258 Leon, Nicaragua

Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th November 2013
Miles Today 0 Miles Total 27,540

For obvious reasons we have been just taking it easy aver these few days. The insurance company have been in contact and asked us to get a medical review for Monday. We decided to move to Leon city as the hospital was nearer (walkable) and the room we were currently staying in was far too hot, especially during the day and we could just not escape the heat. It was very uncomfortable for Karen and we were no getting too much sleep. 

A brief respite from the heat. A short squall come over the hotel but sadly no rain came with it.

This beauty flew throught the hotel. It was about 3" long as you look at it.

Our hotel and bar from the estuary, the bright red roof bit.

On the Sunday it was hot. Local families went for a swim in the estuary.

The beach about 100m from the hotel.

We went to a bar for some food. Ordered chicken wings. These monsters turned up. Everything bar the feathers.

From the bar we watched the sun go down. Our last view of the sea for a while.

Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th November 2013
Miles Today 14 Miles Total 27,554
 
Today we packed up and along with Paul and April, got in a cab and set off for the city of Leon. It was sad to leave the old hotel behind but we needed respite from the heat and some air conditioning. Our previous hosts, Ryan and Valerie had been good to us and we have had a pleasant but hot stay in their place.

En route to Leon I followed the cab on Wallace. Once in town and at our new hotel, Paul had arranged for me to put Wallace in the foyer. Not an uncommon thing in these parts of the world.

Wallace safely booked into our hotel.

Once settled in we wandered over to the hospital to try and get a check up for Karen. We walked into the hospital, was immediately recognised by the lady at reception and told to go straight in to the orthopedic section. There a doctor immediately wrote a slip out and we went straight up to X-Ray. Within minutes it was done and we were back down stairs and waited to see the orthopedic doctor again. He was a bit confused as we did not have any paperwork or an appointment. In the end he just shrugged his shoulders and on looking at the X-Ray was happy with the result and we were on our way. I'd like to see our NHS compete with that.

The broken bit is settling back into place now. Yipee...

We spent the next 2 days slowly exploring the city. It was a place of many contrasts. Christmas was in full swing and the city was very vibrant and extremely LOUD. 

My God these people can make some noise. They are, however extremely friendly so there is a balance to be had.

There were Christmas nativity displays all over the place. We could see 4 from where this photo was taken.

The boss having a beer in an elevated bar. We were overlooking a band p;laying that later turned into a political rally of some sort.

The band or more correctly the speaker (read shouter) was so loud we had to go elsewhere to stop my ears bleeding. Even the bar staff appologised.

Wednesday 27th November 2013
Miles Today 0 Total miles 27,554

The cathedral inside

...  and outside.

Check out this guys shoes. If you are poor, you take what you can get.

That evening we wet to the cinema with Paul and April. We saw 'Captain Phillips'. It was subtitled in Spanish so the only bit that was hard was when the Somali's were speaking Swahili. Having said that it was a very, very moving film and we all had tears in our eyes at the end. It is by far the best film we have seen in a long time.