what to make of Nicaragua...

When it comes to planning a vacation trip Nicaragua may not come to mind. So we were curious when we found out we'd be stopping at the port of Corinto and then taking a shore excursion inland to the town of Leon. Nicaragua certainly has a troubled military past and it remains the second poorest country in the Americas (Haiti is the poorest).

Tourism is only starting to get a real foothold in the country and it doesn't seem to have trickled down to most of the population as of yet. It was the only country where we could wander one of the main squares in town and not be constantly approached by vendors pushing their wares on us. There was a market in the square but it seemed lowkey and laid back. The people seemed friendly but hesitant as if still not quite sure what to make of the horde of cruise ship tourists descending on their town. America's not-so-subtle role in their military conflicts probably has something to do with some remaining distrust of norteamericanos but the average age in Nicaragua is just 27 so perhaps time will yet heal that wound.

It is no doubt a beautiful country and has the added attraction of having many volcanoes, nine of which are still active. Nicaragua also has a rich and varied history that equals what we saw in our other stops. And if you get to the town of Leon, visit the Cathedral and take the tour to the rooftop. Its something you definitely don't see every day. In short, if you get the chance to visit, Nicaragua may well be worth a stop. Here's a short video of some of what we saw in our time there.