Sandinista!

Getting from El Salvador to Nicaragua turns out to be a real schlepp... One pick-up truck, two minivans, a tuk tuk, three chicken buses (including one which broke down), a taxi, 13 hours and three countries later (you gotta go through the tip of Honduras..)... I´m in Nicaragua!

First stop is Leon, the first town to rebel during the 1979 sandinista revolution.

Reminders of the revolution are all over the place, mainly in the form of murals.

A visit to the revolution museum

So Daniel would be Daniel Ortega, the comeback kid from the eighties´ headlines who is now president again. And we all remember Senor Bush...

Just in case there was any doubt about local feelings toward Bush...

Revolution mural inside the museum courtyard.

Is it just me or does the third guy from the left bear an eery resemblance to Carlos the Jackal (admitedly, in need of a haircut...)

My guide guillermo keeping it real. He was in his teens during the revolution.

There`s actually not a lot in the museum beyond pictures.

This is a 5 million cordoba bill. Inflation went wild during that period...

Poseur revolutionary...

Beyond the whole revolution thing, Leon is also a very pretty colonial city.

The cathedral

Most houses have lovely Hacienda style inner courtyards

A vet, jeweler´s shop, law office and beauty parlor. All in the same house.

The heat in Leon is absolutely insane. Most folks try and get out of the city to the close-by beach of Las Penitas. I was happy to follow their lead...

Little dog with a big attitude

Full Leon picture set here.