Nicaragua day 1

The Cathedral in Leon is an official UNESCO World Heritage Site

Day 1: Today, I left my hotel and headed west to Leon. Leon was the home of the liberals. The liberals fought the conservatives of Granada until a filibuster named William Walker of Nashville, Tennessee, invaded and took power in a flash after being invited by the liberals of Leon. But, the atlantic coast was in British hands until 1890. William Walker was later executed in Honduras. During the drive, I drank “tiste”, a blend of corn, cinnamon, and cacao. Tiste is a good example of how the country relies so heavily on agriculture. On the drive, there were many fields of peas and rice. The spanish introduced rice to icaragua after they settled the country. One of the favorite national dishes is rice and peas. The city of Leon is home to 139,000 people. The city is the second largest in terms of residents. Leon is the capital of the region also called Leon. The region is home to highlands that reach heights exceeding four thousand feet. Running through the town is a small creek that starts in the volcanoes that loom in the distance. The locals celebrate their patron saint once per year. The town is centered on agriculture. Leon is one of the many large towns in the west. After Leon, I travelled to the nearby volcano of Montomobo. From 4,199 ft., one could catch a good glimpse of Lake Managua and The city of Managua. Back in town, there was a baptism. I decided to go since it would likely be a good example of local culture. At the baptism, the child’s parents were there. Also attending were the child’s godparents; who serve as mentors throughout their god-children’s childhood. Godparents are a part of the Nicaraguan society based on family and fictional kinship. For lunch, I ate Nacatamales, which are tomales which are steamed and wrapped in leaves. In the late afternoon, I started flying to my next stop, Bluefields. The trip would have taken over twenty hours in a car. But we made it to the hotel safe and sound in a helicopter.