Movin, you know, doin it...

Worked my ass off today trying to translate texts and figure out what the hell was going on during the Literacy Crusade. I think the pattern for the next few days will be work from 9 until 2 or 3 and then come back to my room, rest, and then grab some dinner before coming home to a few glasses of rum and a relaxing night reading something. Yea, it sounds a little boring, but there is not a whole lot to do in this city, and I am a little weary of heading out at night on my own. So I will stick to this pattern and come to love it.

This is my office for the next few days


Came back after finding some really good stuff and rested for about an hour and then decided I would try to get in some of the revolution monuments. I grabbed a cab and said something to the effect of "la casa predesente" which the driver took to mean the FSLN party headquarters. We pulled up in a quiet neighborhood with lots of men and guns standing at a brightly colored gate and I though that this was probably not the place I was trying to go. After much bad Spanish and confusion he understood what the dumb gringo in his cab wanted and we drove off.

Ended up here:

The old National Cathedral, where some dudes were putting up the flag at just the right time:

The grave of Carlos Fonseca, founder of the FSLN and venerated revolutionary:
Any revolution would be remiss without having a hulking proletariat statue:

Or their other venerated figure (Augusto Cesar Sandino) lurking from above the trees:


And just up the street the toughest living conditions I have seen so far anywhere:

I walked for a bit afterwards looking for a place to eat. Lots of small roadside type things with food that looked like empenadas, but I wanted something more substantial than that since my only other food today was a banana, a piece of pineapple and cantaloupe at breakfast. So I ended up eating with this parrot. I think this place was near the OEA (Organization of American States) offices or something like it because there were a decent amount of white people around there and I saw a Toyota with an OEA sticker on its door.

This place was great for $4.50 - Grilled Chicken, Rice and Beans a Salad and a 40 oz. of Tona:


I am really starting to enjoy this routine, it was a little tough at first just because I didn't know what was going on really. But now I know where I am and where some necessities are and I think this is going to feel very natural tomorrow or the next day. The plan is to head out to Leon after Sunday and see what Syd Frey is up to at the New Haven/Leon Sister City Project. I've been told Leon is gorgeous so I am excited to go, but first things first, I have some beers and rum to drink...