Because of media and horrer stories that "he said she said of someone whos never been there," I was actually sonewhat nervous to come here.
(Tijuana is in Mexico, but the stories are the same...and this painting is in Salvador. :))
But i'm here, and I love it. Its beautiful, the people are beautiful, and the worst thing thats happened in the last four days is eating too much of their delicous food.
(Mashed Yucca, salsa, meat and veggies. Yuuummm!!!)
But lets back up to what got me here...Guatemala. Despite my love for the country, after nearly 10 weeks, I was ready to move.
For the last week, I was just hanging out, spending time with friends from the city.
I had been invited to the graduation of a friends brother, who was graduating from their Navy.
So despite my desire to go, I hung around for a week to see it. We roadtripped a few hours to the incredibly hot beach town of Puerto San Jose, and applauded the graduates and ate delicious food.
If you've ever been to a military graduation in the states, its pretty similar, just a bit less formal and uptight, and everything is in Spanish.
Shorty after, I took off back to Antigua where I spent my last day hanging out in the park people watching and talking to the many who passed by.
This is Pedro. Pedro is 14 and he came by selling scarfs and tapestry that his mom makes. We got talking, and for quite awhile we talked about life and dreams and work. I refused to buy anything though, but he didn't seem phased. I happened to be sitting on the same bench several hourd later and he came by again and we again talked and joked and he finally convinced me to buy some stuff I didnt need (for a really good price!)...i'm a sucker for cute kids.
Then finally, it was time for a new country.
I love how you can tell the difference between countries as soon as you leave one and enter another.
El salvador. The people are slightly lighter skinned. Their faces are more defined. There is trash E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E. (In an hour bus ride I saw three people throw trash out the window.) It just *feels* like a poorer and more broken country than Guatemala...but maybe thats just my expectation.
So many ride bikes...and maybe it's because of the terrible reviews this country has with the media, but I feel like many of them seem to look at everything with skeptical eyes. But maybe im just paranoid...
Most of the roads are awful. Theres a ton of horses and cowboys and almost as many little shacks beside the road advertising "pupusas" - (strangely similar to Coban Tayuyos. Tortillas fried with beans or cheese or meat in the center...theyre delicious.)
I left Guatemala with intentions of going to Juayua, a small town near a volcano, but as we drove I talked to our driver and he said he would have to drop me off on the side of the road to flag down a bus, then take another bus. He recommended against it, seeing as I'm a solo female traveler. And the words of an article were ringing in my head - don't walk alone. If it's VERY safe then maybe, otherwise just don't do it.
Part of me really wanted to be daring and adventurous, but my sensible side ruled saying the threat of being in the most dangerous non-war country is real... Besides...its no fun standing in the 100 degree full Sun with a 30 pound backpack and jeans...and two extra buses would cost me maybe $5...thats two whole meals!
(Yeah, right around $2 for this homemade deliciousness.)
So. I rode along with the rest of the tourists to the most popular place - El Tunco beach.
It was beautIful, but, I really didn't want to be at a beach...(after awhile they all look the same, and they're HOT.)
I am here to experience the culture. So after just a day of coconut water and pupusas and watching the beautiful sunset...
...And a night playing cards with some crazy backpackers (it was kind of cool - a group of all native English speakers sporting all different accents. From different parts of the US, England, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.) I caught the 6am bus to Sosonate, and another to Juayua.
On the bus on the way, I sat by the sweetest old man who used to be a fisherman and now lives alone. He would turn to me and poke me every time he wanted to say something, and he had a highschool graduation ring that he wad pretty proud of...though it was just a promotional example, he couldn't read English so he didn't care. :)
Somehow I can usually tell when I will love a place before I get there, and Juayua (pronounced why-oo-ah) was no exception.
The first day I walked around the little town, taking in the beautiful churches and volcanos in the distance. There is a typical market filled with anything you might need, for just a few cents or a dollar. The streets are lined with resale clothes shops all for $1-$3, countless pupuserias, and the park is filled with Christmas lights and decorations and locals selling locally made artisan gifts.
First full day in El Salvador. I asked for some good coffee and was shown to a cafe. It was closed, but opened for their friend and me, and proceeded to make me three different kinds of local coffee to try, for free.
Later, I was invited into a families simple, humble home and fed two meals and beer, and we had a dance party in their living room. They said their home is my home and offered to let me stay, but thanks to a over eager boy my age, I opted to stay in the hostel...but nonetheless, my first impressions of El Salvadorians has been anything but negative.
The next day I decided to check out a town on the route of the flowers - the sides of the road is littereally covered with colorful flowers. Ataco is another little town about 30 minutes away and is known for its colorful murals.
Craft and candy markets...
And of course its beautiful churches...
Oh yeah. And the tree in the park. It was the coolest. :-)
There was also a carnival going on, but if I had children in El Salvador, there is no way I would let them near the rickety, rusty old rides...
So there you have it. The first few days in this beautiful country have been wonderful, and every person I have met traveling here has told me nothing but good things, making me even more excited to keep exploring.
Don't believe everything you hear, especially from someone who's never beem there.
This place is one of the worlds best kept secrets.
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