Churches and Art in Leon

one of the Basilica Cathedral bells flanked by two suculptures of men

Churches

1600s church with statue of Monk and a Wolf in front

We have breakfast at the hotel and start to explore the Leon some more. We make sure to walk in the shade as much as possible. My energy level is rather low.

The first church we check out is the Iglesia de la Recollection. It is a bright yellow Baroque style church. We go in and rest in the Model of Basilica Cathedral shade before moving on to the Basilica Cathedral. Although we were on its roof yesterday, we didn’t have a chance to go inside.

We sit on the steps of the cathedral and watch the people in the square. Hundreds of pigeons also conjugate in the square…not seeming to mind the heat.

Ortiz-Gurdian Foundation Art Museum

Kimberly standing in front of Andy Warhol's Marilyn collection

Black and White Picasso artwork Our next stop is the Ortiz-Gurdian Foundation Art Museum . The museum is housed in two stunningly gorgeous colonial mansions with many courtyards and natural light . There is an eclectic collection of works including Picasso, Warhol and Jean Michel Basquiat and other Latin American and European artists.
Garden courtyard with a fountain

The Monk and the Wolf

Statue of a Monk and a Wolf

a plaque about Fidel Castro Near the museum is a Franciscan church built in the 1600s. There is a statue in front og a monk and a vicious looking wolf. The statue is a representation of a poem by Ruben Dario (famous Nicaraguan writer). Today there are flowers placed around the statue.

We pass more plaques to revolutionary heros including Fidel Castro.

By this time it is getting very hot and my energy level has dropped close to zero. We stop in an air conditioned grocery store before heading back to the hotel for our siesta.

Evening in Leon

Basketball playing people

Large picture of Dario beside lit up walkway Refreshed, we head out to El Mirador a rooftop bar for sunset mojitos.The church bells are ringing. Click here for a video. There is some kind of celebration about Ruben Dario going on. Flowers have been placed around all statues and places that have anything to do with him.

John has noticed that we see very few locals smoking. However, we have heard that there is a lot of alcohol problems here.

The rooftop bar overlooks a basketball and we watch people energetically playing basketball in the now 34 degree heat The court is surrounded by political murals on the walls and memorials to revolutionary heroes.

the stage with people in front After sunset we head to the square in front of the Cathedral where some kind of performance is taking place in honour of the poet Ruben Dario. A group of teenaged girls wearing cobalt blue Grecian style gowns are reciting his poems in Spanish. They are speaking so quickly that John and I can’t get most/any of it so we head back to the hotel.