My Trip to Nicaragua:
Visiting León
It is a city Intensely political, buzzing with energy and, at
times,,, drop-dead. It is gorgeous in
a crumbling, colonial kind of way. León
is a city of awe-inspiring churches, fabulous art
collections, stunning street escapes, cosmopolitan eateries, fiery intellectualism.
It is believed that if one walks-everywhere, can experience the happenings of
nightlife. There is a saying that many people fall in love with Granada,
but most of them leave their heart in León.
León used to be the hub of cotton growing but that has declined and the economy is relatively down Tourists are typically not a large one But Leónl
is a university town, filled with students,backpackers, volunteers. León has more colonial churches and cathedrals per ca pita than any
other place in Nicaragua. .
Day 1. United Airline flight number 340 is in time on
September 2, 2014 and takes up at 6.20 am from San Jose for Houston airport.
The day before departure, 2014, I have
been busy getting ready with things to be taken for Ellen as desired by her mom
Sana. I have been waiting for call from
Olivia and to confirm when they are coming to my place to drop the things for
Ellen. After waiting whole day I finally get call from Oli suggesting that I go
to their place so that Sudeep can drop me to the airport which is about 10
minutes drive. That proposal seems to all of us quite good and Shobha, Lall and
I reach their place at Santa Clara around 6 pm. Oli is not there while Sudeep
is busy playing table tennis with Reyden. Shobha takes up the game with Reyden
while Sudeep and Lall engage in their talks. Olivia comes back after shopping
and joins us. After sometime Lall and Shobha leaves for home while I stay back
in their house. Alarm is for 5 o’clock but I cannot sleep and every one hour
I’m awake. So I take shower at 3 am and
get ready for airport. At 5 am Sudeep and Olivia come out and check the
luggage. The suitcase I am supposed to carry is bigger and heavier than mine.
Sudeep drives me to San Jose airport and on the way I withdraw $200 as I forget
to carry my travelers check. Since I
have first class ticket it was easy to carry two suitcases and the journey is smooth with enough space for legs.
Of course there is lunch for the first class travelers. My lunch, Chicken and
mashed potato is good and I enjoy it. We land at Houston Bush International airport in time at
12pm ( local time.)
At Houston
airport I have enough time and enjoyed the United club lounge’s fruits and
snacks there. Relaxed for some time and I need to eat some solid lunch and
hence take half a sandwich from the shop and it is more than I can eat.
At 4.15 pm
united airline # 1421 P takes off for Managua, Nicaragua. The flight takes
about 2hrs and 30min. Reach Managua around 6.40 pm and after going to
immigration and paying $10 at the immigration counter I am allowed to go in and
take luggage. A porter helps me to take the luggage. Julio (Ellen’s husband)
holding a banner with my name on it is standing outside. I am glad to see him
for the first time. He is such a pleasant and charming fellow and very friendly
person. I pay 2 dollars to the porter which is quite a lot for him in local
money which is about 26 cordobas to one American dollar.
When we reach their home at Leon it is already
about 9 pm because of traffic congestion at certain places and baby is already
asleep. Above is the picture of the baby with her parents.
Day 2. Leon, Nicaragua Sept 3, 2014
Julio
Ellen’s husband took Sana (my Manipuri friend) and I to local market to get
some vegetables, fruits, and fish. The market somehow reminds me of our home
town Imphal’s market. We spend the day at home and Nirvana, their two month old
baby’s cry is a
trying moment for everyone. In the evening Sana and I go for a walk toward the
market.
Day 3.
Nicaragua, Sept 4,2014
Sana wants
to sleep as she is not feeling well. Ellen carrying her baby with the carrier takes
me to the Center where the biggest cathedral is situated. I could see the
oldest university in Central America is by the side of the church. It is quite
a walk and I enjoy the walk even though there is no proper path and few pot
holes here and there.
Nicaraguan
flag.
we have to
be careful while walking. We enter a store on the way back which has quite a
few interesting items and get one pillow for Sana as she doesn’t have one. The
house where they live is an ancestral house from forefathers as Julio’s father
got half the portion of the property. Also come to know that there is a prospective
gold mine in Nicaragua and that is the reason why Julio happens to choose Leon
because of the proximity to the mine. But his partner couldn’t get proper
support and hence has to abandon the idea. Now they plan to move back to
Managua.
Day 4.
Managua. Sept 5, 2014
We have to
go to Managua to renew Sana’s visa for staying for another two weeks and there she
needs to renew every month. She has to pay local money Cordaba 640 for renewal
fee. We spend sometime in the Mall while
Julio wants to complete some of his business while we wait for him. We let him finish his work while we have meal.
The Mall is not big and hence we cannot spend much time window shopping. I had
coffee and other things are quite expensive there.
Day 5, Leon,
Nicaragua, Sept 6, 2014
A street in
Leon, Nicaragua.
Morning,
Sana and I go to another market where the road is occupied by the stalls of
seller which remind me of Karolbagh and Lajpat Nagar of New Delhi, India. In
the evening Julio took us to the museum but it is already closing time and
hence decide to come back next day. He
takes us to the park where there are
different statues of well known poets of Leon and Nicaragua are installed. We
take quite a few pictures. I have
purchased a souvenir for myself a leather notebook.
Day 6. Leon
Sept 7
Old fashion
type of running water from the pipe connected with water storage, a concrete place for cloths to be rubbed with
soap and water, then to be rinsed in the next cubicle of cemented tub. After
rinsing squeezed and dried in the rope which are all around the open back lawn
and under the shade which has two or three rooms attached with a toilet and
bath for the helpers. While Sana cookd what she likes I makr onion sliced and
lemon juice and salt with green chillies. In the afternoon we get ready to go
to museum and have to drop the idea when Julio’s car is found locked and the
key left inside. He has to call a mechanic but it is too late to go to museum
and hence we drop the plan. After sometime Julio’s father and his family come
over and we are introduced to all of them including his wife and two daughters.
Day 7, Sept
8
Bicycle
rickshaw.
We, (Ellen
with Nirvana, Sana and ) I go to the center walking and we spend some time at
the park. Have ice cream and after sitting
for some time we decide to go to the restaurant nearby for a cup of coffee but
it was expresso and bitter. Sana couldn’t believe to have coffee like that so Ellen asked for more milk
and sugar which made it more drinkable. We purchase some vegetables and fruits
from market. While walking back
starts drizzling and hence we takek the
rickshaw The most unusual thing is the Ricshaw cyclist faces the customers
while the customers sit facing the road. We get down a bit far away from their
house so that no one should think we have gone too far with the baby.
The rickshaw
fellow wants us to pay for 30 cordobas and we agree. After we get out a bit
away from Ellen’s house and pay the
amount he wanted plus five cordobas more.
Once inside their house we sew Julio’s father and his relatives sitting
there in their sitting area. We were introduced to each other again.
Day 8, Sept
9,2014
Our plan to
see full moon rise in the Beach is not coming as rain starts pouring with
thunder. We can’t go to museum also. During the day I cook boiled chicken
sautéed with onion and garlic. For breakfast maize paratha which is liked by
Ellen and her mom.
Day 9, Sept
10,
Julio takes
us to the Las Penitas Beach. Enjoy the
view and I am surprised to see the color of the sand blackish. The water of the
ocean is also dark like the dark clouds. The Poneloya Beach town near Pacific
Ocean is a beautiful town. Julio’s father has a beautiful beach house.
Las Penitas
Beach
Sun set at Las Penitas beach.
We visit
Julio’s father’s beach house which is
inside the town and it is nicely kept as a holiday cabin with a small swimming
pool.
Day 10, Sept
11,
We go to the
museum with Julio and Sana. Sana is upset as she drops her hat on the way and
could not find it. The paintings were mostly from the Latin American and as
well as from Europe. Paid in dollars for the entry fee.
Day 11. Sept
12, 2014
I lost my
poetry for a while
And stumble
again in Leon, Nicaragua
A place of
appreciation for poetry
Birth place
of Ruben Dario and
Other well
known poets like Alfanso Cortes. (scripted by Jamuna)
Ruben Dario.(poet, journalist, diplomat)
Ruben Dario
has been praised as “the prince of Castillian letters” and Father of
Modernism” He was known as Felix Ruben
Darcia Sarmiento on January 1867. He was a poet, journalist and a diplomat. He
died at the age of 49 on February 6, 1916 at Leon, Nicaragua. His pen name was
Ruben Dario. He was honored by the local and buried in the Leon Cathedral.
Day 12, Sept.
13, 2014
We get into
the mini truck of Julio’s father has kept in Leon for Managua around 8 am. On
the way we get some things from the store. At Managua we pick up Julio’s mom
Maira and she is waiting for us. After we pick her up to head towards Granada
which is well maintained compared to Leon even though the buildings are kept as
the same as of colonial time. The view of the town near the lake is breath
taking. Lake Managua is the largest lake in Nicaragua. There is a popular
island in the lake but we couldn’t go because of baby Nirvana who is just less
than two months old we don’t want to make her restless. After taking pictures
near the lake we go toward Masaya. I find the road toward Masaya very scenic
and reminds me Shillong the beautifu hill town in North East India.
typical houses
in Granada and Leon.
I like
Masaya the best with it swindy roads and trees and bushes around. See lots of
nurseries around. Seems like it is good place for plants. Masay is a tourist place
with lots of restaurants.The ultimate spot we find is a small lake and the restaurant
overlooking the lake are attracting tourists. We enjoy the visit to Masaya with lots of memories of
the food and the music.
In the
evening at home when we are busy in the kitchen something unexpected happens as
I handle a hot pot on the stove. The pot is unlike the other pots does not have
handle heat proof. My right hand on palm side has got burnt. Sana gets met aloe
vera and is rubbed on the burnt area. Also ice cubes are put which help a bit but starts getting hurt whenever we stop
using the ice. Ellen asks Julio to get a cream from the pharmacist and that
helps me lot not getting blisters.
Day 13, Sept
14
I see
pictures of Baby shower for Monica in San Ramon CA. It was a like a big affair
since all the husbands were around. It
is independence day at Nicaragua and celebrations are going on. Lots of loud crackers at night and morning go on
disturbing sleep of everyone.
Day 14, Sept
15
We go for a
walk with Maira and Sana to the center and purchased some handicraft of
Nicaragua. I get a bowl made out of a local fruit known as Semilla Llijecaron
out of which many things are made like spoons, bowls, and decorative piece.
Day 15, Sept
16 and 17, 2014
We go to
Supermarket to get one rum bottle for Lall and Dev for $40.00.even though I put
on alarm at 3am to be ready by 4 am I couldn’t sleep and wake up every one
hour. Hence I take shower by 2 am and is ready for the airport. We all get into
the car by 4 am and leave for Managua airport. We reach around 5.45 am and get
ourselves into the gate in time. At
Houston we have to get our luggage out and then put into the check in to be
delivered to San Jose airport.
At Houston
we have about six hours and hence spend time walking around and then sitting down
watching people around. Done a bit of shopping there. Suddeep comes to pick us
up and when we reach their house Lall and Shobha also just come. We take out my luggage and leave for home. I am quite
tired. Needs few days to re energize.
The end.
