Casa Lydia
This is our home away from home - the guest house Casa Abajo in the Santa Lucia Social Club (also known as Casa Lydia)

Santa Lucia Social Club, or Casa Lydia

We are fortunate to be staying in this pleasant comfortable apartment in an excellent location in Granada (3 blocks north + 2 blocks east from the Central Park). We got an early start on lodging this year: Lois was actively in contact with Granada real estate people by July. We booked our flights in September. By early October we had a tentative choice made, and Lois was in continuing contact with Vanessa at the agent’s office to pin down the reservation. The deal was sealed on December 2nd with a month’s rent paid in advance, after we saw photos of the newly remodeled Casa Abajo at the Santa Lucia Social Club.

We arrived Thursday afternoon, December 27, after a smooth trip, starting at 4am in frozen Schenectady, and plunging into sun and warmth in Nicaragua. Our hostess, Lilly, met us at the front gate and showed us around. We were delighted with the beautiful rooms, pool, palapa, and gardens. Our apartment, with a spacious living/dining/kitchen room, a bathroom, and a very comfortable large bedroom, is called "Casa Abajo" (the apartment upstairs is "Casa Arriba"). We were happy to meet the three cats and the dog – all friendly and easy-going. As we settled in over the next week or so, we got to know and appreciate Lilly even more – she has been here some years, and knows everyone. What a great source of information!

[update:] We are enjoying our stay in Casa Abajo tremendously -- with the beautiful gardens, pool, and surroundings, plus the entertaining Pacino, Missy Foo, Esquina, and Kitty. And most of all, our gracious hostess, Lilly Filipow.

• Pineapple Cactus bloom Pineapple Cactus bloom
• Just arrived safely! Now to unpack... Just arrived safely! Now to unpack...
• Garden just out our front door Garden just out our front door
• Don in the bedroom Don in the bedroom
• The Palapa from our bedroom door The Palapa from our bedroom door
• Living room/Dining room/Kitchen Living room/Dining room/Kitchen
• Kitchen/Dining room Kitchen/Dining room
• Bedroom outside door (to Palapa) Bedroom outside door (to Palapa)
• Palapa and pool, Casa Lydia main house beyond Palapa and pool, Casa Lydia main house beyond
• 'Kitty' 'Kitty'
• 'Missy Foo' 'Missy Foo'
• Lily, our hostess, gardening Lily, our hostess, gardening
• 'Pacino', world's sweetest Doberman 'Pacino', world's sweetest Doberman
• Boutique in street entrance to Casa Lydia Boutique in street entrance to Casa Lydia
• 'Esquina' ('Corner') on our kitchen counter 'Esquina' ('Corner') on our kitchen counter
• Palapa Palapa
• Garden (basil on left) Garden (basil on left)
• Street entrance Street entrance
• Kitchen beginning to be 'lived in' Kitchen beginning to be 'lived in'
• 'Kitty' on the oven 'Kitty' on the oven
• 'Esquina' hiding from fireworks New Year's Eve 'Esquina' hiding from fireworks New Year's Eve
• 'Esquina' hiding from fireworks New Year's Eve 'Esquina' hiding from fireworks New Year's Eve
• 'Missy Foo' making Lois happy 'Missy Foo' making Lois happy
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• Esquina Esquina
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• Missy Foo atop cabinet in kitchen Missy Foo atop cabinet in kitchen
• Lois picking papaya near our door Lois picking papaya near our door
• Looking out our front door Looking out our front door
• Esquina in bathroom window Esquina in bathroom window
• Esquina in bathroom window Esquina in bathroom window
• Missy Foo atop chimney Missy Foo atop chimney
• Missy Foo atop chimney Missy Foo atop chimney
• Missy Foo atop display case Missy Foo atop display case
• Lois and Lilly at festival booth Lois and Lilly at festival booth
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