My guide today was Miguel and woo he was funny. Just me and him, and a tour of Leon.
First stop, a Quesillo, in Nagarote. We went to the original one and saw the kitchen where they make everything. A Quesillo is a corn tortilla with cheese, onions and sour cream. I didn’t like it, but I tried it and got the cream all down my front. Apparently this is normal. They boil the cheese and pull it out of boiling pots. Then they knead it like bread and make it really stretchy.
Down to edge of the Lake to take a photo of Momotombo - another active volcano.
Then we drove to a museum of the ruins of Leon Viejo, which were destroyed in 1610, but the museum was closed. Miguel told me more about Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba, and how he was sympathetic to the Indigenous Nicaraguans but the Spanish weren’t and killed him for it.
In the distance, as we drove to Leon, was Cabbage Hill - so called because from a distance decapitated heads of revolutionaries looked like cabbages.
And into Leon, parking up at Commando 21, the scene of the start of the 1979 revolution. A woman called Aracely took over a tank, killing all the National Guard inside with a grenade. This was a month before the proper start of the revolution, but it inspired the revolution. Into the museum to see how political prisoners were kept and tortured, then more about Legends of Nicaragua. Into a room we walked and as Miguel started explaining about a witch who could disguise herself as a black dog, audio of a witch’s scream played and made us both scream and jump. I thought I was gonna cry! We scarpered. I don’t think I’ll be going near any black dogs anytime soon.
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| Original tank of the revolution |
A walk round the main square and a pasta lunch for me (Miguel was still full from his Quesillo). We walked up to the roof of the main cathedral, where you have to take your shoes off to protect the roof. And into the Cathedral to see where Ruben Dario, the most famous Nicaraguan poet is buried. Miguel was impressed by my knowledge of Guadelupe when we saw a statue of her.
Back in Managua, to make up for the ruins museum being closed (and the Ruben Dario museum being closed too) Miguel took me to the historical centre. I walked there the other day but it was helpful having a guide to explain more of the history - it’s where the revolution ended and the revolutionaries celebrated their win. At a statue memorialising Ruben Dario, Miguel challenged me to read the poem inscribed. I managed the first line and a few other words. He performed it brilliantly for me.
Today I learned that Nicaraguans warn each other when police are nearby with their speed gun by waving and flashing their lights. I thought Miguel knew loads of people until I asked.
I had a really nice day today - and I’ve never fist-bumped anyone so much in my life.
Leon, 19th Febrero
Listened to: Magic 102.7FM again!
Watched: a short video of coplas- Nicaraguans used to dress up as white people to mock the Spanish (the Spanish didn’t know that’s what they were doing) and one guy is tasked with making rhyming couplets about people watching - not offensive or rude, just a bit like stand up comedy.
Ate: pasta with garlic and herb sauce
Drank: Toña with lunch
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