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!