We finally got to Managua last weekend. It was just for 24 hours and hardly compares to the depth we’ve gotten to know Granada, but what a different world.  We saw a few glimpses of tin roofed wood planked shack neighborhoods, but even those had a certain order and tidiness that we havent seen here in Granada. We got off the bus at a huge European-like traffic circle on the highway and went straight into a sparkling white mall full of Nica shoppers. We spent the next 4 hours seeing the main sites in the city center, including 2 amazing parks that offer more for families than I can think of any where back home. The actual tourist, govt and historic sites were mostly disappointing. The Laguna Tiscapa was an impressive site and had a good presentation of the 20th century history leading up to the ’75-’79 revolution.  The giant black shadow figures of Sandino in Managua are also very impressive.  Sandino was the revolutionary in the late 20’s/30’s tha fought the US Marine occupation. He was assassinated after agreeing to sign a peace treaty. That then lead to the 40+ year reign of the Somoza family who served at the pleasure of US companies with big land/banana interests here. The hundreds, maybe thousands, of bright enormous (maybe 25′) metal trees are quite curious.  If there were just some on one main street it might make sense. But they are everywhere and just raises the question about cost of so many of them.  We’re not sure, but some things may have been closed to prepare for the presidential inauguration, which happened tonight.  The biggest difference between the experience of the 2 cities:  deep cultural texture, noise and trash.  Granada has these everywhere; Managua none.  Its not such a fair comparison.  Managua was hugely impacted by the Dec 1972 earthquake that killed 10,000 and leveled much fo the city center. Growth since was outward, creating an LA like sprawl where 2 million of the country’s 6.5 million live. Enjoy the pics and the video from our stoop back in Granada the night we got back from Managua. More later this week on holidays at Ometepe and beach. Also, I’m getting close to asking for donations to build a house and hire a teacher.