From stingrays to volcanos...

Angela and I have been in Leon for a few days now. Leon is the main college town in Nicaragua so there is a pretty young population here. Leon also won the National Baseball Champsionship this week and everyone went out and partied last night until really late. I heard the last fireworks around 4 this morning. We´ve just been hanging out around the pool and sweltering through the afternoon heat. Angela loves it, I could go back to snow tomorrow and be just fine. Our last couple days out on the coast were pretty good although Angela discovered that stepping on a stingray can be a very painful experience. The ray got her in the heel of her foot. After much to-do, we took her to a local clinic that was surprisingly clean and professional. She got some anesthetic and the doc cleaned up the puncture, total bill about eight dollars. No wait in a long line, no demands for proof of health insurance, and when it was time to pay the bill I got an itemized list of the cost of all supplies used and more professional service than I have received in a number of American clinics. Fear not, the American Health system is still the best in the world!!! Unless you want affordable health care in a timely manner provided by professionals, then its no bueno. And enough about all that I appear to have taken a side track...

Tomorrow we are headed out to climb Telica, a volcano near Leon. We will camp just below the crater rim and then go up to the crater at night to see the glow of the lava. This will be an overnight trip and then we will be back in Leon for one night. After that we are headed up to Canyon de Somoto for a three day trip through the canyon. I am hoping both these trips will be a lot of fun. Thats all for now...