February 5-7
Our first weekend in Nicaragua we did some sight seeing in Managua. We went to Parque Salvador Allende (named after the first socialist president in Latin America), which offers a long walk along the windy shore of Lake Managua and a bunch of shops and restaurants. Programa paga treated us to icecream, which to our amazement melted faster than we could lick it up.
Along some of the highways in Managua and overwhelmingly present at the park are ... The Trees. They're big, bright, and colorful. They can probably be seen from space. To Nicaraguans, they're something of a joke. President Daniel Ortega's mujer, Rosario Murillo, designed them as part of her campaign to beautify Nicaragua with loud colors. Nicaragua is the second poorest country in Latin America. The price tag for "Trees of Life" was a large one, as well as the electricity bill every night.
Most Nicaraguans are annoyed by the trees because, well, they're painful to look at. They chopped down real trees to put up fake ones. Powering them costs a lot of money that could be put to better use. They're supposed to attract foreign tourists and bring outside money into the country, but the only people that come are Nicaraguans. The swirls look like upside down sixes -- they're a satanic symbol.
Murillo is also responsible for all of the parks, benches, telephone poles, and anything else built by the government being painted these cheery colors. It's nice to look at, at first, until you start seeing these colors everywhere. It's like putting a happy face all over the country to pretend that there's nothing wrong. Or, as if the government wants people to be aware of every good thing they provide, every street lamp and city park.
Augusto C. Sandino, national hero and favorite decoration of Nicaragua. He's recognizable even by his silhouette because of his big hat. He was a leader in the rebellion against U.S. occupation between 1927 and 1933. The marines left after setting up a new president and a general of the National Guard... the general had Sandino assassinated in 1934, and went on to cease power and establish a family dictatorship that ruled Nicaragua for 40 years. That was Anastasio Somoza García. The FSLN, Sandinista National Liberation Front, took on the old hero's name when they rose up to challenge the Somoza dictatorship. The Sandinistas succeeded in 1979.
We went to a park on a hill overlooking the city, where the Somoza's had their bunker. On display is a "toy" tank, a gift from Benito Musolini to General Somoza García.
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