- Around
I only spent two weeks in El Salvador, the least amount of all the countries. This was mainly due to the fact that I cut my trip short due to a leg infection, and went back to Chiquimula in Guatemala to recover. But in that time I found probably the most friendly people of all the countries Iīve travelled. This was particularly so in the town of Santa Ana in the west. It sometimes took me ages just to walk a few blocks because people stopped me to chat.
Having said that, I canīt say that about San Salvador, the capital. Thatīs one of the places I wouldnīt like to walk around in at night - Iīve even walked around the streets of Mexico City until midnight. I didnīt actually see anything particularly bad, itīs just what I felt inside. During the day it seemed reasonable OK, as long as you donīt go around looking like youīre worth robbing (as you should do in any major city down here). But as soon as the sun goes down, youīll want to be inside your hotel. At most intersections, apart from the local hooker, guys wait around asking for one colón (US$0.12) from everyone who walked past. Now during the day you could refuse if you wanted to, but standing in the courtyard of my hotel, I noticed that almost everyone coughed up. And to those that didnīt, he said something extra in a low voice as they walked past, at which point they dug into their pockets and donated. I called him over (from behind the wire fence - Iīm not that brave), and asked him what it was that he said that convinced them to pay up. He just made up some innocent type of answer that obviously wasnīt the truth. Someone else from the hotel told me that he could have a knife or gun (or nothing), and gave a verbal threat indicating the same. Or if he had nothing, and the people didnīt pay, he could possibly call to his buddies on the next corner.
When planning where to go next from San Salvador, I heard that they were having earth tremors in San Vicente due to subterranial activity in a nearby volcanoe. So that was my next destination. I had never felt an earth tremor before, and I know that earthquakes are things of destruction and anguish, and are not to be wished for by anyone, but if these were small enough... yeah, I thought that would be exciting to experience. Upon arriving there, some guy told me that they were having about 5 small tremors per day, cool. But to be honest, I didnīt feel anything for about 3 days. Maybe they happened, but it could be that they were so small that I didnīt feel them when walking around during the day, or playing basketball with the locals (note: hiking shoes are not appropriately cushioned for playing basketball in). I had thought about what they say you should do in the event of an earthquake, and was mentally prepared to run to a doorway or a clear part of the street. But on the fourth day, just when I was considering giving up and leaving (also because of the developing leg infection I mentioned), I was lying on my bed when bang, it sounded like something smacked into the wall beside me. Iīm not sure, but I think I saw it move a bit, and the bed shuddered beneath me.. and that was it. Over in about one second. Wow! No warning, no starting slowly and getting bigger, and no chance of running to doorways. Maybe only ones that last 5 seconds or so, like in Japan, could you have even a remote chance of acting to protect yourself. But with one of short duration and high intensity, itīs just instant. I still donīt think I can imagine what a big one would be like, and I donīt envy anyone who lives in an earthquake prone zone. In all I felt about three before I left to go back to Guatemala.
So Iīm sorry thereīs not too many photos folks. Itīs just that there wasnīt too much to see that I hadnīt already seen in other countries (markets, central squares, churches etc.), just feelings and experiences like those Iīve just mentioned. El Salvador certainly isnīt touristy, and I like that, but it is an interesting place. Costa Rica, however, is quite the opposite; a lot of tourists, a lot of Gringos living there, and everything costs.
So now after all that reading, here are a few photos for you.
PS. If you think that all this writing is boring, or interesting, or you would like me to include something else, you can SIGN my guestbook to add your comments.
Near some stores some friends and I asked a security guard for directions. Knowing what the general opinion is about the safety of travelling through El Salvador, I thought it would be cool to send the folks at home a picture of me being arrested, so asked the guy if he would put the cuffs on me and stand there with his gun while someone took my picture. He agreed, but away from the street a bit so others couldnīt see, as he might get in trouble. You can see from the picture that he made sure the cuffs were on properly.
In the hotel (if you can call it that) in Santa Ana, this huge grasshopper came to visit.
One of the many volcanos I passed while on the bus from Sonsonate to San Salvador.