Leon, Nicaragua
This morning we began our second day of adventures in Nicaragua at the port of Corinto, where the Sea Voyager docked. We boarded our bus and headed inland, our destination for today the “intellectual Capital” of Nicaragua, and heart of the Sandinista movement, the Colonial city of Leon. This Colonial city is filled with churches and an imposing Cathedral, the largest in Central America.
Upon arrival in the main square adjacent to the Cathedral we had a few moments to relax in the bustling coffee shop, and just as we were about to depart on short walking tours, the two “gigantes” pictured came dancing up the street, to rhythmic drums. Meant to depict the Spanish conquerors who enslaved the indigenous people, the Spanish are depicted as larger than life as they dance and whirl around a miniature Indian boy. Certainly a dramatic arrival into Leon!
We then toured the Cathedral, the University and the extremely colorful fruit and vegetable market. Lunch was at El Convento a splendidly restored Convent, now serving as a hotel and restaurant. The hotel is a fine example of the Moorish influenced architecture brought over by the Spaniards, with an interior courtyard that is strikingly beautiful and a plain, non-descript exterior to the building.
After lunch we toured two exquisite art galleries managed by the Fundacion Ortiz, a local group dedicated to preserving the works of Central American artists. We returned to the ship in time to go exploring in the mangroves by Zodiac, and then our Zodiac cruises raced back ahead of an oncoming rainstorm that blackened the skies! A dramatic end to our final day in Nicaragua.
This morning we began our second day of adventures in Nicaragua at the port of Corinto, where the Sea Voyager docked. We boarded our bus and headed inland, our destination for today the “intellectual Capital” of Nicaragua, and heart of the Sandinista movement, the Colonial city of Leon. This Colonial city is filled with churches and an imposing Cathedral, the largest in Central America.
Upon arrival in the main square adjacent to the Cathedral we had a few moments to relax in the bustling coffee shop, and just as we were about to depart on short walking tours, the two “gigantes” pictured came dancing up the street, to rhythmic drums. Meant to depict the Spanish conquerors who enslaved the indigenous people, the Spanish are depicted as larger than life as they dance and whirl around a miniature Indian boy. Certainly a dramatic arrival into Leon!
We then toured the Cathedral, the University and the extremely colorful fruit and vegetable market. Lunch was at El Convento a splendidly restored Convent, now serving as a hotel and restaurant. The hotel is a fine example of the Moorish influenced architecture brought over by the Spaniards, with an interior courtyard that is strikingly beautiful and a plain, non-descript exterior to the building.
After lunch we toured two exquisite art galleries managed by the Fundacion Ortiz, a local group dedicated to preserving the works of Central American artists. We returned to the ship in time to go exploring in the mangroves by Zodiac, and then our Zodiac cruises raced back ahead of an oncoming rainstorm that blackened the skies! A dramatic end to our final day in Nicaragua.
