El Salvador.

Part 1

Forcing ourselves away from the comforts of Antigua, we headed for the border with El Salvador.

Crossing the Ria Paz at the Las Chinamas Frontier, we had a good feeling. I don't think we have ever had a warmer, more friendly reception at a Border. They appeared to be genuinely happy to see tourists coming into their country. The lovely immigration lady, having stamped our passports, gave us a slip of paper with a handwritten list of places she recommended. 

Just a few years ago, travellers rarely ventured into El Salvador as it had a reputation for lawlessness, gang-related crime and Cartel wars. It had been declared as a "No Go" area by the British Foreign Office for many Years.

However, all this has changed.

In March 2022, after a particularly brutal Cartel war, the president, Nayibe Bukele,  declared a state of Emergency and a war against the gangs.

This declaration enabled the authorities to indefinitely detain anyone whom they perceived to be an active gang member. To date, over 91,000 alleged gang members have been imprisoned. 

Although seen by outsiders as a very controversial act with many Human Rights issues,  it has, without doubt, changed the entire country. 

El Salvador is not only beautiful, with its green, rugged landscape, but its people now feel free. Everyone is happy with their new country and they welcome tourists with open arms. 

Its a beautiful country full of warm friendly wonderful  people.

Our first stop, just over the border, was the town of Ahuachapan, camping on the shore of Lagune Del Llano

Although, not the prettiest town, Ahuachapan is famous for its many hot springs. It would be wrong to miss out on this.

Ahuachapan is also the start of "La Ruta De Las Flores" It 36 km long route through the highlands, connects six colourful towns known for their coffee, murals, artisan culture and food festivals. The towns of Juayua and Apaneca are on this route.   

El Salvador isn't a particularly large country. It has an area of 20,779 square km, which is about the size of Wales in the UK. This means it's never too far to your next destination. On this occasion, it was the remote Volcanic crater known as Laguna Verde. 

The drive up to the Laguna was very steep and tested our low gears. Coming back down should have been straight forward. However, a dispute as to which road to take resulted chosing the wrong one. The unpaved, overgrown, steep dirt road wasn't one of my best choices. Oncoming traffic had lots of fun getting past us. 

The small, pretty town of Apeneca gave us an opportunity to try El Salvador's famous Pupusas for the first time.

Puposas are made from Cornmeal and Rice flour, you can get them with just about any filling.

Our next destination was the town of Juayua. At weekends the centre of turn is turned into a street food based festival. 

The parish Church of Santa Lucia in Juayua is famous for its images and statues of " Cristo Negro" . A black Jesus.

A nearby attraction is the area known as the Seven Cascades. It was very steep and very wet, but really enjoyable. 

Most of the walks and National Parks in El Salvador require you to employ a local guide. 

Pat arranged a one to one guide for me. His name was Julio Cesar. We set of early and had the whole place to ourselves. However, when exiting, we passed many large Groups of thirty plus heading into the cascades. I would imagine that by 10 am the queues for the sights would have been very long.

 

Geographically, the landscape is dominated by over 100 Volcanoes . Six are declared currently active.

The tallest, still active, is called Volcano Santa Ana and is 2382 m high.

With a bit of persuasion from Pat and our friends Sandie and Karsten, I climbed to the top.

This was a bit of an achievment for me as Im not exactly "Hiking Fit".

It's accurate to say that the Scenery in El Salvador is amazing. For too long, this country has been hidden from the rest of the world.

Pats research told us that there was only one way to get to our next destination. Our first attempt at getting to the camping area called Rancho Tajadas in the town of Sacacoyo came to an abrupt stop approximately 100m before the entrance. 

Half the  road had been dug up and a tree was leaning into the remaining half . Despite, the well meaning, locals measuring the road and our truck. Their suggestions that we run  half of our tyre tread overthe edge  the 2 meter deep hole were ruled out. 

 

We admitted defeat and apologised to the camp site. Pat had identified a nearby mirador where it was possible for us to stay. The next morning Elly, the campground owner, was banging on our door. She told us that the road was now clear and we could come back. After a bit more investigation, we discovered that in order to accomodate us, the offending tree had been cut down.  Although it was done with good intention, we really were a bit horrified and sad  that the tree had gone.

The village of Sacacoyo was incredibly friendly. One afternoon, we ventured into the town for some local coffee and Pupusas. During the 500m walk , we must have been greeted with "Buenas Tardes over 50 times. Obviously, each one received a similar response. On the way back two hours later,  we were greeted by the same 50 people with the greeting Buenas Noche.

Pat entered into a lengthy chat with the Pupusa Ladies. I'm not sure how much was understood on each side, but there was a lot of laughing and mutual understanding.  

Whilst based in the beautiful gardens of Rancho Tajadas in the town of Sacacoyo, we ventured out on the motorcycle to the surrounding areas. 

Firstly to Lago De Coatepeque, a large flooded volcanic crater that sits in the shadow of Volcano Santa Ana.

A popular landmark is the Large rock outcrop at Penon just outside the town of Comasagua. 

The 45 km ride took us on winding roads with sharp bends every 100m or so. The views were incredible.

The roads were in pretty good condition right up until we entered the town of Comasagua. It then turned to cobbled streets with huge pot holes and sections of deep sand. We were still about 6km from our destination. 

Pat had spoken to a local guy about this last section and it was decided to leave the bike in town and get on the local chicken bus for the last bit.

The bus was full, or even overfull. Standing room only. For the next 30 minutes, we held the overhead grab rails for dear life whilst everyone was thrown around. It was a good call not to take the bike.

Despite the cramped conditions, everyone on the bus was incredibly friendly. They were telling us where to get off and which way to go. One even kindly offered us their seats. (which we didn't take)

We arrived at Penon Comoyagua at exactly midday. Only complete stupid fools would set off on a hike at this time of day with the temperatures hitting 30 plus degrees. 

The last 200 carved steps nearly finished me off

The Views were Stunning, you could even see the Pacific Ocean.

San Salvador ( Holy Saviour ) is the countries capital City , with a population of around 550,000.

We parked Cloud 9 in a quiet side street in the suberbs and opted to get a taxi into the centre.

The adjacent park had a great Organic Market and Yoga sessions on Sunday 

Like many Latin American cities, the main square is the centre of town and is always a good starting point.

Many of the Buildings had Classical European style colonial architecture. The National Theatre was a good example of this. 

The National Palace, which was built in 1911, sits on the site of a previous wooden palace that sadly burnt down in 1889.

Its design is very European, and many of the building materials were sourced in Europe both at the time of its construction and its subsequent renovations. It was the home of the Government up until 1974 . It has since been unoccupied and is simply a majestic state bulding on the main square. 

In some instances, El Salvador can teach the rest of us a lesson. In every public place we went to, there were well equipped, comfortable  , air conditioned Nursing/ Breast feeding stations. they even provided Tea and Coffee, fruit juice and wipes etc.

Even their health system seems to be quite advanced. A taxi driver told us that if he needs a doctor, he can get an online consultation for minor ailments quickly and if medication is needed, then he is sent a QR code to show the chemist when he collects the drugs.

The new El Salvador is a fast developing country. It has received lots of outside investment for its roads, infrastructure, and buildings.

Non is more apparent than the New National Library, which towers over the main square.

Opened in 2023 by the President, the library was constructed with Chinese Investment. It has seven floors , each of which is dedicated to either a different age group or theme. 

President Bukele, has recognised that the future prosperity of his country lies in education. Under his direction, all children get free school uniform, a free computer.  In addition certain University courses that are deemed essential such as Information Technology,  AI and Finance are also free.

The library was very impressive.

As Bitcoin is one of their National Currencies, an Entire section of the Library was devoted to teaching Salvadorians how to use it 

The Library contained a very impressive and well presented collection of reference books for all ages and requirements.

It also offered other forms of education, with sensory zones, soft play areas, Building blocks , Lego   and computer and media areas. 

Small study areas, like mini classrooms, were also available for older students. 

The seventh floor, which was dedicated to art, also had a great Italian restaurant.

The City views from the roof top were amazing .

An interesting building in the city centre was the Iglesia El Rosario, also known as the Rainbow Church.

It was built between 1964 and 1971.

From the outside, it looks more like an indoor market or Train Station. However, inside was where the magic happened. The light was incredible.

The Somasca El Calvario Church offers more traditional Architecture .

In 2001, the national currency of El Salvador, the Colon, was replaced by the US dollar. 

At the same it became the first country in the world to adopt the bitcoin as a national currency. 

Although Bitcoin is accepted in many places, local shops prefer the dollar. 

Like most Latin American cities, there are plenty of street traders trying to sell anything from Fruit to clothing. Everything seems to cost One Dollar and all you here is the constant street chorus  "One Dollar, One Dollar One Dollar." They are everywhere.

This lady was trying to sell "One Dollar" Bras to Pat. 

I think it was going to be a tough sale. Pat did  laugh with her.

Just north west of San Salvador is the Boqueron  National Park.  It centres around a dormant volcano    (Boqueron)  that has a 5km diameter Crater.

We have been in El Salvador for almost a month, and it's fair to say, we love it. 

The scenery is amazing, and the Salvadorian people could not be more welcoming and friendly.

We will be here for another couple of weeks, so I am sure that " El Salvador Part 2" blog is in the pipeline.

Hasta Luego 

Part 2

This country keeps on giving and has yet to disappoint.

Pat identified a small colonial town called Suchitoto which was about 50 km northeast of the capital San Salvador. 

Over our years of travelling, we have slowed down and now look at a mere 50km as about right for a day.

Enroute, were the archiological remains of the the Ancient Maya city of Cihuatan.

Dating back to between 950 AD and 1200 AD it is catagorised as " Pre Columbian" meaning it existed prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas.

The city had almost disappeared and was rediscovered, excavated and restored in the late 1970s.

The 1 km long track into the site was totally unsuitable for our vehicle, so we went by Tuk Tuk. 

In our usual crazy fashion, we arrived at about midday, and it was really hot.

I mentioned that we chose to access the site by Tuk Tuk. 

Most of you will be familiar with the traditional three wheeled tuk-tuk that you see all around the world.

However, over the years, we have slowly seen these being phased out in Latin America and replaced with a more modern 4 wheel vehicle. I can only assume that the old ones were no longer complying with modern vehicle regulations. 

Although the new ones do a good job, they lack the character that the old ones had. 

Bajaj Qute 217cc

I think the operators know this, and they often try to add their own character.

We wanted to park in the town centre of Suchitoto, but soon realised that the town was made up of a maze of narrow one way streets. Most of which were either dug up or closed. We later realised that the entire town was a renovation project, including the town square, which I will write about later. Admitting defeat, we parked about a kilometre south of the town centre.

Most of you, of a certain age, will remember the civil war that took place in El Salvador between 1979 and 1992. 

Pat arranged for me to take part in a Civil War History tour in a nearby area Cinquera Forrest, which was a location that saw extreme Guerilla fighting.

I had the honour of spending some time talking with Raphael, a survivor and former Guerilla Fighter.

Although complex, I will try to provide you with a quick resume of the information I gained. Forgive me if there are inaccuracies or mistakes.

It would appear that there had always been a large divide between the wealthy landowners and the common people, or, as they call themselves," Peasants" 

The issues didn't start in 1979, but goes back to before the 1930's.

During this time, a long standing dispute existed between the Government, backed by the wealthy land owner's, and the Indigenous peasants over Agricultural Land.

In order to resolve the matter, the Government passed a law, effectively making it illegal to show any indigenous traits, costumes or culture. 

The Indigenous Peasants objected to this, and disorder ensued. It all came to a tragic conclusion on the 22nd of January 1932 in a place called Izalco, when it is estimated that between 10,000 and 30,000 civilians were killed. This massacre is still remembered every year.

As a direct result of this event, it is now estimated that a mere 2% of El Salvador's current population has Indigenous roots. 

Thankfully, there is now a growing movement within the country to reintroduce lost culture and languages.

For the next 47 years, the general population lived under a harsh dictatorship. The entire area of the country was owned and controlled by just 14 wealthy families who also controlled the Government. 

In 1979, the peasants grouped together and decided to fight back. Armed with very little, they took to the mountains and jungle areas, creating bases, training camps, field hospitals and even Schools.

The American backed Salvadorian Government using American supplied Vehicles, Aircraft and Amunition waged an all out civil war on the Communist backed Guerrillas. During the next 12 years it is estimated that 75,000 people either died or are still missing.

A significant early catalyst in the war was the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was shot whilst conducting a service in San Salvador in 1980.

He was a very respected man of the people. His death encouraged many others to take up the fight.

His picture still hangs in every church and many public buildings.

Oscar Romero was later Canonised by Pope Francis in 2018.

Our Guide showed us the remnants of Jungle camps, Schools, Kitchens and Field Hospitals. 

Education, during the war became very important, teaching new skills and even how to read and write. Children, also attended camp schools  as they also  played a vital role in delivering messages and later becoming Guerilla fighters. 

Guerillas Fighters also had their families with them in the mountains. It was tough as moving locations meant long hikes over rough terrain.

I was very conscious of the fact that I was the only person in our group who was actually alive during this conflict.

Interestingly, the toilets at the start of the tour were full of Bats.

The tour finished with a visit to the small town of Cinquera. 

During the conflict, the Bell in the Iglesia de Cinquera was recycled into Ammunition. It is fitting that an unexploded artillery shell that landed nearby has now been recycled into the new Bell.

For those that want more of an insight, then very moving  documentary,  filmed during the conflict, is a good starting point. "In the Name of The People"

The small town of Suchitoto was a highlight of our time in El Salvador. 

Situated on the edge of the Rio Lempa. Its views were stunning. 

The valley was flooded in 2010 to accommodate the nearby Cimarron Hydroelectric Power Station. Its creation was very controversial as the flooding covered several towns and archaeological sites.

A famous Salvadorian film creator called Alejandro Cotto made his home here. After his passing in 2015, his beautiful home was opened to the public. A theatre, in his name, still exists in the town. 

The National bird of El Salvador is the Torogoz, also known as the Turquiose Browed Motmot. We have been lucky enough to see many of them during our Latin American travels.

Just outside Suchitoto is a waterfall that has been carved over millions of years in Basalt Rock. Basalt is a peculiar stone in that it forms into tall columns that are often hexagonal in shape.

Unfortunately, our visit was during the dry season.

We could see that the Town Square in front of the Church of Saint Lucia. had recently been renovated. By chance one evening we went up to the square to discover that it had been set up for an event. 

A band was assembling, and several rows of plastic chairs had been laid out in front of a small stage by the Church.

We weren't sure what was about commence, but many locals and dignitaries were taking their seats. We sat at the back of the square simply observing from a distance, not wanting to intrude.

 

We were not only surprised, but slightly honoured, when we were approached by a town official who invited us to join them at the front of the seated area.

It transpired that it was, in fact, the official opening of the square and the audience was addressed in turn by several members of the community who had been responsible for its design and creation.

The whole event was very immotive. When the Band played the National Anthem, Everyone stood up , placed their hand on their chest and sang every word with passion and pride. The evening ended with a lady getting to shout "Viva Presidente Bukelle" loudly many times. The crowd shouted it back loudly each time. The pride in their voices was overwhelming.

The evening finished with the Band playing and a firework display from behind the church.

Public transport in El Salvador can come in different sizes, from the big Chicken Buses to the little Tuktuks. Somewhere in the middle is the very popular pickup trucks. These tend to be very cheap and very overcowded.

I mentioned in the last blog post that the streets on the towns are full of ladies either creating Pupusas or Tortillas. Suchitoto was no exception. These ladies always have a big smile on their faces.

The highest mountain in El Salvador is called Cerro El Pital. Its summit being 2730m above sea level.

The 10km drive up there out of Rio Chiquito was challenging. Its narrow twisty road had an average incline of 20% and at times hit over 25%. Cloud 9 spent an hour in first gear and slowly crawled up without issue.

Pat had spent hours trying to find somewhere suitable for us to park. Eventually, with the aid of Google Maps and Satelite View she identified a small set of cabanas (Cabanas Vasquez). She contacted the owner, who agreed to let us park on his land.

The views from our camp were amazing, but we still had another 30 mins ascent in a local 4x4 to the start of our walk.

   

 

The peak is marked by a small Triangulation Point. It also marks the border between El Salvador and Honduras. 

It's not every day you can say that one of your Testicles is in another country.

The Plant life changed dramatically at this altitude, it was almost Alpine.

The bird life up there was fantastic. Among lots of others we saw

 

The Common Chlorospingus

The Rufous Backed Wren

Clay Coloured Thrush

Mountain Elaenia

We have also seen the following birds. The lesser Goldfinch, Boat Billed Flycatcher, Rose Throated Becard and my favourite, The Laughing Falcon

Earlier in this Blog I mentioned the flooding of the Rio Lempa.

We spent a couple of nights parked up on the other side of the Lake. 

Cerro Iramon

Our Camp spot was the cafe called "Cantina Raphael". The owner, Raphael, and his family could not have been more delighted to see us. The welcome we received was almost overwhelming. The View from his land was amazing. A favourite spot for locals to sit, have a beer and watch the sunset.

Our initial Plan was to hike up Cerro Iramon, but the hot temperatures changed our minds. Maybe one day 

Despite owning a cafe Raphael still spent his days working in the fields, returning home several times a day to transport his children to and from school on his old motorcycle. Life in El Salvador for most is still tough and Raphael recognised that his childrens education is of paramount importance for their future.

The town of Berlin was founded in the late 19th century by a German Immigrant called Serafín Brennen. Faced with the task of naming the town, Brennen applied his best imagination and creativity and came up with the name of his home town in Germany. 

Sometimes a quick un planned overnight stop can suprise you.

Parked on the edge of Laguna De Arumuaca had a spectacular sunset behind the Volcano.

 

Volcano San Miguel, also known as Chaparrastique, is one of El Salvador's most active Volcanoes, erupting every few years, including in 2026.

Lots of locals to feed there.

Our aim from the start of our journey through El Salvador was to make it to the Pacific coast, which we did at Playa Las Flores near El Cuco. The dark sand was made up of Volcanic Ash and was very flat. This beach, as is most of this coastline, is very popular with surfers. 

This beach is really popular with locals and tourists were in the minority. We noticed a huge rise in temperature on the coast, and the sea was positively warm.

It was at this point that we had to turn around and start heading back towards Guatemala. Rather than back track along the same route, we headed west along the coast towards the town of La Libertad, which is famous for its Seafood and fish markets.

Just a few kilometres down the coast from La Libertad is the beach of El Tunco. This forms part of a huge new development along this coastline called Surf City. 

This resort is popular with Backpackers and Surfers. It's modern and expanding rapidly. This resort is a clear indication that El Salvador is a fast emerging country that sees tourism as a very welcome boost to their economy. 

A huge amount of road upgrades are taking place, making it easier to get to Surf City from the capital and other parts of the country. 

Surf City 2 is in the planning stages. 

It was only fitting to end our Salvadorian journey back where we started, relaxing in the hot springs for Pat's Birthday.

I mentioned in the previous post that entry into El Salvador was really smooth and civilised. Well, the exit was equally as good. We were greeted at the border with pleasant smiles. The Salvadorian Tourist service were present, handing out trinkets, leaflets, coffee, cakes and water. 

Without doubt, one of the nicest borders we have crossed.

However, after re entering Guatemala , we soon realised that we had made a big mistake.  Due to Mr Trumps tour through the middle east, fuel prices have gone up everywhere and Central America was no exception. 

When we left Guatemala 6 weeks ago, we were paying 26.57 Quetzals for a US Gallon, which is  £0.68 per litre.

When we returned, it had increased to 42.60 Quetzals, which is £1.08 per litre. This is an increase of 58%. If we had filled up in El Salvador, we could have got it for £0.74 per litre. 

You can probably tell by the tone of this post that El Salvador has been a real highlight for us. 

Although we are trying to slowly head north, I suspect that we haven't quite finished with El Salvador and we may well return soon.