On Saturday morning, Lt. Julio Cesar Pineda led a tour of Leon to teach us about the city and Nicaraguan history. Our tour started in front of a mural depicting Nicaraguan history from the time of indigenous peoples through Augusto Sandino and finally the modern era. Julio spoke briefly about his experiences fighting in the revolution and movingly brought the mural to life.
From there, we proceeded into the Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and possibly the landmark most commonly associated with Leon, a city of 16 churches. The architecture was nothing short of awe-inspiring. After spending time in the Cathedral, we climbed a number of narrow stairways and emerged onto the roof of the great structure. From this vantage point, we could see volcanoes surrounding Leon in each of the four cardinal directions.
We then visited the house of Ruben Dario, Leon and Nicaragua’s most famous poet. We learned about his life and work, as well as his untimely death from cirrhosis. After that, we visited the art museum and saw works by Picasso, Monet, and many Nicaraguan artists.
In the afternoon, we made our way to the beach in Poneloya for some much-needed rest and relaxation after a busy week. After our trip, we met up with Elliot Schaeffer, MD, PGY-3, one the of the UMass Fitchburg Family Medicine residents.
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| Noah and his host brother, Ivan |
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