Gondola Moon Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

I though it was unusual that the “horns” of the crescent moon pointed upward in Grenada instead of sideways like I thought they always did at home. This gondola moon as I called it is more commonly called a wet moon. It turns out I was only partially right. The apparent angle of the  crescent moon’s horns does vary by latitude, but also by season due to the changing of the inclination of the moon’s orbit relative to the earth. The more perpendicular the orbit to where you are on earth, the more of a wet moon you have. At the equator the angle of the orbit changes little over the seasons and the moon always rises and sets more or less vertically. The result is  wet moons being the norm. As you move towards the poles however, the angle of the moon’s orbit changes more dramatically with the seasons and you only get wet moons (or partially wet moons) in the winter time. That I don’t remember seeing a wet moon up north is probably due to not getting out much at night in winter months, or a poor memory, or both.]]>

Open All Night Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

A lot vendors stay open well after dark in the plaza in central Grenada. Most try and make do with the available light from surrounding buildings, but this enterprising woman rigged a strand of Romex wire with some questionably wired bare bulbs in the trees to light her merchandise. She probably wasn’t actually open all night, but she could have been.]]>

Blue Saturday Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

Taking a break on a Saturday evening.

]]>

Living the Dream Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

This is probably the most thematically dressed person I saw during the week long celebration of Purisima Concepción de Maria (the Immaculate Conception.)]]>

Sherberts Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

I take a scoop of lime and a scoop of raspberry.

]]>

Mass Transit #3 Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

Even if they were all wearing helmets, I imagine this kind of behavior would be frowned upon by the authorities in this country. Obviously different rules apply in different cultures.]]>

El Pachanguero Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

We were sitting at a cafe on the plaza in Granada one Saturday night and this open-air bus kept going by on a regular basis. In the back of the bus was a DJ and his music set-up complete with a large set of amplifiers and speakers powered by a gas generator. The very lively music was audible from a block or two away every time the bus came around. We found out later the bus is used to ferry people from the plaza down to the lake about a mile away where all the nightclubs are. It is also used by folks who don’t use it to actually get anywhere,  rather just for a fun Saturday night spin (or two, or three) around town. The literal translation of panchanguero into English is “noisy: rowdy,” of which this bus was both. It also means “party animal” which fits quite well too.]]>

The Stuff Vegetarians Are Made Of Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

Yesterday’s photo was from the more or less indoor, more permanent portion of the Municipal Market. This shot was from the area outside of the building comprised of makeshift covered stalls. Given it was a meat market, the place was surprisingly clean, with minimal flies and bugs and no overwhelming smells. The ever present street dogs took good care of cleaning up the ground. Still with simple bare wood counters and unrefrigerated meat in ninety degree heat, I had to wonder if a bowl of Gallo Pinto (rice and beans) might make a safer dinner choice than say a hamburger. However, we did eat meat routinely during the two weeks we were there and came home no worse for the wear.]]>

Closing Time Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

The end of the business day in the meat department of the Grenada Municipal Market.]]>

Lives Real and Imagined #32 Grenada, Nicaragua 2013

The first color image of my Lives Real and Imagined series.

]]>