You know it´s hot when your knee caps are sweating!

The time spent abroad so far has been anything but an easy road. There have been MANY unexpected bumps that have caught my off guard, but in the end of made me a stronger person. As Hans (a fellow traveler from Belgium) likes to remind me.. everything that happens is `good for me` well whether it´s good for me or not , it has tested me, exhausted me and left me with a bitter taste from time to time for the culture here in Nicaragua.

However, as May faded away an unexpected opportunity presented itself to me, leaving me in much better spirits! Marissa (my roommate) and Krista ( from Virginia) planned an ambitious 2 day trip to Leon, that i couldn't miss. Obviously I agreed to go before assessing the ungodly hour we were to begin our trip. (4 30 ) I wasn´t quite sure this hour actually existed, well let me tell you.. it does and it´s far from pleasant.

On previous entries i may have mentioned this state of the buses in Central America.. a vision of jammed pack sardines forgotten out of the sun often comes to mind, but this time the bus gods were finally on our side!At 5 30 in the bus terminal the three of us set out to find the correct bus headed for Leon. The bus staring back at me was no cramped school bus piled high with chickens and travelers- on no, it was coach. WITH AC. and plenty of room. At first i thought it was too many cervezas from the night before and perhaps lack of sleep but pinch me, it was real. Feeling rather spoiled our trip to Leon starting off with a bang.

Saturday- hello paradise. The Cathedrals in Leon are beautiful . They house the biggest cathedrals in central America and they live up to their reputations. Walking through them it was hard not to be overwhelmed by the years of worship and the stories kept deep within the walls. As we walked through there were many families within the churches, perhaps because it was mothers day or perhaps a regular occurrence. It was a pleasant surprise to see all these families coming together in such a beautiful atmosphere.

Once the sightseeing was checked off our list of to-do s, the heat was pretty much unbearable so we headed for the beach . Though we indulged ourselves for an afternoon of drinks by the beach, swimming and sunning I couldn't help feeling slightly hypocritical - we obviously stumbled on a small tourist hot spot as the beach bar and unlimited waves made it look and feel like an all inclusive resort when just around the corner of the mud road were unstable huts, mound s of garbage and little children. The afternoon hidden away from reality may have been indulgent , however after 4 weeks here it was incredibly necessary.Th e sand was hot, the waves refreshing and the juices incredibly tasty. The day was rejuvenating and picked up my spirits 100 percent!

Peace