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May 3, 2003

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From the rural town of Esteli and the highlands of small farming communities, we move towards the Pacific coast and our first major stop in Nicaragua, the colonial town of Leon.
People who know Nicaragua consider León as the most liberal of Nicaragua's cities. It served as the nucleus of the radical Sandinista movement. Monuments to the revolution, elephant-sized Sandinista murals, cover the town. Colonial churches, government buildings, and Spanish-style houses line the streets. Walking the town leaves one with images of white adobe walls, red-tiled roofs, thick wooden doors and garden patios. Leon's central cathedral stands as the largest in Central America and covers the tomb of the poet Rubén Darío.
Bigger than life graffiti of Sandinista crushing Uncle Sam. Inspiring stuff if you're a guerilla.
How about a bag of rice and beans for dinner? One cordoba please.