Lazing in Leon

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Day 226: Plan C

So, the more observent amongst you will notice that I haven't actually made it to Ometepe. In fact, I think I might have completely scrapped that idea and am instead planning on meeting up with the dutch girls again on the Corn Islands. They head out there this morning, and since it's meant to be really beautiful, and I do need some sea and sun before I go home, I've decided to join them out there in a couple of days. Having booked the next available flights for Wednesday, I now have two days to kill, and rather than procrastinate for any longer in Granada, I've head up to Leon, another old colonial town and hour-and-a-half north of Managua the capital. After an earlyish start, I caught the bus to Managua, the country's decidedly dodgy capital. Not wanting to hang around, it was then a taxi across town, from one bus station to another, where I boarded one of the shuttles heading for Leon.

It wasn't the most comfortable ride, but it passed, and in the mid-afternoon heat, I finally arrived in Leon. From the out of town bus station, it was a painful forty minute walk in blistering heat, before arriving at a hostel in the city centre, where a nice cold shower and a lie down soon had me feeling semi-human again. Since the hostel didn't serve food, I ventured out to a local vegetarian restaurant (few and far between around central america), where I was spoiled for choice, and shocked and delighted when the meal actually contained vegetables!


Day 227: Old buildings and old friends

There doesn't seem to be much to do in Leon per se, but it's a nice enough place to wander round, admiring the many churches and monuments. First stop today was breakfast, before I head into the main plaza where there was a photo exhibition. After a general wander round getting lost, and lunch at a fairtrade cafe that offered blind massages (not falling for that one again), I head off in the direction of one of the bus stations. Since I'm going to the Corn Islands, but also have a flight booked out of San Jose next week, I want to make sure that I can get down to San Jose in a relatively short space of time, so have booked one of the more expensive Tica buses, which will probably save me getting about five connecting public buses that might not get me there in time (it's a complicated life I lead). I'm quite used to bumping into people I know now so it didn't come as a huge surprise when I met Sally and Claire at the bus station also buying tickets. They've been in Leon for nearly a week studying spanish. It was good to see them again and having sorted out our tickets, we head into town and caught up over drinks.

Back at base, I had a bit of a rest, before venturing not very far (over the road), to get pizza, ready to hit the road again the following day.

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