L

eon

 

April 2-5, 2004






Nicaraguan Flag






Leon was charming but it didn't deserve to be, it was so run down. Or it was charming, because under the patina of age and neglect there was a jewel that was about to shine. If Nicaragua ever emerges fully from the depression left by the Sandinista revolution, Leon could develop a profitable tourist industry on the coattails of its more successful sister city, Granada, and in the mold of its Guatemalan sister, Antigua.

Sand painting depicting a station of the Cross
Sand painting depicting a station of the Cross

We had been forced from the beach by the impending horde of Semana Santa tourists and so arrived in Leon in time for the Palm Sunday celebrations. Neither as big, as colorful, or as popular as Holy Week events in Antigua, we still enjoyed sitting around in front of the church of San Francisco eating local specialties being sold to benefit the church and waiting for the arrival of the statue of Christ on a donkey, commemorating the ride into Jerusalem. Most of the locals were equipped with palm fronds and like us followed the procession from the church to the cathedral where the community gathered to celebrate a special Palm Sunday mass. The picture shows the kind of sand-painting that is used in Guatemala to decorate the streets where the Easter procession will pass. We don't know if this example had a similar fate, as we weren't here for Easter Sunday, but for now it was on display in front of the cathedral.

Bishop celebrating Palm Sunday mass
Bishop celebrating Palm Sunday mass

The church was crowded as befits the special nature of the occasion, so we felt lucky to find a spot on the stairs of the pulpit that sits to one side of the nave and gave us a wonderful unobstructed view of the proceedings. As is our habit, we stayed until it came time for the celebrants to take communion and then quietly made our exit. Sadly the picture doesn't show that the statue of Christ (articulated so that he can sit astride the donkey) sat in splendor on a gilded chair to the left of the altar throughout the service. The faithful who were standing in the aisles would make their way forward if they could and touch the statue.

Oldest church in Leon, build in early 1700s
San Juan Bautista de Subtiava
Oldest church in Leon, built in the early 1700s

Anti-Free trade poster in bookship
Anti-Free trade poster in bookship

LP recommended this bookstore as a place to exchange books but didn't mention that its collection bordered on the communist. It made for interesting browsing, but the books, covered with dust and grime, didn't exactly make you want to buy them. The store did, however, buy a couple of books from us for which we were grateful.

Old house
Old house

This old house is an example of the kind of old structure that might one day be snapped up and restored. Not far from the center of town, on a sleepy street it might one day become a trendy cafe or a fashionable bed and breakfast. We hope that such possiblities become reality.

Not far away was the Ruben Dario house. Dario, a poet and nationalist, is probably the most famous Nicaraguan writer who is much admired throughout the Spanish speaking world. The house belonged to his mother's family and it was here that he spent several periods of his life and here that he died. The house is a typical central American courtyard house. The exhibits recount Dario's life and show some examples of his work, which we found hard to understand with our limited Spanish.

Oldest church in Leon and in Nicaragua
Fruit for sale

Gerry couldn't resist this photo with its wonderful array of colors and shapes. Now this is a store from which you can hardly resist buying!

 

June 20, 2004