Leon--the colonial city we didn't pick

In researching possible places to live in Nicaragua, Leon was high on the list initially--until I realized how hot it is there.  Its a beautiful, colorful, intellectual, activist, energetic, historic and lively colonial city (current site founded in 1610) that is only 20 minutes from the beach.  It was the capital of Nicaragua for a couple hundred of years and fought a civil war with Granada to retain the title (with the capital eventually being moved to Managua as a compromise), and was also a hotbed of the Sandinista/FSLN movement during the most recent civil war, and still remains a strongly FSLN-leaning city.  We delayed visiting Leon until the weather cooled down, and when my dear friend Angie said she was coming to visit in February, it was the perfect time to finally explore the town.  Despite the heat, we really enjoyed the city, and if truth be told and if school/logistics had allowed, we probably would have preferred to live there for our year in Nicaragua rather than in Granada (no offense Granada--we loved you too!).  As is Granada, Leon is a wonderful town for exploring on foot and had some surprisingly good restaurants and an amazing art museum that spans 4 (or 5) colonial buildings.  Leon is also in the midst of the Maribios volcano range, so you are pretty much surrounded on all sides by volcanoes.  I would definitely like to spend some more time there in my lifetime.

One of the main thorough-fares, covered in wires of all sorts.

My beautiful girl.

A pedestrian thorough-fare off the Central Park and next to the cathedral.

The Leon Cathedral.

Iglesia La Recoleccion.

Angie in front of the Cathedral.

The "leones" of Leon.



Close up of one of the volcanoes.

Isabel and I in front of La Gigatona-a popular folklore character.

Bullet holes still visible from the 1979 battle of the revolution.

A very nice playground that we stumbled upon. 
They put the princess castle in the tree!

Isabel in front of the mural in the children's park.

A view from one of the windows inside the Revolutionary Museum.

The central park and cathedral from on top of the Revolutionary Museum.

A view of Mombotombo Volcano and another that I can't remember the name!

Che and other revolutionary war heroes. The gentlemen to the right were former
 FSLN guerrilla fighters. 

Raul getting info from a former guerrilla during our
revolutionary war tour.  This gentleman was very proud of his
efforts during the war, and pointed out photos of himself on the walls.

A pic in our hotel (was a lovely old colonial house with garden)
before heading to the beach.

Our view while having a beer and fresh fish for lunch.  I didn't
get a photo, but I found and saved a small octopus on this beach!

The beaches of Nicaragua

I have written a couple of posts about specific beach trips we've taken (Corn Islands, San Juan del Sur), but we have been so lucky to have visited quite a few more beaches than just those.  Many great beaches are within an 1.5 or 2 hours drive from Granada, so on numerous weekends, we'd rent a car and travel to enjoy the gorgeous, tranquil, undeveloped beaches along Nicaragua's Pacific coast.  Nicaragua has a very long Pacific coastline, thus many different beaches to explore.  Many of them have tremendous waves--I saw what I believe is the largest wave I've ever experienced at Playa Santana--and many of them attract surfers.  While trying to swim in Nicaragua's ocean's (Big Corn Island being the exception), I've grown to have a tremendous respect for the waves and the power of nature.  I think my previous forays into mostly the Atlantic or Caribbean seas gave me a false sense of  ability to swim and stay above the water in the ocean.  The waves and the undercurrents are no joke here, so you have to be very cautious and smart when trying to swim in the ocean.  Nicaragua also has a long Atlantic Coast, but there is minimal infrastructure to get to that area of the country (which is saying a lot, because much of the Pacific coast requires a 4x4), and it is also home to many of Nicaragua's drug crimes. 

I have cherished all of our time here in Nicaragua at this moment in time in part because Nicaragua is still so undeveloped and "unspoiled", and I think this is especially true with the beaches where you can go to many beaches and see only locals fishing or swimming, with not a hotel or restaurant in sight.  It is already changing and will not stay this way for long, so I am thankful for our experience.

Majagual Beach

This is the beach we stayed above when we visited San Juan del Sur.  Lots of other photos in that post:  San Juan del Sur post

La Boquita Beach

La Boquita was developed as a tourist area for people to get out of Managua and go to the beach for the day.  There are a dozen or so restaurants set up on the beach ("restaurant" meaning thatched roof, table and chairs, with hammocks set up), along with a communal area out front with a playground and a couple pulperias (little convenience stores).  Its an overwhelming experience as everyone follows you trying to get you to go to their restaurant, but once you choose, you can order a drink and some seafood and relax.

A fishing boat.

Taking a break from the sun and sand.

Fishing boats.

Don't let the look on her face fool you--she ate
most of the fish.

Horseback riding on the beach.

Fishermen and their family rolling the boat in on large logs. 

Raul passed out in a hammock on the beach.

Huehuete and Casares Beaches

These two beaches are just a few miles from each other.  Hueheute was completely empty of other beach-goers.  There were some houses along the beach, but not much else (including shade).  However, it is gorgeous, and has some great tidal pools, complete with a lobster in one.  Casares is not really a good beach for swimming--its a fisherman's beach and has a fresh seafood market right on the beach.  A little bit dirty, but still really interesting to see the boats and all of the fresh seafood.

Casares fishing boats

Casares fishing boats and nets

 

Penitas Beach

We visited this beach when we went to visit Leon up north.  It is super close--about 20 mins away from Leon, and was really tranquil and nice.  We ate lunch at had some drinks at a hostel on the beach, and I saved a small octopus while on a beach walk.  He was on the sand, desperately trying to get back into the ocean, so I gave him some help.

Santana and Popoyo/Guasacate Beaches

These beaches are fairly close to each other but the places we stayed were a bit different from each other.  Both beaches were gorgeous and fairly empty of people.  We had more shade from a few trees on Santana and the company of a few local kids who were very interested in us and Isabel's kite.  At Popoyo, I had the misfortune of getting hit in the head by a very large wooden screen frame that fell out of our room's window.  Had a large bump and pain for about a week, but still enjoyed a lovely time at the beach.

Santana Beach

Yes, the sun here scares me to death so I try to cover up for
prolonged exposure.

A guy brought this cart down to fill it with sand for nearby construction.

Practicing her surf moves.

Flying a kite.

Popoyo/Guasacate Beach

We saw this woman riding a horse and carrying an umbrella on
our drive to the beach.

El Astillero Beach

This is another fishing village on the beach, about 15 mins from Popoyo/Guasacate.  We didn't see any tourists at all and enjoyed a very authentic fish lunch and beer on the beach.

Kitchen where they fried Raul's fish.

A pig from the village hanging out on the beach.

My fish "al vapor" or steamed with veggies.

Sea turtle eggs that one of the hotels was rescuing from the beach
where the locals take them to eat or to sell.  Its illegal now but
still happens quite a bit.