange inside our room. Is it us or the room that is the cause of it?

10.01 We went out and posted our postcards at the post office. I left a big note, a 200-córdoba, and the cashier had to go for some change. Christer was more compassionate and paid what it costs. We left the post office to go and immortalize yet another church, El Calvario. Now I'm outside the shop La Unión while Christer has gone inside to buy bread and sodas for us. We will have an early lunch or breakfast reinforcement, call it what ever you like, more nutrients are needed. We can, somewhere in the distance, hear the melody, song, from last year's football World Cup. On the way here we saw a taxi driver that shouted to his client who just left the taxi. The reason was that the young lady in question had forgotten to pay.

10.29 Our bread and juice are consumed by the table outside our room. Now we will get ready to move on.

The beautiful Iglesia El Calvario in León.

11.20 We checked and went out of our accommodation. Out there on the sidewalk we were greeted cheerfully by a guy who said something about Jesus. We climbed into a taxi where there already was a person. The taxi went off but soon stopped for some drill girls and drum guys who marched through the city. Once at the bus station we declined a taxi offer from a one-eyed guy. He was kind enough to point out the right bus for us. Now we are at a more than crowded bus going to San Isidro. Our backpacks has been placed on the roof. I sure hope it does not rain on this trip!

11.50 It can hardly be possible to squeeze in more people than this in a bus. We travel a short distance, stop, people get off and on. We have to lean backwards to let them pass, some limbo exercise. The bus host calmly moves around in this chaos and let people off, help others to board and make sure to get paid by everyone. We have been busy trying to keep balance and to have somewhere to put your feet.

11.58 In the middle of this chaos coach has an elderly lady with a machete boarded. I hope the old woman knows where she has her gear.

12.09 Suddenly a seat became vacant. I got fed up being a gentleman leaving seats to children, mothers or elderly. I am selfish and want to sit. I was offered candy by the man next to me during the standing up session of the ride. What happens now? The bus stopped and is being boarded by a half marketplace. They offer soft drinks, fresh and dried fruit, water, milk, juice and more. More from the World Cup from the past, an older gentleman on the bus has a red backpack with the logo of the World Cup in Germany in 2006.

Bus chaos in Nicaragua. Here some women are selling soft drinks on the bus between León and San Isidro.

12.58 The Swedish theme continues. The bus TV shows, after the ballads with the Los Mokuanes, "Carrie" by Europe.

13.17 There are beautiful views from the bus. They are unfortunately disturbed by what looks like rain clouds. It is not good news for the backpacks on the roof. A nervous wait begins. When will we arrive? When will it start to rain?

13.20 OK, here goes. The rain falls heavily. Ok, the bus stops and our backpacks are brought inside. Many thanks to our fantastic bus host who climbed onto the roof and fetched them.

14.18 We are off the beaten track and in the village of San Isidro. The bus stopped at the village "center", a bus shelter and a bunch of people. Now we are waiting under a tree for the next bus which will get here soon. We were led here by the brilliant bus host. He told us to wait about fifteen minutes. It's raining.

We are waiting for the bus in San Isidro.

14.34 The rain stopped and we walked away from our trees and to a bus stop. The bus from Estelí arrived and now we are on the road again. The ticket price is less than 17 córdoba (about 1 dollar) and the route is along the good old Pan American Highway.

15.57 We arrived at our next destination, Matagalpa and got into a taxi that already had a passenger. The driver also let in a "chiquita" girl too. We asked to be driven to Parque Morazán and we stopped by the city's cathedral. We started to walk and Christer said that things are running smoothly now. We walked on various streets before we found the hostel La Buena Onda (http://www.hostelmatagalpa.com) where we had reserved a 2-bed room. This is, according to the girl at the reception, a bunk bed in a dormitory. The strangest thing of all is the fact that we are supposed to pay US$ 12 each and the dormitory price is US$7. We are in room A. Something must have gone wrong but we are angry that they cannot admit the mistake. Instead they come with a lie that a room actually means two beds in the dormitory. It is typical that this will happen after a hard day of traveling. We do not mind dormitory together with other tourists, but some days you want to spread out the stuff, wash clothes etc.

17.00 After a shower and after some refreshment we have talked to the reception lady. She claims that the dormitory price is US$7/bed and a double room costs US$30. On the way out of the hostel we saw the hostel´s own rabbit bounce and skip around. When we checked in we saw something unusual during this journey, a Swedish person! There was a girl who picked something from the reception.

We didn´t expect a dorm tonight.

The nice rabbit at La Buena Onda.

A street close to our hostel in Matagalpa.

17.31 Out on the town, some pictures has been taken and possible restaurants have been found. The town is not very big and we have mostly been in the neighborhoods around the square and the big white cathedral. The rain eventually arrived to Matagalpa and us so we walked home. Here, we stay inside while waiting for the rain to stop.

18.30 The rain has stopped, but not for good, and we walked a lap around the block in search of restaurants before we crossed into the Restaurante El Mexicano. Here we have after some thinking, ordered a Milanesa each. We tried this dish last year in Uruguay and was about to eat ourself to death. I have rarely ever eaten so much. I hope these are smaller. Our cheerful waitress has curiously wondered about our origins and our various language skills.

Traffic in the centre of Matagalpa.

This parked car has seen better days.

20.06 There was food and drink for 80 córdoba. Ok, it was not a big meal and we drank melon juice but still 80 córdoba, 4 dollars each! Cheap! After the dinner followed 30 minutes of internet visits before we went and bought drinks at a grocery store. A restaurant in town is called and has an image mascot of the World Cup 1986, Pique. Here at the hostel, I bought a candy bar from the town. Matagalpa is also very famous for its coffee.

20.57 We have consumed literature on the patio. It's a bit dark but it's fine to read. Earlier we had coffee and the newly purchased chocolate. It was good chocolate by the way, dark chocolate with coffee beans in. Now it will be more reading, more Nesbø. There are mixed people here at the accommodation, as usual, a few Americans but also a pair of Spanish men who constantly fixed and rearranged their various cameras and film equipment.

22.17 I'm getting tired. I want my own room. There is nothing wrong with a dormitory, but not like a private room where we can create our own laws.

Tonight´s dinner was mexican.

Peter is writing in his journal in the rocking chair at La Buena Onda hostel.

Saturday 16th of July

08.01 It's wet and cold in the shower. That it is wet is pretty well expected. That it is cold is simply because that there is no hot water. According to a note in the bathroom, they save on hot water in order to maintain low prices here in the dorms. It's wet outside as well, it's raining.

09.03 This is a journey with many different days and breakfasts. Today we got a bowl with pieces of banana, pineapple and watermelon. The pieces were mixed with muesli, raisins and sour cream. Beside, we had a small bowl/cup with honey. Now we are thinking about today's events. Will we be able to switch to a private room?

09.16 It is getting brighter, both indoors and outdoors. The rain has stopped and a room is being prepared for us. We are, in the meantime, sitting in the rocking chairs and talk to the rabbit here. We may not get much of an answer but that's all there is to do in these waiting times.

09.56 We have received the green light and walked one floor upstairs and moved ourselves into room B. It is nice to have a private room where you can spread out yourself and the possessions. There is no reason to crowd in musty dorm rooms in a cheap country like Nicaragua. The Spanish men with the film equipment have been filming and interviewed the girl at reception who told them about how environmentally friendly this hostel is and how welcome tourists are here in Matagalpa.

Catedral San Pedro in Matagalpa.

Lovely morning coffee in Matagalpa.

10.53 We took the opportunity to wash our clothes before we went out. Now it's time for eleven o´clock coffee at Panaderia y Reposteria Gutierrez. If you want to call them the number is 2772-2502. It is a combination café and bakery. We have positioned us one floor up and sit with a nice view of the street and can observe what you do on a Saturday in Matagalpa.

11.10 We had black coffee and a donut and a slice of Swiss roll. We were, during the coffee break, diligently courted by some wasps, bees? They were equally interested in the coffee as of the cakes. We did not want our coffee would have a bad taste, so we killed one each.

11.46 No alarming prices for the coffee, 15 and 12 córdoba. That is under a dollar. We are now, after a little city tour, in Hamburlooca for a hamburgerlunch. Now we got a Coke with a straw each. Our bodies need solid food before we do anything more today.

12.50 It was good hamburgers. We then went home a short while in order to refresh ourselves. We are now, after a short taxi ride, ready to board the bus to Jinotega. We will make a day trip. The bus is as almost always in Central America, an old American school bus.

13.39 We travel slowly upwards on a winding road. Now we stop and a lady gets off.

14.26 The bus did not speed. The journey of 27 kilometers took an hour and a half. We have come to Jinotega and walked towards more central parts, we are by the church and the park in front of it. Right now I stand and watch a windmill. Above it are a bicycle and two men. I firmly believe that they are shoe shiners.

14.45 Both Christer and I feel drowsy, drugged. We are at fairly high altitude (1027 meters above sea level) but that is hardly the cause, our bodies take each chance they´ve got to get lazy. Jinotega produces 80% of the country's coffee and is known as the cloud city and it is cloudy today. We sit on a bench in Parque Central in front of the city's Cathedral and it just started to rain. We have just seen a different Madonna statue in the park. Maria has nail polish, sat with a bare chest and nursed Jesus. It was a Jesus who had no left arm and no feet. In addition, Mary had a hole in her head.

15.12 We have moved indoors to escape the rain and to find new energy. We are at the cafe Reposteria Delecios Silvia. A little boy asks now and then about a dollar from us. I've decided to call him George after George Washington, who appears on the dollar bill.

Catedral San Juan in Jinotega.

Peter at the café Silvia in Jinotega.

This hotel in Jinotega is run by Lenin Castro. We wonder what political views his parents had.

Christer is walking through Jinotega.

16.12 George followed us out of the Silvia and harped on before he disappeared. We sought after the hotel Sollentuna Hem, Sollentuna is a place in Sweden, which according to a guidebook can be found here. We didn’t find it. Now we are back at the bus station. With us we have not George but some wind battered umbrellas. Christer's umbrella is badly wounded and basically useless. We have sat down and wait like so many others for the bus to show up. Jinotega on a Saturday during the rainy season was not exciting but a day trip to see something new is always nice.

18.27 We made our way slowly back to Matagalpa. Now we're back in room B. Here we may have a small nap.

18.31 Six straight bangs have been heard outside. Now it's seven. Is that firecrackers? There came an eighth bang. The blast echoed between the walls. Now we heard several bangs.

19.48 Even more bangs were heard, but we went out anyway. At Parque Morazán there was a flashing fire engine. Did it have anything to do about the explosions? We are now at Monkey Bar for dinner. The restaurant is entirely built of wooden poles and has different levels, clearly a very special architecture. In here is a guy with bongo drums, or whatever they're called, congas, perhaps?

20.47 They are called percussion, the drums, that is. At least I think so. Our beer was "frosted". The food then, well it was good, the percussion player supports a singing guitarist. It's a great atmosphere here but we´ll soon walk home.

21.14 We walked and jumped back past the puddles. Now our last night in Matagalpa is coming to its end.