Started off in Leon for a few days. Leon was the setting for some of the most dramatic scenes of Nicaragua´s revolution, including the assassination of the president, Samoza (a dictator, but US supported) in 1956 by Rigoberto Lopez Perez a young poet. I´ve only begun to scratch the surface of learning Nicaragua´s history and the US role in it, but it´s pretty whack. The current climate is interesting becuase basically the former guerilla forces are now in power (President Ortega is connected to the Sandinistas, or the FSLN who led the revolution in the 60s, and who have always been condemned by the US government). So for example in Leon, the hero statue is to Rigoberto Lopez Perez, not to the assassinated former president. Leon in particular is a bastion of Sandinista pride, with politically themed murals splashed all over the place, and residents ready to tell you their opinion at the slightest invitation. Maria Propina (her first name really was Maria, but Propina means tip, because that´s what she wanted) caught me looking at the memorial to Rigoberto Lopez Perez and proceded to tell me all about the revolution and explained the city´s murals. After that I went to the Heroes and Martyr´s Museum which is essentially a collection of photos of all the fallen revolutionary participants, run by their mothers. After that I was sitting in a cafe when three Nicaraguan law students befriended me and invited me out for a birthday drink because one of the guys was celebrating. So I tagged along for a fascinating session of rapid fire spanish political talk and beer. I hung out with them (struggling to keep up the whole time) most of the afternoon and then three gals I´ve been travelling with met up with us for dinner. The guys showed us to the best spot for street food, and it was pretty fantastic. By the end of it all, my brain hurt from the pace of the Spanish and from all the politics. But it was a great insight.
After Leon, I headed to Granada, which is where I am now. It was "founded" (conquistadored) by Hernández de Córdoba who named it in honor of the Spanish Granada. I was in the other Granada in April, and it is interesting to see the architectural influence of the namesake. The beautiful old colonial buildings have the most fantastic courtyards (a nod to the moorish). Everything is brightly colored but covered with a layer of grime, and there´s always a slight carnival-vibe in the air with break-dancing street performers, pinata stores off the central plaza, and horse-drawn carriages for hire.
Beer and Sandanistas
One of the many murals of Leon. Notice Uncle Sam
Street scene Granada
Street heat Granada
Beer and Sandanistas
One of the many murals of Leon. Notice Uncle Sam
Street scene Granada
Street heat Granada
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