by Anne Watcher on Friday February 22nd, 2013 at 10:57am
We came across this "currently being used" baseball stadium in La Paz Centro - where it is almost impossible to imagine hundreds of people safely watching the weekly local games (on Sunday mornings) while depending on the crickety old wood poles and timbers that support the structure and the rusty wire mesh that supporters wrap their fingers through and lean on.
Front gates and parking lot
Rob cautiously and nervously walked up the stairs from the stadium entrance (where toddlers could easily fall right through or adults lose a leg), to the upper deck where fans bring their chairs or just sit on the old wood timbers. Speaking of those timbers - it is hard to imagine one person feeling secure standing on the boards, let alone many many people. Hopefully one day, we will get to return and enjoy the atmosphere of a game of baseball here.
View from the pitcher's mound
Second floor seating - on the floor or bring your own chair
Structure supporting the seating area
by Anne Watcher on Wednesday February 20th, 2013 at 10:31am
Leon, Nicaragua as we know it today is not where it originally started out. Thirty kms. to the east sit the ruins of the original city founded in 1524 by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba, a Spanish conqueror.
Built on the shores of Lake Managua and in the shadow of Momotombo Volcano it was vacated and the city moved to it's present location in 1610. Although it was an eruption of the volcano that caused the move, the city was not destroyed by that eruption. The residents just thought a little distance between them and the volcano was a good idea.
To get there we took the bus to La Paz Centro and then hired a Moto-taxi to take us over to the lake and through the present day village of Momotombo. Moto-taxis are very popular in La Paz and it was an enjoyable ride.
What is left of the second oldest city of Nicaragua is nothing but ruins. Leon was one of the most important cities of the region where gold from Nicaragua and other countries was traded in Leon, much of it later being sent to Spain as payment for taxes. Because of this activity many rich merchants made Leon their home.
Due to the fact that the city was never destroyed by the volcano, it's ruins have been preserved under many years worth of ash and dirt. The ruins where discovered in 1967 with excavations beginning in 1999. It was declared an UNESCO world heritage site in 2000. The site is well set up and a very knowledgeable guide will take you through giving many details of life many many years ago.
As you enter the park the first main ruin is of the church, I think this one is La Merced. Three churches have been found here and the burial tomb of the founder and his executioner were unearthed in the church at the far end of the city.
Two very important statues are also found near the entrance. The first one is of the founder Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba. Here also his remains have been put after they were found. However, Mario our guide told us that this statue was being moved and we were perhaps the last ones to see it in this location.
The second statue is a reminder of a much more morbid event that took place in Leon Viejo. Prisoners were executed here and depending on your status in life the method varied. If you were of a noble or rich family you were beheaded. The normal working class person was hung but if you were a native person you were eaten by dogs.
This is what the second statue depicts. Very sad indeed but history none the less.
The main road was called the "Royal Way" and was 14 m. wide and 300 m. long. Here parades would take place and also prisoners were marched along here from the prison at the back of the city up to the main square for execution. Also the foundry where the gold was smelted was located along this road. Many of the wealthy also lived here.
One very nice feature of this park is the fact the they have signs to describe the ruins both in English and Spanish. Many historical facts can be found on these signs and it does make for a more enjoyable tour.
The ruins below were of one of the richest residents in Leon Viejo. Casa de Gonzalo Cano is the perfect example of how the wealthy lived. Rooms were large, floors done in a herringbone pattern (a sign of wealth), a large formal ballroom, sewage pipes and even a secret exit out the back in case of revolt from the natives.
The monastery is the last ruin to be uncovered and is located at the end of the main road. It was here that the remains of Cordoba were found. Laying beside him were the bones of his Lieutenant Pedrarias Divila, who ironically also was the man that killed him. There are many theories as to who's orders he was following at the time.
The ruins of one house I, being a woman, found particularly interesting. The home of Ana Jimenez might have been a bit more modest than some but she still holds her place in fashion history. She was a fashion designer and a bit ahead of her time. Her designs were considered to be quite "sexy" as our guide said. She is credited with the V neck and also the Mid-Calf length for dresses. I guess even in design nothing is really new!!
You have to have a guide when touring Leon Viejo. Our guide Mario was extremely knowledgeable about all the facts and he spoke perfect English!
As you can see in some of the pictures structures have been erected over some of the more fragile ruins. This is because that although the original city wasn't destroyed by a natural disaster, over the years hurricanes and tropical storms have done their damage. There is much more to discover here so a few precautions have been taken.
Leon Viejo Ruinas in the shadow of Volcan Mombotombo
Links to Leon Viejo:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/613
http://www.manfut.org/leon/complejo.html
Costs : Entrance fee: Foreigners $2 US, locals C$12. If you want to take pictures it will cost an extra C$25, C$50 for video.
Getting There: Take a bus to La Paz Centro. You can get there either from Leon or Managua. From here you can hire a driver like we did - C$100 for 4 of us - or take the local bus to Momotombo.
by Anne Watcher on Tuesday February 19th, 2013 at 5:54pm
One essential to living here is drinking water. There is no shortage of water, but is it safe to drink? While all the books say that the water in Leon along with Granada and Managua is treated and quite drinkable, we don't take the chance and buy filtered water by the 5 gallon jug. This year I have been using the tap water for anything that involves the water being boiled and so far no problems. But for drinking and making coffee or tea, bottled is the way we go.
In Granada we had it delivered to the door. Here in Leon however Rob is the delivery person. He has to walk through our colonia which is a good long block with various sets of stairs. Then he goes another half block to the pulperia where he purchases the water. You have to take an empty jug with you or they won't sell you a full one. Thank goodness an empty one was here when we arrived in November. The cost has varied a bit since we came. It started at C$46 and now is C$48 but we have noticed that the grocery stores sell it for C$50, so we are getting a bargain plus supporting our neighbours.
We use about a jug every 5 days when it is just Rob and I, more when we have parties or have company with us. Since we arrived 13 1/2 weeks ago I figure Rob has made this trip 24 times. With another 7 1/2 weeks to go, he only has about 10 or 11 more trips to do!!!
So how much does one of these jugs weigh??? Don't know but they are stinking heavy in 34 degree weather!!
Rob heading out with the empty jug, C$50 bill in hand.
Rob returning along our colonia, navigating the stairs and uneven sidewalk.
Home at last, only 11 more to go!
by Anne Watcher on Monday February 18th, 2013 at 12:15pm
When you enter Nicaragua you pay $10.00 US and get a 90 day visitor's visa - stamp really - in your passport. It used to be that at the end of the 90 days you had to leave the country with Costa Rica being the easiest as C4 countries ( Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua) don't count. Recently they have made arrangements to do a one 90 day extension in Managua at the Migracion y Extranjeria office at Metrocentro Mall.
So last Monday, Feb. 11 Rob and I made the trip to Managua. We took the interlocal bus from Leon to Managua arriving at the UCA terminal. Cost for the bus was C$51 per person.
We then walked down to the mall along the busy roads of Managua. It was only about 1/2 a mile but took longer as we had to go all the way around the rotunda, which are very popular here - dodging and weaving through heavy traffic at every intersection.
We arrived at the mall around 10 am which is when the office opens and there was already a long line of people waiting their turn. When you get there you have to get a blank form from the officer at the door. This will cost you C$5 per form. You also need a photocopy of 2 passport pages, one with your information on it and the other one of the stamp showing the date you arrived. If you forget these, there is a photocopy shop right next door. You then go to the back of the line and wait.
While Rob held our place in line I attempted to fill out the form. Because if was all in Spanish I struggled with some of the words. I asked the girl at the photo booth if she could help me but she didn't speak much English or let on she didn't. I found out later from the gentleman that helped me that if I had paid her she would of helped. That's the way it is down here! Anyway he showed me which parts to fill out and offered me further help if I needed it.
I filled out the forms and Rob and I took turns holding our space in line while the other wondered around the mall, got something to drink or sat down to rest. Before too long, well 2 hrs. we were at the office door, about 30 mins. after that we were at the front of the line, gave the officer our forms and passports, and waited for her to figure out if we had overstayed our 90 days. We hadn't but if you are over there is a fine of C$50 per day.
She asked how long we wanted the extension for (even though this was one of the questions on the form). We only needed 60 days so that cost us C$1000 per person. I don't think she looked at much of the information I had provided but anyway I had it there if she had wanted to.
Next she hands your form and passport over to the other officer who actually does the stamping in the passport. Because we were here over the lunch hour we had to wait for her to return. I think this took close to another hour before we finally could exit, legal again for another 60 days!!
by Anne Watcher on Friday February 8th, 2013 at 11:00pm
Walking home tonight, we passed the beautiful UNAN University building in downtown Leon. It was lit up beautifully.
