30-31 July - Leon and its Surrounds

Leon

Leon is another colonial town, the sister town of Granada. It seems to have more life of its own, and is definitely grittier than Granada. It has it´s fair share of churches and the largest cathedral in Central America, but is also known as the home of student resistance, the Sandinista movement and has a number of galleries, murals and photo walls documenting it´s political history. We recommend picking up a book and reading about the Iran-Contra affair, and the Sandinista movement, our curiosity is piqued!

Last night was a festival for the Saint of the local cathedral, so they had effigies of christ on the cross walked through town, with a band, church bells ringing, and LOTS of pyrotechnics - most of which were let off from home-made mortars in public areas, close to everyone! There was also a pyrotechnic bull (a guy in a make-shift costume) with pyros randomly flying off as wicks burnt, scaring children and harming others!

Leon Viejo

At the foot of Volcan Momotombo lies the ruins of Old Leon, it was rediscovered in 1967. With a variety of ruins showing brick structures of churches, merchant houses and more, the highlight was the view from what was the fort overlooking the town. This vista is AMAZING. You see Lake Managua, surrounding and highlighting a chain of volcanoes, perfectly conical, some islands within the lake ... just wait for photos. It was spectacular.

Oddly enough, Old Leon is a fair distance away from it´s present location, it was apparently moved due to a volcanic eruption of Momotombo in 1610.

San Jacinto Boiling Mud Pools

About half an hour out of Leon is a bizarre creek floodplain with bubbling mud pools and steam vents dotting the landscape. Local kids wander around with thongs, poking and prodding the mud, hoping to make a buck out of molding little candlestick holders from freshly warm mud. The water sits in the pools at about 100°C, and the steam, smoke and sulphur are palpable. Our guide told us that locals have had pools of boiling mud rise up under their beds overnight, and that running underground services within the area is, shall we say, problematic!