CORINTO, NICARAGUA

   

                                                       Where we are today.

           Today we are visiting the Central American country of Nicaragua which is bordered to the north by Honduras and Costa Rica to the south.  It has a population of 6 million.  Managua is its capital and is the 3rd largest city in Central America.  We will be docked in the city of Corinto with a population of 18,000 and is the largest Pacific port for Nicaragua.  This is the first time Regent has stopped in this port.  Not much here except the port so all the excursions will be going to Leon, the former capital and second largest city in Nicaragua.  It is a colonial city now beloved for its architecture, especially Leon Cathedral whose construction began in 1747.  Personally, I was totally unimpressed with the city and cathedral.  Leon was founded in 1524 by Spanish conquistadors.  My tour (Rebecca canceled again) today is "Colonial Leon".   My bus departed the ship at 10:30 for a 1 1/2 hour picturesque drive inland, well into the volcanic lowlands of northwest Nicaragua.  Roberto, our guide was very good and spoke excellent English.  He had a degree in engineering but said he could make more money as a guide.  He said Nicaragua was once the richest country in Central America but that changed after the big earthquake in 1972 and the ensuing civil wars.  He talked a great deal about the wars as he was a young soldier then but I will not go into that.  80% of the 6 million population is under the age of 50.  The average pay here is $500 US per month.  A government doctor makes less than $1000 per month (their version of Obama care??)  It is all a man can do just to make enough to feed his family.  This poverty means very few going on the get a higher education which feeds the poverty here.  He said the country was safe but I doubt that due to the high poverty and unemployment.  He said domestic violence is biggest current problem.  On our drive to Leon we passed mostly agricultural fields.  Most of the farming is not done with equipment but with their cheap labor.  We passed many very small homes that were merely shacks.  It is probably one step above Haiti in deplorable housing.  They had electricity and running water but no garbage disposal so it was thrown everywhere or burned along the road.
        We drove to the main plaza in Leon for a guided tour of the plaza and the Leon Cathedral, followed by some free time to roam the city on our own prior to returning to the ship.  Leon's claim to fame is its old colonial architecture but it was mostly run down and in disrepair.  Leon is also home to one of the oldest universities in Central America and has a major influence over the city's economy.
        Nicaragua is about the same size as the state of Alabama.  It has 40 volcanoes, three of which are still active.  These volcanoes also breeds powerful earthquakes.  The capital city of Managua has been nearly destroyed by earthquakes more than once.  Lake Managua, just north of the capital city and Lake Nicaragua is to the south.  The later is the largest fresh water lake in Central America and 20th largest in the world, and is home to some of the world's rare fresh water sharks.  This is where the Chinese are thinking of building another canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Nicaragua is primarily an agricultural country accounting for 60% of its exports.  Coffee, cotton, bananas, sugar cane, cassava (main ingredient in tapioca pudding), onions, peanuts, sesame seeds, and melons are some of the crops exported.  Shrimp and lobsters are caught on the Caribbean side and processed here.  All this said, Nicaragua is among the poorest countries in the Americas.
        This evening we are dining in Prime 7, the steakhouse, again.  Following that we will be going to the Jean Ann Ryan production of "Cirque Rock 'N Roll" in the theatre.  We sail at 5:00 pm for Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala which is 288 nautical miles away.  We should be docked there by 8:00 am tomorrow.

                                                 Where our ship will dock

                                         Some local performers greeted us on pier

                        All the tour buses were very nice and had good air conditioning

                                                                 My tour

                                                     Roberto, our guide

                                                 Interesting mode of transportation

                                                     Sugar cane plantation

 One of men on my bus needed to use restroom.  The guide gave him two choices:  1) wait a half hour until we arrived in Leon, or 2) go along side of the road.  Guess which he chose?  I would be too embarrassed to do this.

                       Bus approaching plaza in Leon.  Students gathering for classes

                                                        The Leon Cathedral

      Students waiting for the afternoon session to begin.  They were all smiling and seemed happy.

                                      This is the Catholic school on the plaza

                                     Photos of the inside of the Leon Cathedral

       Smart dog as he is lying on cool stone floor inside the cathedral instead of outside in heat.

                                                  Roof of the cathedral

                         One of the 3 still active volcanoes.  You can see some ash out top.