to Somoto: a "dry" town

June 13, 2017

"The skill and the equipment came from Cuba" Jeri explains while we watch the workers hand roll the cigars. Yesterday we took another rest day and in the afternoon visited the small cigar factory that is just next door to the residence where Jeri rents a room. Nicaragua's support of Cuba's revolution in the '80s lead to the foreign funded Contras against the Sandinistas in the Civil war.

Today we say our goodbyes to Jeri and ride on, only to get a block away and Rachel's back tire is flat. Quickly fixed we navigate to the main road, back to Nic-1. Even this early traffic is heavy, but it's asphalt.

We see trucks with military and in one area soldiers walking along the side of the road. Given the past United States interference, the Nicaraguans are still friendly to gringos and politically stable, there is an increase in tourism. We also see loaded pickup trucks with new items like plastic chairs, bed frames and mattresses, probably for the border with items not available in Honduras.

We see a couple of tobacco factories and one old shed where we see hanging tobacco leaves drying. Almost to Somoto and the top of the long hill, there is a man selling ice cream. So naturally we stop and have a treat at the side of the road still on our bikes.

The first hotel we check-out is fully booked, so we head the the Hotel Colonial, a nice place, but is has a reputation for not having water. That proves true today as well. They claim it is a problem in the whole town. We are given a bucket of water and wash-up with that. Somoto does not offer much, there is a canyon people come to visit, but the town itself needs more restaurants and tap water!

Selecting the best tobacco leaves for the outside of the cigar.

The guys are stuffing the cigars and putting the in the wooden forms for pressing. The girls wrap one more nice looking leaf around the cigar and finishes it off.

After all that work they are reduced to ashes. And cause all kinds of illnesses.

Scenery for today. Forest covered hillsides with fields and pastures in the valleys.

Large wooden building with drying tobacco leaves.

Cold drink stop. They are playing loud christian music for our entertainment.

President on billboards. Not a good thing. This one is congratulating himself. Reminds me of the one we have at home now.

Hotel Colonial. Nice place, it is just that water is hard to come by.

Today's ride: 70 km (43 miles)
Total: 33,167 km (20,597 miles)

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