Fiestas en Leon!

This past weekend I finished my fieldwork in Cinco Pinos and decided to treat myself to four days and nights in Leon (where I gave my presentation for the Norwegian students the previous week). I stayed in the same hotel with the same amazing discount and went out with some of my new friends. I had a great time! To make it even more incredible, my two dear friends from Esteli, Camilla and Trine, came to Leon to visit me. We all shared a room in the hotel and spent two amazing days touring museums in Leon, relaxing pool-side, going out for dinner and drinks, and talking and laughing A LOT! :-)

Enjoying a late breakfast pool-side, sleepy from fun night before and already in our bathing suits.

A picture of Volcano San Cristobal (coincidentally the name of our hotel) on the bus ride between Chinandega and Leon.

Trine bought her very own Nicaraguan apron, the one that all the street vendors use. She tried it out by borrowing a nearby woman's wares. You can't help but laugh with these gals.

Here is the Museum of Legends. It was a prison during the Somoza Dictatorship (1930s-1979).

Most of the legends are very unpleasant ones. Here is Trine with a paper mache, black pig. This is the lover of the Witch that turns the lovers of her husband (and all other husbands) into black pigs.

I kind of forget this whole farmer scene here. Maybe this was the only pleasant legend about a farmer and his family who cared about the country...Whatever, the picture is priceless.

We heard about way too many torture methods taking place under our feet. Before the Sandinistas overthrew Somoza, women were gang raped and murdered publicly for no reason at all. People were picked off the street and thrown in jail, essentially held for ransom. Not everyone was allowed to go to school. If you spoke out against the government you were tortured and killed.

Each Nicaraguan legend had its own beautiful mural on the outer walls of the museum.

Here I am with a Sandinista guerrilla.

The female figure in the center, La Gigantona or "the giant," represents the Queen of Spain and has been used for centuries now to make fun of the Spanish conquerors, a "weapon of the weak," you might say. These figures are still present in all major festivals and processions in Nicaragua. I always joke that I am La Gigantona, because I am so much taller and whiter than everyone here and I draw lots of stares too. :-)

A horsedrawn carriage full of skeletons and skulls. When the guide turned on the flashing Halloween lights, I couldn't help but smile. I love the improv creativity that comes from a lack of resources!

Here is Camilla with Camila Negra, who I think ate lizards or something...

This is graffiti in Leon's central park. It says, "Bush Genocide Enemy of Humanity." Maybe they'll change it soon and write something good about President Obama? One can hope, and I know all the people that I've met here in Nicaragua have a lot of hope for better relations with the US. Still, with Ortega cussing out the US every chance he gets, he's really just shooting himself (more his fellow citizens) in the foot (feet?).