El Sauce

I've been to Nicaragua four times since 2003, as part of an informal city sister affiliation between a group in upstate New York,and the town of El Sauce, Department of Leon, Nicaragua.

El Sauce, located in the foothills of the Segovia Mountains, is off the beaten path. It is 87 kilometers from Leon and about 180 kilometers from Managua. Once a junction of the railroad that shipped coffee from the Matagalpa region in the north, and cattle from the area, to the port city of Corinto, the shutting down of the railroad some 30-40 years ago had a dramatic impact on the town.

The town is home to about 12,000 inhabitants, and another 20,000 in the outlying areas. While more and more of the streets are being paved each year, much of the town still has dirt roads. There are many more horses than cars, and men on horseback, and ox drawn delivery wagons are a common site in the town. Milk is still delivered fresh from the country side each morning.

Within the past year, the former train station, that had fallen into disrepair, has been completely renovated, and is now the public library. Soon, the building will also house a small museum commemorating the era of the trains, with old photos and memorabilia from that time on display.

Another major attraction is the Black Christ, or Christo Negro. Since the mid 1700's, there has been an annual pilgrimage from all over Nicaragua and other parts of Central America, to El Sauce. This occurs during the later part of January of each year, and upwards of 20,000 visitors make the journey to El Sauce, to make the pilgrimage. Housed in a small chapel at the colonial style Catholic Church in town, the icon can be seen at any time.

Another special feature of the area is the view from the top of the low mountains that sit above the town. There is a pine forest called Ocotal, and the vista is nothing short of magnificent, with valleys and volcanos as far as the eye can see. Accessible by four wheel drive( or by means of a very long, vigorous hike) the trip is well worth the effort. Plus, it is usually 15 degrees or more cooler at the top of the pine forest.

A good place to stay in El Sauce is Hotel Blanco, with small but comfortable rooms, some with air conditioning, for about $15 US per night, and the breakfasts are excellent.

Very few people in El Sauce speak English, and so it is a great opportunity for people who are interested in practicing their Spanish. The townspeople are open, friendly and welcoming. The mayor's office would be especially helpful.

Anyone visiting Leon, or on their way to Matagalpa, would be well advised to make a side trip for a day to El Sauce, and step back in time.