Overlooking Granada toward Mombacho volcano, taken from the bell tower of La Merced church. Not in shot: horses, dogs, and goats.

I enjoy Third World countries–I find them charming, romantic, and adventurous. Nicaragua’s no exception; the colonial architecture, cobble stoned streets, pristine beaches, volcanic hikes, jungle excursions, souvenirs, and most of all, friendly Nicaragüences. But most interesting to me are the roaming animals of Granada.

In the city you’ll find an abundance of perros sin dueños. Ownerless dogs. Plenty of people here have dogs for pets, but I was struck by the number of dogs in the calle, too. These dogs aren’t dangerous, and locals and government alike pay them little heed (there are no dogcatchers). But it’s something you’ll notice when you visit, so be prepared.

I’ve also met a small herd of unattended goats bounding around the corner, gobbling up weeds. They seemed friendly. And a couple of times I’ve come across riderless horses. A little surprising, but the second time I was prepared, and extended an apple on my open palm. I never saw an apple vanish so fast. But I don’t know much about horses, so I didn’t want to get too close.

All those other things I mentioned about Nicaragua, the architecture, etc., they’re worth seeing, absolutely. But for me, just walking around town is an adventure.

Geary Radcliffe
For International Living