Puro Sabor 2018: Day 2

Officially, the scheduled daytime activity was a beach day at a resort. And while I might have been interested in that, a two-hour each way bus ride and the option to sleep in—probably the last such opportunity until Sunday—meant that I opted for a calm day in Granada instead.

It started with a bit of work before Patrick and I headed out for coffee. One thing that is common in Granada is short bursts of rain. Within a half hour span at the coffee shop, it rained twice, each for no more than five minutes.

After that, we headed back to El Zaguán, the same restaurant I ate at last night, albeit with a different choice in appetizers. The food was good with the ceviche (middle) being my personal highlight.

We then headed back to our hotel where we recorded the video below, an unboxing of the Puro Sabor bag.

After a lengthy camera set-up and two takes, we uploaded the video and headed out. First we stopped directly next door to our hotel at a travel agency that also sold cigars it rolled elsewhere in the city under the brand name of Chacū. I know nothing about the brand beyond that, but it’s always interesting to find out about small rolling operations.

From there we walked up towards Casa Favilli, the home of Mombacho Cigars S.A. We toured and covered the factory last year and we while didn’t take a formal tour this year, the factory has a personal trifecta for me: air conditioning, wi-fi and cigars. We took advantage of the trio and some beers before heading back to our hotel.

As I’ve mentioned before, Granada is really unlike any other city in the country I’ve been to. Its history and architecture are unique, but it’s also an interesting place geographically. This stream shows all the contrasts at play—and also makes me feel a lot better about our decision to switch camera systems.

I believe this says “no more dredgers,” likely a reference to the recent failed controversial Chinese canal project that likely would have damaged the country’s environment, including Granada.

The evening featured the first formal event of the festival: a night at the Museo de Convento de San Francisco. It was founded in 1585 and features a cathedral and museum, though like most of Granada, the original building was burned to the ground.

Despite it being a Catholic museum, smoking and drinking were allowed in the courtyard for one night. The museum features some interesting exhibits, but the main attraction is the Zapatera statues.

These were found on the Zapatera Island and are believed to be from 800-1200 A.D. The statues were found in the late 1800s and moved to Granada in the early 20th century. They are fasnciating to look at and each a bit different. The museum normally charges $5 for admission and this one exhibit is definitely worth it.

From there it was back to the main street with bars for Toña, music and cigars. Tomorrow: to Estelí.

Disclosure: Puro Sabor paid for one festival registration, which includes the activities, lodging and most meals while in Nicaragua. We paid for our airfare and the other registration.