An American In a Strange Town

Cathy’s Waffle House in Granada, Nicaragua

Last Sunday, under the auspice of ‘going out for an American breakfast’, my family and I went out to pick up my new classical guitar. Hehehehe…..As it turned out, we just went to breakfast…….not just any breakfast, mind you, but an authentic American breakfast.

I’m talking pecan waffles, Denver omelettes, chocolate pancakes, home fries, eggs any way you want them…..’the works’.

Cathy’s Waffle House on a busy Sunday morning

All this time, we’ve been living in Managua, and I didn’t know that if you just got on the highway (a little two-lane affair for those unfamiliar with Central American ‘highways’) and go towards Lake Nicaragua until you get to the beautiful colonial city of Granada.

Covenant across from Cathy’s Waffle House

Once you get to Granada’s main square, just mutter these words to any local….Podria decirme donde esta Cathy’s Waffle House? Any just like that, you too can be eating flapjacks with Aunt Jemina syrup, enjoying bottomless cups of American coffee, and even order a 1/2 pound cheeseburger if you’re feeling a little crazy…..

Some satisfied customers

Ahh, like everything else in this country, it isn’t what it seems………

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Speaking of guitars, I’ll hopefully be reporting on my brand new custom-built Nicaraguan classical guitar later this week.

That is, if my wife doesn’t kill me first…..

Seriously, if you come to Nicaragua, do yourself a favor and go to Masaya. In addition to custom-built Rosewood guitars, there are oodles of hand-carved painted masks.

They make great decorations for scaring the hell out of small children, and are wonderful conversation pieces, I’m sure…

Technorati Tags: Nicaragua, Masaya, Wood Carved Masks, Guitars, Sergio Zepeda,  

Well, it’s funny…..every once in awhile, I run into other musicians here in Managua. I guess I can call myself a ‘musician’. I mean, I play guitar.
Guy that plays guitar= musician, right?!

At any rate, for those of you that know me, I haven’t been at it very long, couple of years, maybe 3. So, when some guy comes along….you know, a semi-professional musician, and we get to talking….he finds out I ‘play’ guitar. Next thing you know, I’m going to jam with him….perhaps before he does a show in a little dive bar here.

I keep telling the guy, ‘Hey! I don’t play Country music, I play Country Blues music. That means no George Strait. I’m talking Mississippi John Hurt…..’ Then he goes, ‘What?! Who’s he?!’…..and so it goes. I’m a burgeoning guitarist, playing a style no one has heard of….in a country with no music scene.

Technorati Tags: Nicaragua, Managua, Country Blues, Country Music, Mississippi, John Hurt, George Strait, Blues