El Salvador
Where was Ray MLK weekend? San Salvador, the murder capital of the world. (Yep, its murder rate is twice as large as the murder rate of the US’s four most dangerous cities: Detroit, New Orleans, St. Louis, and Baltimore.). But that’s only half of the story. Most of the crime is related to the drug cartels. So, as a tourist, as long as you (and your family members) aren’t involved in the drug trade, you will be relatively safe in the city and country. Despite its reputation, San Salvador is worth a visit, even for just 1 or 2 days. Much like San Jose (the capital of Costa Rica), there are more scenic and historical places to visit outside the capital. Beaches, architecture, culture, and locals await you just outside the capital. To be sure, El Salvador is a small country. Drive 3 hours in any direction from the capital and you’ll likely be in Honduras, Guatemala, or swimming in the Pacific.
San Salvador
While in San Salvador, I visited Multiplaza Mall (this place had the Radio Shack, Sears, and Payless) and the Metrocentro Mall (this mall was about 3 square blocks). Despite the State Department’s warning not to go, I also went to Centro Historico (downtown) where I wandered through the markets and visited the cathedral. Across from the cathedral was Teatro Nacional (National Theater) but it was closed. While walking through the market, I joined in on an outdoor church service. The preacher was speaking on Espirutu Santo (the Holy Spirit) and I was able to follow much of his message. As I left the service, I ran into an old lady cooking on the curb. Her place smelled so good, I had to stop and get me something. Those that know me know that I like to grill and she was cooking using wood (aka grilling). The aroma was captivating, I had to buy a piece of chicken from her.
When I left Historico Centro, I took a trip to the Parque Nacional El Boqueron. In this national park, you can hike to the lip of the San Salvador volcano. (This volcano is just one of the ones in the country, not to be confused with the Santa Ana volcano that has a caldera that filled to become the green Lake Coatepeque.) After leaving the volcano, I visited Picnic Restaurant to have a bite to eat and to slide down the famous Imagine Slide. In my opinion, it is worth it to come to San Salvador just to ride down that slide! I left the slide and went back home to get ready for my next set of adventures in my next city, Santa Ana. Little did I know that my next adventure would be driving to Santa Ana.
If you ever decide to drive in El Salvador, here are a few tips that will keep you safe on the roads. For one, most speed limits are painted on the street and not attached to poles on the side of the road. But no worries, even if you can’t convert kilometers to miles in your head, most streets do not have a posted speed limit. From my experience, it seems as though speed limits are only suggestions anyway. If you drive too slow, people will pass you – to your left and to your right. So, look two or three times before changing lanes as motorcycles will likely be in your blind spot or actively passing you by. To be sure, when driving in El Salvador, get in where you fit in. It’s every man for themselves – especially in the roundabouts. Don’t be timid or you will get hit.
There are three main ways that people get around. There are many cheap buses that go between and within cities. If you are not comfortable driving, grab one of these. You can travel between cities for less than $3 in many instances. You could also grab a ride with one of the many pickup trucks that are on the road – but don’t expect to have a seat or be comfortable. If you decide to drive yourself around, rent a bigger car than a compact because my compact car was struggling to go up El Salvador’s many hills. Riding up a windy hill in the pitch black going 15 mph while cars pass you to your left and right going 80 mph is not a good look. Trust me. Well, enjoy the pics from the capital city. More to come later. Next Stop: Santa Ana.
Santa Ana / Ruta de las Flores
about a 20 mile winding route through brightly colored colonial towns and many coffee plantations. (There are wildflowers that grow alongside the road. This is what’s responsible for its name.). I went to four of the five main towns (Apaneca, Ataco, Juayua, and Salcoatitan). The one that I did not go to is Nahuizalco. I decided not to go all the way to actual end (Sonsonate) because I heard that there wasn’t much there. Traveling the road from north to south allowed me to reposition myself for my flight home the following day (the airport is in the south of the country).
I've attached some of the pictures from my time in Santa Ana. If I had it to do over, I would have spent 2 days in Santa Ana and 1 in San Salvador, rather than the other way around. But, I'm grateful that I was able to experience as much as I did in less than 24 hours. Hope you enjoy the pics. Santa Ana es una ciudad muy buena.
La Libertad
I arrived in La Libertad about 6:30pm. It was pitch black by then. After driving for two hours, I decided to stay in rather than try and explore the town. Unfortunately, I had nowhere to stay because the host at my accommodations claimed that VRBO never gave him any notice that I was coming. He ended up renting out my room to a larger party. Luckily, I found a room at a hostel four doors down from him. This lady was a god send. She rescued me right when I was planning to spend the night in my car. In addition to providing a place for me to crash, she also made me some pupusas for dinner free of charge. Everything worked out in the end. Not only did the original guy come by to apologize personally but he reimbursed me for the money I paid for his room and to “make me whole,” he reimbursed me for the one night I paid the lady too.
The next morning, I woke up early to start my trek to the airport. But before I left, I decided to take a walk on the beach that was right behind the house. My host’s daughter accompanied me on my walk and for the first time this weekend, I actually had someone take pictures of me. We walked on the beach right after sunrise. The black sand sparkled and glistened as the sun rose slightly above the horizon. The waves crashed right at the shore. Because it was low tide, the shore line was way back exposing undisturbed virgin sand that would no doubt be reclaimed by the ocean in just a few hours. We turned back at this rock structure that jutted out into the ocean. The waves on that side of the beach were stronger and more pronounced. As we returned to the house, we noticed more activity on the beach. More footprints disturbed the sand. Umbrellas appeared out of nowhere. Locals wearing 20 hats and 15 bracelets whizzed by us. Crabs scrambled back into their holes and seashells made patterns in the sand as the crashing waves receded back to the ocean.
The walk lasted about an hour but it did wonders to recharge my batteries. When I returned to the house, I got Blanca’s IG so I could send her some of the pictures she took. I said bye and headed to the airport. After returning the rental car, I checked into my flight and headed for the lounge. On my way there, I ran into two Black women. They were just the second set of Black people I had seen all weekend (numbers 5 and 6). I invited them to the airport lounge to wait for their flights. We chatted for about an hour before we each went our separate ways. Alas, I survived the murder capital of the world. In just 3 hours, I’d return to my regular scheduled life in Atlanta, Georgia.
Was my trip worth it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Yup. Has my wanderlust been quenched for the year? Nope. Stay Tuned to figure out where I’m headed next. I may actually bring the family on the next one…. (or maybe not.)
