Day 16: Tigers in Leon

 Walking the colonial streets of Leon

This morning we struck out for a walking tour of Leon, one of the oldest colonial cities in Nicaragua.  Nicaragua is hot and humid, but Leon is known for being one of the hottest and most humid of cities in Nicaragua, so we wanted to tour the city as early as possible. We started our tour with a trip to a civil war museum that was the site of some torture chambers.  From there we learned about some of the cultural archetypes of Nicaragua like the Gueguense.  Walking just a couple of blocks, we came to the cathedral where Ruben Dario (the father of Modernism) is buried.  We then toured the famous markets of Leon.

 A Sherman tank used in the civil war of 78-9

 The tree and trough used for water torture

 

 One of several royal homes in Leon

The cathedral of Leon

 Outside the Cathedral

 Inside the cathedral

 The outdoor markets

 A tiger parade

One of the many lions of Leon

Of course all the boys really wanted to do was hit the beach, so we did.  Day two at the beach was similar to our first day on the beach except that for lunch we all enjoyed an amazing paella.  By the end of the meal, very plate was empty.  We showered on the beach, piled into the bus, and made the long trek back to Esteli.  As we got close to Esteli, the boys recognized where they were and cheered.  Traveling is fun, but Esteli is like coming home.