La Rinconada is a community about an hour's walk from the nearest bus route. It is the home of our friend Melana who we have been saying we will go and visit. We were greeted by Melana on our first visit to Nick's house in Leon and have met up with her several times since in Leon and at the music festival we went to in Achuapa. Five years ago Melena had cirosis of the liver and was given a few months to live at only 35 years of age. She went with Nick to an alternative treatment center in Managua for acupunture and a consultation. After a complete change in diet and some medicinal teas, she's been in good health since and is going strong. Although she misses the odd bit of rum, fried food, salt or occasional cigarette, she loves to chat, dance, cook, clean, farm, look after her kids and campaign on local issues to improve the community. She also established the local nursery school where she continues to teach.
With Melana and Nino, who lives over the road and is one of Melana's pupils.
It was a relaxing place to be, which was lucky as due to my uncomfortable rash, I spent most of the time sitting or lying in the shade. The houses were built with the help of an international brigade, including our friend Nick and his parents, 18 years ago. They're nice and cool with brick walls and a tiled roof, rather than the more common wooden walls with a tin roof that gets very hot in the day. The house only has one bedroom which we shared with Melana and her two daughters. It wasn't luxurious but it was nice to be treated as one of the family.
The community has a plentiful supply of fresh water. All you need to do is wander 50 yards with a couple of buckets several times a day to fill them from the well.
On Sunday lunchtime the Sandinista party representative showed up to take photos and information from party members. The rep had travelled a fair distance on some terrible roads across the hills for the occasion, but after 5 minutes the camera ran out of battery and so it was game over for the day.
Having preened themselves for the party membership photos, the lads (
chavalos) were keen to have a group shot, which we should be able to print out for them. Unfortunately, there is a decidedly macho culture in Nicaragua as the picture clearly shows. It's all about posturing and looking moody. Most of the lads above are perfectly friendly on a one to one basis and only act like moody gangster wannabes when they're together. The national
chavalo uniform is simple to adopt - jeans, baseball cap, chains, with t-shirt and trainers for casual days and shirt and shoes for Sundays, or Rumdays, as they could be re-named here.
Sadly, we left a day earlier than planned, cowering in the shade as we waited for the bus, mainly to go and show my ugly rash to a pharmacist. Hopefully, we'll be back in a few weeks in good health and cooler weather to explore the area a bit more.
With Melana and Nino, who lives over the road and is one of Melana's pupils.
It was a relaxing place to be, which was lucky as due to my uncomfortable rash, I spent most of the time sitting or lying in the shade. The houses were built with the help of an international brigade, including our friend Nick and his parents, 18 years ago. They're nice and cool with brick walls and a tiled roof, rather than the more common wooden walls with a tin roof that gets very hot in the day. The house only has one bedroom which we shared with Melana and her two daughters. It wasn't luxurious but it was nice to be treated as one of the family.
The community has a plentiful supply of fresh water. All you need to do is wander 50 yards with a couple of buckets several times a day to fill them from the well.
On Sunday lunchtime the Sandinista party representative showed up to take photos and information from party members. The rep had travelled a fair distance on some terrible roads across the hills for the occasion, but after 5 minutes the camera ran out of battery and so it was game over for the day.
Having preened themselves for the party membership photos, the lads (chavalos) were keen to have a group shot, which we should be able to print out for them. Unfortunately, there is a decidedly macho culture in Nicaragua as the picture clearly shows. It's all about posturing and looking moody. Most of the lads above are perfectly friendly on a one to one basis and only act like moody gangster wannabes when they're together. The national chavalo uniform is simple to adopt - jeans, baseball cap, chains, with t-shirt and trainers for casual days and shirt and shoes for Sundays, or Rumdays, as they could be re-named here.
Sadly, we left a day earlier than planned, cowering in the shade as we waited for the bus, mainly to go and show my ugly rash to a pharmacist. Hopefully, we'll be back in a few weeks in good health and cooler weather to explore the area a bit more.
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