Empty Nesters on a Green Global Trek

Schools are closed now from the 1st of December until February for the holidays – a full two months- and as a result there is the feeling of fiesta and festivity in the air. After all Christmas is around the corner. It is Virgin Mary time again, which means the early 4.30 am processions, the late afternoon processions and the individual street “visitations”.

We both ignore the trombone in the wee hours of the morning, but I go outside in the afternoon when I hear the sound of the mini band (two people, a trombone and a trumpet) and some festivity.

The Virgin Mary is doing the rounds and is on our street. People pay to have the statue brought in front of their house and have the band play and sometimes they even have their own little statuette of the Virgin Mary in the doorway.

As I walk across to take pictures it strikes me how much Nicaraguans enjoy these rituals, why else would they be so prolific? and how much I enjoy watching.

At night there are various processions all around the theme of the Virgin. The streets are lit up and people are staying up later at night filling the streets as they wait for the Virgin to come by. Christmas trees are already visible through open doors, and the holiday season is clearly in Granada.

The general level of noise has increased and firecrackers are already going off at regular intervals. The sound is much like the sound of an exhaust of a broken down car.

This is a hard time for Mango and Dwayne as they do not like these sudden bangs, even though you would think they would be used to them by now, their level of nervousness is high. It’s that time of year again.

Actually I love December and January here. The weather is always great, warm with cool breezes and Christmas, is just the best!

The bamboo studio is getting its final touches of readiness… paintings and Adam’s photographs going up on the walls, a bamboo closet constructed by one of our carpenters, shelves, hot water, cook top etc. It is looking fabulous!