Today I caught a bus to Managua, transited at the UCA station, and got on an A/C minivan to Leon. Using public transport in Nicaragua is really easy. As soon as you walk into the bus station carrying a backpack, men run over to you to direct you to the right bus and collect their 10cent finders fee. In Granada, I was hustled onto a hot bus by a man yelling "Managua, Managua, Managua, UCA, Managua, Masaya, Managua!" Bus cost $1 Check the video.
When we got to Mangaua UCA, he took me directly to my van for Leon ($2) , and when I got to Leon, I was directly placed into a cab ($1.50). It's like having transportation babysitters.
Leon is HOT, HOT, HOT! Damn, I thought Granada was hot, but Leon is even hotter. This may be the hottest place I've ever been. It's 97 degrees and 94% humidity and no breeze. Seriously, I looked it up. I've lived through 113 in Tucson, but I swear this is worse. I sweat even in the shade. I just can't take it at times, it's a debilitating heat.
"Let's go for more victories!" is a common Daniel Ortega slogan.
This mural commemorates the massacre of protesting locals by Somoza led government troops in 1979.
Sandino, the namesake of the Sandinistas was a Nicaraguan patriot who led an uprising against U.S. Marines occupying Nicaragua in the 1930's. He is often portrayed in the above silhouette.
Leon is the heart of the leftist FSLN Sandinista party. It has lots of artistic murals commemorating the revolution, and also denouncing the USA. I especially like the juxtaposition of Sandino standing on the head of capitalist Uncle Sam with a Mercedes parked in front. The "Bush Genocide, The Enemy of Humanity" graffiti is painted on the front of the municipal building, so obviously the local government is in agreement and allows it to stay there.
It is also a university city, so there is a youthful vibe that was absent in staid old conservative Granada. On the flip side, Leon is not a pretty as Granada, not as tourist friendly, and it's busier, louder, and hotter. If you only had a few days in Nicaragua, I'd recommend Granada, but for a more in-depth dive into the culture of Nicaragua, Leon is the place to be.
Nicaraguans are not the most motivated people I have met. I seldom see anyone particularly eager to make a sale. Nicas do a lot of sitting, and walking very slowly. Despite quickly growing numbers of western tourists, with pockets full of cash to spend here, few Nicas have made any attempt to capitalize on this. They seem to regard tourists as a strange curiosity rather than a source of income.
Nicaragua produces a fantastically smooth rum called Flor de Cana. You can get a whole 750ml bottle along with a bucket of ice and a couple Coke's for just $12 in most bars. Crazy.
I stayed in a really nice bed and breakfast in Granada, but I decided to slum it in Leon. After escaping from a too-loud hostel the first night, I found Casa Ivana. I got my own room with two single beds, a bathroom with shower, sink and toilet, a strong fan for just $7. Was it nice? Not especially. But it was mosquito free, quiet, clean, and if you lay directly under the fan and didn't move a muscle, it was cool enough to sleep. I bragged about my find to my friends staying at the trendy Via Via and paying an exorbitant $13 a night, but I was outdone by my friend Arnfinn who found some family who rented him a room for $3 a night. $7 a night is an all-time cheap room record for me. Arnfinn met a couple who claimed to have rented a cottage on the coast of India for 70 cents a night. No matter how adventurous and thrifty you think your backpacking travels are, you are guaranteed to be outdone by someone else on the road. If I were to brag about going to 50 countries, there's sure to be someone at the table who has been to 80. If I have climbed a 14,000ft mountain, someone has climbed Kilimanjaro at 19,000. And I always get weird looks when I'm asked how long I'm traveling. Only an American would come all the way to Nicaragua for just one week. Most people I met were travelling for at least three months, and many for a year. It's good motivation to hear what other people are accomplishing.
