This weekend was fantastic! Krista, Jess and I had so much fun in Leon. Let me break it down for you.

We left bright and early Saturday morning, waking up a ridiculous hour of 4:30am to catch a 5:45am bus to Leon. We rode in style on an actual tour bus. We arrived around 8:30am and got slightly lost when looking for our hostel Via Via. We found it after many directions from the locals and checked in. The hostel was beautiful; there was a restaurant in the front and apparently there are lots of events that happen there during the week. Sunday night, for $12.00 we could watch a cock fight and enjoy an open bar. If we were so inclined. But inside, past the restaurant, there was a huge open courtyard with flowers and plants and hammocks hanging between posts. Really clean and friendly. Jess and I shared a double bed in our own room. There was only one bed in the common dorm because there had been a party there the night before and everyone was super hung over and therefore still sleeping when we got there. AND--- our room had a fan. And its own bathroom. Already off to a great start.

While waiting for our rooms we ate breakfast and then toured around the city. Besides the churches there isn´t really much to see in Leon. But we checked out the different churches and visited what is apparently the tallest church in Central America. I personally didn´t find it that big. Maybe its just me. We also went to Quetzal Trekkers and booked our hike for Cerro Negro on Sunday. We didn´t end up doing the two day one I told you about earlier because Krista and Jess had to work Monday. So the Cerro Negro Tour, for $20.00 included two meals, bus fare, the tour guides and 10 hours in total of ¨trip¨. When we initially paid, one of the tour guides Justin accidently overcharged us, saying we had to pay 800 cordobas (which is really $40.00) and I didn´t realize we had overpayed until like 1:00am when I was awake and thinking about our trip. The next morning however he realized his mistake and gave us all back 400 cord. Clearly none of us are good at math if we didn´t catch that right away.

Saturday afternoon we went to the beach - Playa Roca to be more precise. We took the bus there and we sat on the bus, in the terminal for 30 min. before it left as they were trying to jam more people into an already crowded bus and it was super hot. We were all sweating buckets. But the beach was beautiful. Playa Roca had this laid-back drink and food feel. The water was really salty (Pacific Ocean everyone) and nice temperature; not cold but not warm, just refreshing. Sandy beaches, big crashing waves. Heaven. We got a drink and went down to the beach. After swimming for a while we laid on the sand to try and get some color. This is the chica blanca part. These kids were walking along the beach trying to sell tourists stuff and they came up to us and were saying hello and pointing at me saying ¨You´re white¨ and comparing me to them. It was so funny because clearly I know I´m as pale as death. They were like ¨Do you know you´re white?¨and I replied ¨Clearly, thats why I´m lying in the sun!¨It was just so funny to be told what I already am completely aware of. Hahaha. We returned to the hostel around 6pm, showered and ate dinner. Gallo pinto, fried eggs and tortilla for me, washed down with a huge glass of fresh pineapple juice. Delicious. We hit the hay early, around 8:30am in preparation for the next day.

Sunday. Began at 3:30am for us. We met the guides at Quetzal Trekkers office at 4:15am for breakfast. Bananas, melon, whole wheat bread, peanut butter and jelly and coffee. Simple but amazing. We left around 5 and were at the starting point around 6am. We hiked 1.5 hours to the Rangers Station where we saw iguanas and snakes. Apparently they breed iguanas to be eaten and sold at the market. Mmmm. Our hike was through a bit of forest but mostly over black rock/ash combination. All of our socks and ankles were filthy and black and our shoes were filled with rocks. We started the hike up the volcano around 9am. It was rocky, challenging but completely worth all the pain and rocks. The day was bright and cloud-free, warm but with a nice breeze. We applied sunscreen but all we did was sweat it off. The climb took about an hour. Cerro Negro is 728m high and active, so we got to visit a couple craters created by the last eruptions. There were spots where sulfur was being released and you could hold your hand over a hot spot in the sand and feel the heat of the volcano. We hiked along the rigde of the volcano at the top to the highest point and the spot where we would be running down the volcano. Yes, running down. You can also sled or snowboard down but that is a little too scary for me. The view was amazing and you could see forever. I definitely have a few victory shots.

Running down was tricky. It was insanely steep and it was mostly loose rock mixed with some patches of smooth, hardened rock that were slippery. The trick was to dig your heels into the volcano and just go. I slipped and fell a few times, suffered minor scratches but I ran most of the way down. I was so scared at one point because I couldn´t stop slipping down the side. About half way down we stopped and sat to wait for the others to catch up. Then I ran the rest of the way, down to the bottom. Adrenaline rush to the max. Jess, slightly more scared than I was, went down on her butt and ripped her pants and had a huge butt scab now. Its kind of funny but I try to be sympathetic. When we were all down, we emptied our very full shoes (I had ash/rock in my sock up to my toes) and then found a nice shady spot for lunch. Bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese and refried beans squeezed from a pack. Oh ya. We hiked back to the bus stop now on the other side of Cerro Negro, about another hour, and were all rewarded with a nice cool drink. Coca Cola of course por moi. We were back in Leon city by 2pm. Jess, Krista and I then caught a bus to San Roquero where we had to transfer to another bus to Esteli. Less fabulous bus ride home and we were all extremely dirty, tired and sunburned. Really sunburned. Edna applied yogurt to me at dinner and it felt so good.

But like I said, fantastic weekend. I can now say I´ve climbed and run down an active volcano. Our guides were great and I think thats half the experience. Both guys were from Cananda: Justin was from Halifax, 19, and Jack from Kingston, also 19. AND Jack knew what and where Port Credit was. I was so impressed. But great experience and we all came away from that weekend happy and content, though burned. I might go back and do it again later with Megan. So rewarding.

Now in my 5th week here and looking forward to the time to come. Hopefully work picks up a little more. Some people in my house are leaving soon and they will be missed but new internationals will come to our international family.

Hasta luego for now. I will try to upload some photos when I can. I lost my second memory card so have to buy another one here. Should be fun but there is a Radio Shak in Esteli so fingers crossed. And I heard about the weather in Canada. Winter jackets and mits...really?? I feel sorry for you guys. If I could, I would send some heat your way.

Take care!!