After my bad experiences in El Salvador I needed a change of pace and a small and hassle-free town where I could simply recuperate for a few days. Gracias seemed to fit this bill perfectly. The Lonely Planet book describes it as a small, tranquile, cobblestone town that used to be the capital of all Spanish-conquered Central America and where the pace of life along its cobblestone streets rarely moves much faster than walking. They were right on the last point. Not much moved faster than walking. However, the town in no way resembled a former capital, nor were any (?) of its streets cobblestoned (well, maybe two).
