Leon,
Nicaragua
Sunday, May 14, 2006
The beautiful city of Leon. We left yesterday (saturday) for a quick overnight trip to Leon. Only 2 hours away, Leon is thought of as the sister city to Granada. It is the most volcanic region on Nica that is dominated by a chain of 10 volcanos. Leon's Cathedral is the largest in central Americas. Construction began in 1747 and went on for a hundred years! According to local legends the city's leaders feared their original plans would be turned down by the Spanish imperials so they downsized their plans. This cathedral is also the home to Ruben Dario's tomb (a very famous Spanish poet). It was a very beautiful church, but smogged town by so much pollution on the outside it nearly looks pitch black in places. Inside is beautiful, yet nothing in comparison to the churches of Spain. We also went to a museum of legends while we were there. Silly really, but this place was once a jail, or a torture place. The things that the people went through was horrible, there are pictures that depict them all. But to make it even more crazy creepy, they had these paper mache like maniquens to represent each legend. I recognized many of the legends, among them is La Llorona, or the Crier. I know in Durango, Alamosa, and in Montrose this legend exists in some form, of a women who fell in love with a man (in this case a Spaniard, while she was an indigenous) she was like 15 and bore his child, shunned from the town, and drowned her baby in the river, so legend says don't walk next to the river at night for she still looks for her baby, crying, and she will pull you in! But it made for a fun day.
Big Foot Hostel
We ate at a "Mexicans" resaurante, where i ordered a Chalupa, and they brought me some kind of nachos with a sweet sauce. All in all it was good. That night we chilled at our really kool hostel, Big Foot, and I passed much of the night in a Hammack, because the room was like an oven. The next day we just walked around. The highlight of the trip was going into an airconditioned supermarket. We went there twice, it was fun. The bus ride home made for an adventure.
So the bus ride, there really aren't like bus stations here, so you just have to find one. Instead of taking the express bus, we opteded for the 1 cord. cheaper bus leaving an hour earlier. Come to find out, it was the bus that goes to all the little villages in between Leon and Managua. It took three hours, to drive what normally takes one. With hot smelly people all crammed together. We felt like we were the coming attraction. These sleazy guys kept eyeing us and it was really annoying. They don't don't respect women here, especially gringas. But, through all the afternoon heat and sweat, we made it back to little Granada. And so ends another adventure!
