2 Feb '15

Photo of the Week 190: Nicaragua

Posted in Nicaragua– Photos of the Week

68 comments

Happy Monday! This week I left the colorful streets of colonial Granada for my more natural habitat: anywhere seaside. In this case, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua’s notorious surf and party town. I’ve still been working plenty since my arrival but managed to sneak in a healthy dose of fun — from a day out on the waves to some open-air yoga sala sessions to a few rounds of local nightlife. It feels great to be here and though I have less than two weeks left in Nicaragua I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. Today the power and wifi went out for the entire day, and despite an endless to do list I found the town’s chill vibes have totally taken me over — I barely managed a clenched fist in response to the change of work plans.

Looking forward to lots of big Thailand and Nicaragua posts coming up this week. See you guys in the comments — and happy Monday!

Photo A

My guidebook said this church would be blue, but I didn’t mind it in white

Photo B

My favorite view in Granada

Photo C

The vibrant and colorful streets of Nicaragua

Photo D

Couldn’t resist sneaking this sunshine-colored cathedral into one more Photo of the Week!

Photo E

San Juan del Sur’s infamous Sunday Funday

Photo F

Came for the surf, stayed for the vibes

Which photo is your favorite?

68 Comments...

Justine
February 2 2015

I think I’m going with F this time. I love that shot of the surfboards. There’s something about San Juan del Sur that seems like it would be the perfect place to have fun and be able to get some work done…well, aside from the fact that the power goes out sometimes! Ah well, enjoy the beaches. As I recall there are some really beautiful ones a short boat ride away!

- Alex
  February 2 2015
  
  Yeah, that surfboard pic was actually taken at Playa Maderas, which is about a twenty minute pickup truck ride away! I could stay here much longer, but I think the internet and power would prove to be a hassle long term…
  
Emily
February 2 2015

I’m liking the vibes of F as well. Love that full-wall map! Enjoy the seaside 🙂

- Alex
  February 2 2015
  
  I’ve been to that restaurant a few times… yum tacos, big map and good wifi. What more could you ask for!
  
Francesca
February 2 2015

I like your work station in F – beats a grey office any day! Are you going diving in South America?

- Alex
  February 2 2015
  
  Just Central America on this trip! I was hoping to dive here in San Juan del Sur but they need two people and since I’ve gotten here no one else has expressed any interest! Ah well, will keep trying…
  
Jimmy Dau
February 2 2015

There’s a certain essence, mood and motion that is captured in image C.

Did you end up going to Sunday Funday? It nearly broke me when I went..

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  I did! It was a bit of an unusual one as we couldn’t go to Naked Tiger for a bunch of reasons. I had fun but… I think I might need to stick around until next week to see it properly 🙂
  
becky hutner
February 2 2015

A — well captured!

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  Thanks! I felt very creatively inspired in Granada.
  
Chris
February 2 2015

Glad you’re enjoying San Juan del Sur.

Crowd was a bit young and a bit too intent on boozing and scoring for us, but a nice enough town (we spent Xmas there)…

Photo C for me (I have a few very similar shots from that bell tower, just not quite as nice as yours)!

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  There is another crowd here too who is really into the yoga and the raw vegan food and all that… I’ve been dabbling a bit with both crowds 🙂 It’s a nice balance!
  
Sarah
February 3 2015

Photo F! You’ll always have me with surf boards, sand and giant maps 🙂

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  Thanks Sarah — I’m with ya!
  
Steve
February 3 2015

I’m choosing Photo A. The sky is blue enough for me.

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  That’s a great answer, Steve 🙂
  
Audrey
February 3 2015

Photo C! The colours are just amazing!

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  The whole town is like that… an explosion of Pantone!
  
Caity
February 3 2015

I am voting for Photo C this week, there is something kinda intimate about it!
P.S What happened to the post about the cave just outside of Pai? It was there one minute and gone the next!

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  It’s back up now! My autoscheduling feature kind of freaked out a little and posted on the wrong day temporarily. Whoops 🙂
  
Michelle | Lights Camera Travel
February 3 2015

Love C this week, I really feel like it tells a story.

Happy Monday… though Tuesday is already over down under 🙂

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  Ha, this post went out WAY later than expected due to the nine hour power outage 🙂 Normally I don’t put them up quite so late!
  
Kacy
February 3 2015

I love photo C. It just grabbed me and I couldn’t stop looking at it!

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  Thanks Kacy! It was a really lucky capture.
  
Laurent
February 3 2015

Photo B without a doubt! The view is stunning and the angle is perfect! Having said that I really like C too, it’s really appealing and makes me feel like I was there 🙂

Thanks for sharing those!

- Alex
  February 3 2015
  
  You are so very welcome Laurent. I love going through my photos for the week and pulling out my favorites to share.
  
Courtney Opalka Meyer
February 3 2015

My husband and I went to Costa Rica and Nicaragua in November for our honeymoon and have a nearly identical photo to your photo B!

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  It is quite the iconic view! And what an amazing honeymoon 🙂
  
Andrea
February 3 2015

Photo C! Love capturing locals just doing their thing 🙂

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  Considering how shy I am to take photos of people, whizzing by on a bicycle is really the only time I’ll capture any 🙂
  
Janine
February 3 2015

I vote photo C. It reminds me of a fancy ad photo that makes you want to go somewhere. Will you be visiting the corn islands? We plan on traveling to Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama at the end of the month for a month. It will be our first experience with longer term travel.

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  Unfortunately I don’t have immediate plans to visit the Corn Islands. I might make it there a bit later in the trip though! We’ll see 🙂
  
Kristen Noelle
February 3 2015

I’m stumped! I keep going back and forth between nearly all of them. I’m loving the bright colors and the towns’ serenity in A-D, and the vibes in E & F. Thiiiink I’m loving C & D the most!

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  Love reading your thoughts as always Kirsten 🙂
  
Elizabeth
February 3 2015

Photo D is my favourite!!

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  Thanks for voting, Elizabeth!
  
Maddy
February 3 2015

Photo F! Photo F! I love that it shows both sides of what you do with your time. 🙂 Also that wall map is amazing! THESE COLORS! GAH!

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  I know right? I think I just found some serious inspiration for my future dwelling… wherever that may be.
  
Katie
February 3 2015

Photo D – Granada is so pretty! Make sure you head over the hill from San Juan del Sur to Playa Maderas – such a lovely beach and good surf. Look for monkeys in the trees along the way 🙂

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  That’s actually where I took the surfboard pic! Loved it.
  
Miriam of Adventurous Miriam
February 3 2015

Power breakdown in Nicaragua sounds familiar – it happened all the time when I was there 🙂 Are you moving north towards Léon afterwards? It’s a lovely town and it has volcano boarding!

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  I am indeed! Excited to compare it to Granada!
  
Rashaad
February 3 2015

I vote for Photo F – I love the beach and that map is the same one in my office

(I am currently conducting an internship at a sustainable tourism firm in DC. The last couple of days have been boring but hopefully, they will pick up)

I could lie on a sunny beach all day – and look at a good world map all day as well.

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  I’m with ya! Good luck with the internship — it sounds like a really interesting topic. Hopefully it will pick up!
  
Jiné
February 3 2015

Photo E because it looks like an actual paradise and a dream all at once…especially to someone currently buried in snow in Boston! 🙂

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  Sending you lots of sunshine vibes to get through the rest of this brutal winter, girl!
  
Laura
February 4 2015

Looks like you’re having a great time! All the photos make me envious and I am in serious need of sunshine! I think B is probably my favorite though!

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  I am indeed 🙂 Nicaragua is turning out to be all I’d hoped for and more!
  
Petra @ The Global Couple
February 4 2015

I love F! I’ve always wanted map wallpaper 🙂 and the surf looks so enticing… Nice shots! Hope you’re enjoying Nicaragua!

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  It is fantastic! Really enjoying myself so far, and feeling three weeks isn’t nearly enough time 🙂
  
Sky
February 4 2015

I love the shot of the computer with the map! Super excited for Sunday Funday!

P.S. I’m staying at Rocking J’s and getting ready to head to Playa Chiquita to ride with Bruce after I reread your posts on Puerto Viejo!

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  That’s amazing Sky! I loooove Puerto Viejo. Soak up some good vibes for me 🙂
  
Stef
February 4 2015

Photo F, love the vibe the photo expresses 🙂

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  This town has good vibes down in a big way 🙂 Love it!
  
Peta@GreenGlobalTrek
February 4 2015

We lived in Nicaragua for five years before embarking on our nomadic travels in Asia. The blue church in Granada was around the corner from our house and each year faded lighter and lighter till eventually most of it was white. We were disappointed when they repainted it a different color. We loved getting fresh tropical fruit brought to our door every day by fruit ladies. Don’t miss the coconut water! There are also many opportunities to give back via volunteering in the community. You can read our adventures there by clicking on the Nicaragua links on our blog.

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  Hey Petra! Another Granada expat told me they were all devastated when it got repainted white. What a bummer! Having nothing to compare it to, though, I thought it was pretty pretty as is 🙂
  
Paula Through the Looking Glass
February 4 2015

I hear you are hanging out with my other favourite blogger, miss Kate McCulley? You two have fun now 😉 a joint post would be MORE than awesome 😉

Photo E is my fav

- Alex
  February 4 2015
  
  Hmmm, I’ve never done a joint post before! I’d have to think about the logistics on that one! Love the creativity though 🙂
  
Rekha Devarapalli
February 4 2015

Photo E!! It is so movie like 🙂

- Alex
  February 6 2015
  
  It was a pretty cinematic day!
  
Emma
February 15 2015

Photo C, although I love the caption on A as well 😀

- Alex
  February 16 2015
  
  Thanks 🙂
  
Kailey
February 19 2015

Oh I love photo D!

Did you take photography classes or are you self taught? I’m about to buy a DSLR and don’t know if I am smart enough to teach myself and not want to throw my camera over a fence in frustration haha!

- Alex
  February 24 2015
  
  I took photography classes in high school and college and did a photography internship one summer, and anything I’ve picked up since then has been self taught. I’d definitely look into a class at your local community college or arts center — they are really fun!
  
Ryan
February 24 2015

Alex,

Do you have any pictures of the booze cruise of me and my buddies that you are willing to share! Thanks again and nice to meet you!

-Ryan

- Alex
  February 25 2015
  
  Hey Ryan! I’m just back online after almost two weeks with no wifi — I promise I’ll respond to your email in time 🙂
  
Kristen Noelle // Peaches, Beaches, & Urbanistas
March 4 2015

Had to come back just to say that the yellow cathedral is on the cover of this week’s TravelWeek (a Canadian trade publication I receive at work). I recognized it immediately like, “heyyy Alex just introduced me to that beautiful place!” Signs I need to go, eh?

- Alex
  March 5 2015
  
  Awesome, Kristen! Yes, I think it’s a sign indeed 🙂 Get bookin’!