One of the startling aspects of life on the streets in Nicaragua is the proliferation of armed guards outside shops and other commercial premises. The variety of weapons is huge, anything from a holstered pistol to a huge shot gun. I suppose that they are all actually carrying ammunition, but very few of the guards look particularly menacing. In Leon many of them are old men, perhaps veterans of the revolution and the Contra War. Some of them are a lot younger. It does remind you that this country has seen a lot of violence in the past eighty years.
That said Nicaragua feels remarkably calm and peaceful today. Nowhere have we felt threatened and besides making sure money and valuables are kept safe from pickpockets, we take no specific precautions. This is quite different from what I expected to find in a Central American country and that is a very happy surprise. Maggie says that this is in stark contrast with Honduras, which she describes very edgy.
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