Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Reporting from Suchitoto, El Salvador:


We have tried to hit the ground running. After 24 hours in Leon with the Family, checking out the cathedral and a museum, we said goodbye as they drove back to Gran Pacifica. We stayed 1 more night and booked a chicken bus to El Salvador for 9 AM (chicken bus is the actual name for it, but unfortunately there were no chickens). This would take us across the southern point of Honduras and get us through 2 border crossings. A chap from England was on this bus as well, his Spanish proved useful but he was going all the way to Guatemala.

Our ride

It took us 12 hours to go 341 kilometers. So that you don´t have to do the math, let me tell you that is a longer than it should take. The main issue was 3 young Dominicans that had some border crossing issues and were eventually left behind. We were anxious because the sun was going down and Julia and I had to find a place to stay in the big city of San Miguel. We were finally dropped off at a round-about in the city center at 9 PM. Honestly, we were a little bit worried with no real idea where we were, but only had to walk about 100 feet before a cabbie asked us where we were going. We picked a spot out of the Lonely Planet guide book and he asked about 5 people for directions before whisking us off. I sat in the back of the cab with a man smoking, who apparently was just along for the ride. He found the hostal and it was clean and fairly cheap. We ate at a small place around the corner and called it a day.

view from our place in San Miguel

Saturday: we caught 3 buses and eventually got to our desired location of Alegria. A mountian town that is a popular Salvadorian weekend location. Despite being election weekend and thus the country is alcohol free for a few days, it was still a happening place with food stands and local kids running around.

Sunday: we walked up to a crater lake that was very low due to being the end of the dry season, but the surroundings were kind of cool. The smell of sulfur was in the air and the ground was an intersting texture with multiple colors. Up there, we ran into a Canadian/Australian couple that we had previously met in town and they were kind enough to share some beer they had talked a tienda owner into selling them. As we drank and talked, dozens of locals walked by to the soccer fields that happen to be placed in the crater. We assume because it is one of the few flat areas around these parts. The skill level was decent but the lone kid playing on the dirt field in bare feet was more impressive.

taken by a professional photographer with the "lake" in the background

That night we found a great little local spot and got 3 tacos, 1 pupusa (local specialty of corn or rice tortillas filled with cheese and beans), 1 quesadilla thing filled with ham cheese and veggies, and 2 drinks for a total of $5.50 (they use US dollars down here by the way).

Monday: It took 4 buses to get us to our current location of Suchitoto, in northern El Salvador. A nice small town near a lake with quiet streets and good food. Our hostal here has a lake view and is only $15 a night (the cheapest we have seen), although Julia is disappointed that the TV did not get "The Bachelor".  We strolled the town and ate more pupusas.

Tuesday (today): We are exploring the town some more and will take a stroll down to the lake.

Wednesday (tomorrow): We will head west, deciding to skip the big city of San Salvador in order to have more time. Our exact destination is unknown, but that will be decided tonight after some wine (today is the first day they can start selling alcohol again). Cheers,