Visiting old colonial Leon is a no brainer for me since I consider myself to be a ¨collector¨ of colonial cities in Spanish America. Among the attractions here is the largest cathedral in Central America but the central district is dotted with surprising old buildings from history.
I decided at the last minute yesterday to forgo Perquin and focus on making some miles toward Costa Rica. A couple buses got me to the Honduras border at El Amatillo, and the crossing was relatively hassle free.
On a very hot day I caught the slow bus for a 2 hour long trip to Choluteca in southern Honduras. This is cowboy country with plenty of cows, horses, and the men who ride and drive them. By now we´re also out of volcano territory and in a dryer landscape marked by short trees and scrubgrass.
Choluteca, the largest town in this part of Honduras, had everything I needed within a block of my hotel, itself not far from the bus station. Restaurants, internet, and gloriously an espresso shack! This morning I had the best coffee I´ve tasted since way back in Ataco, El Salvador. Buen sabor!
Much needed aircon and not so needed TV were cut off last night with sudden thunderstorms which cooled the area considerably.
South of Choluteca on a microbus this morning the landscape changed yet again into a much more lush version of 5 or 6 different shades of green. Cloud cover kept temperatures bearable for the travel.
The Nicaragua border at Guasaule was mercifully also very easy to cross without much bureaucratic fuss. Seven bucks and I was in for 30 days, though the experience was marred slightly when I was grossly overcharged for a cyclo taxi. Yet it´s the first time in 18 days that I´ve been grossly overcharged for anything, so I reckon I´m doing alright.
Another fast microbus took me to Chinandega where I connected for my final bus to Leon which is about 60 miles northwest of Managua. The countryside here changes yet again with 3 or 4 massive volcanos visible in the distant clouds. It´s still cowboy country but the land is much less dry than in southern Honduras and the soil appears to be very rich. Viva la cultura de los vaqueros. . .
Leon is a premier destination for me, along with Tortuguero and Caribbean Panama, so I´m privately celebrating my arrival here. I was so charmed by my short walk around today, I´m sure I´ll stay at least 2 or 3 days.
I have just 34 days to get back to Guatemala. In the week ahead I plan to hit Masaya, Granada, Rivas and San Juan del Sur before I go to Costa Rica perhaps a week from today.
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