… Corinto, Nicaragua …

… and the 1611 Spanish colonial city of Leon. Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America – and was a possible location for what is the Panama Canal until they discovered the country’s 27 volcanoes – 7 of which are still active! The port of Corinto handles 70% of the country’s exports, mostly beef, coffee, sesame seeds and peanuts. The sesame seeds go primarily to McDonald’s for those sesame seed buns, and the oil for fries. On our way to Leon, we visited the Chorotega Museum, sponsored by the Coen family, with a collection of 1500 amazing pre-Columbian pieces.  I thought the vessel on the left was stunning until learning it was used to hold the uteruses of virgins sacrificed to the volcano gods; those “feelers” are fallopian tubes … The next statue undoubtedly shows said virgin upon learning the plan … And who can’t relate to the next piece? Oy vey …
    
Our next stop was an hour away in the lovely city of Leon, to see La Asuncion Cathedral, a World Heritage Site. Along the way we saw several of Nicaragua’s volcanoes, including the formidable San Cristobal, and its neighbor, San Casitas. The light streak shows where thousands of people were killed in a 1998 disaster.
  
The cathedral is beautiful, inside and out. Hidden within the interior artwork are three “eyes” in triangles, similar to the one on the back of a US dollar bill. Good luck comes to those who find all three with no help. Here are two of the eyes – one in the ceiling, and one just visible in the triangle above the dove in the pulpit. We found all three! The Madonna in the pink niche is beautiful; the Madonna in the main altar was made in China.
  
    
After admiring the Cathedral, Frank and I had a guilty secret lunch – at a new McDonald’s which opened recently across the street. It sure tasted good!