2019: Nicaragua

Feb 26, 2019.  Hostal Lazybones, León, Nicaragua

• Visited Museo de Arte Fundación Ortiz-Gurdián.  Best contemporary art collection in Central America.  All my old U.S. favorites (Jim Dine, Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg, etc.) Plus, of course, many fine Central and South American artists.  And, of course, I had the museum pretty much to myself.

• $45 afternoon volcano hike: Volcan Telica.  Only fell once (cut up my leg a bit).  As usual, the oldest guy by far.  Couldn’t see into the crater, but a nice bat cave nearby.  Best: driving speed in Toyota down treacherous horrible road, while spotting Pacific Screech owls (3) and Zariguellas ( look it up).

• Usual activity is sliding down Cerro Negro on boards.  No way.  World’s bicycle speed record set on Cerro Negro (107 mph - broke a few bones).  Guide said the used to have dozens every day, but violent demonstrations in León last April have killed the tourist industry.

Newspaper (La Prensa) headlines:

• 5 dictatorships in Central America.

• Moreno (?) and Ortega a lot alike, and both following Castro mold.

• Government forces out on Wednesday to quell upcoming anti-government demonstrations.

• 4456: days since Ortega promised a press conference. 

• Actually, the locals here are more pissed off at Ortega’s wife than Daniel (is he getting senile?).  Sort of like Imelda Marcos...