Well after my last post; I thought this would be a good title.  We are now in Leon the second largest city in Nicaragua and much more interesting than anywhere else I have been so far.

Beautiful beaches are only 20 min away but this Colonial city has a vibe not found in Granada and for sure not San Jaun del Sur.   During the civil war the Sandinista took over Leon in a violent battle street by street – Somoza then had the city indiscriminately bombed, killing thousands of his own people.  The city still displays the scars of the war;  bullet holes in walls, collapsed buildings, political graffiti and satirical artwork like the statue at the Museo de las Mytos y Leyendas Tradiciones (which prominently displays a statute of a Sandinista guerrilla holding a handmade bomb).  In contrast Leon has the largest cathedral in Central America, which is being beautifully restored as are a number private homes and hotels particularly in the historic centre around the Parque Central.

One of my visitors today stopped his peddle cab to see what I was doing –  introduced himself as Augusto and asked why I chose to paint this scene – I told him the fading Claro advertised building (giant latin american cell phone company)  and the dilapidated adjoining buildings provided an amazing background for the typical street scene of daily life here in Leon.  I asked him about the Graffiti FSNL as I have seen it everywhere.  Frente Sandinista Liberacion Nacional  (Sandanista National Liberation Front).  Did I mention this is the poets capital of Nicaragua – ah the sweet irony.

This scene was painted in the park right in front of the church, San Juan.  I was really trying to make the soft flickering shadows work here … Fail.  Oh well it was a good exercise.