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Published: August 12th 2008
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Viro-Grip is something I don't know what it is XD Day Ten - Thursday September 28th
I woke up with a headache and feeling a little out of it. The good part? I USUALLY feel out of it, and a headache is something I can deal with. I was so happy. M offered me some headache pills and I declined. If I could maintain that level of sickness, then I'd be laughing all the way home!
Marta's uncle was picking us up around 12 that day since we still had stuff to do back in San Salvador and our flight was leaving on Friday. After a lovely breakfast, we went shopping through Santa Ana again. At first we thought we were just going for ice cream, but before that we were taken to a coin museum. I'm very sorry I didn't bring my camera along for this part. El Salvador has been on the US dollar for the past few years now. Their own currency, the Colone, is now no longer in circulation. At the museum we found all sorts of interesting things, as well as the equivalent to a 3cent coin.
After the museum we went out for ice cream to the place we'd been on the first day
Corn
A shot of the corn that is planted on the sides of the mountains. This isn't even the steepest one I've seen. we'd arrived. I had chocolate and M, Yani, Janet and I sat around and enjoyed the delish, cheap ice cream. On the way back Marta found a really cute handbag for $2. I think it's a knockoff of some kind (never having been interested in designer names) but I'll admit it was a really awesome deal. I was wishing that they had something that appealed to me so I could spend $2 to get it as well. We also bought some dvds from a street vendor. M found a dvd that has the old Heidi anime on it. We went back and watched it for a bit. THEN, because her uncle was going to be late, we all went out to Pollo Campello. I swear, if that chain ever makes it up to the rest of North America, it would totally pwn KFC!
Eventually, however, M's uncle did come and we had a very tearful goodbye with Yani and her family. We were only there for a few days and they were super-sad to see me leave. I don't think I've ever met a more caring and sweet family in my life. They *genuinely* care about other people.
Volcanic rock
Some parts of El Sal that were near some mountains are still covered in the volcanic stone that was spewed from the mountain when it last erupted in 1912. It costs money to have it moved, so people just left it lying there. On the way back I snapped a few shots of driving. There was advertising painted along the sides of the cut-away mountains. There weren't that many billboards there. I suppose it is because space is at such a premium and there are so many mountains in the way. I don't really remember seeing much FLAT land there (NOTHING like where I am now where all it is is flat).
After mentioning the lack of flat land, is it any wonder that people plant corn and coffee along the sides of the mountains? I wish I had a shot of the corn rows that are planted along some *insanely* steep hills. They're all planted and harvested by hand, which explains why they are on such messed up angles. I saw some that would require the planter/harvester to tie off somewhere and repell down the hill just to collect the corn.
M's uncle explained that the government is trying to dissuade people from doing this, as it helps erode the sides of the mountains, but people keep doing it. I suppose if THAT is your only means of earning money, people aren't going to stop because they're told to.
When
Roadside Sales
People on the median selling fruit and cell phone accessories. we got back into San Salvador, and close to our guest house, we saw a familiar site. People hang out (and I suspect *live*) on the medians separating the roadways. From there they sell things like fruits in a bag, kites, or even cellphone holders. When the cars are stopped at the lights they walk along and hold the bags of fruit up for you to inspect. If you want to buy them, you just lower your window and buy them.
We never did. Apart from the fact that we'd never be allowed into the States or Canada with foreign fruits, we didn't know if they'd do anything to us if we did lower our window.
We were dropped at our guesthouse and we quickly organized the stuff in our bags. We had many gifts to bring back with us, so we tried to organize our suitcases so that they wouldn't be overweight for the plane ride back.
Of course, a quick jaunt out to Metro Centro was figured into our time and we hurried over there. There *was* a bag that I'd seen that I wanted to get before we left. We managed to pick out the things
Over-packed
Some trucks on the roads had their cargo tossed on and sent on its way. There were no safety straps. we'd been eyeing, and even grab a few more candies and stuff for family back home.
Shortly after this we met with M's aunt and uncle who had picked us up from the airport, as well as her other uncle who we'd been trying to meet up with all week. Together we all went out to Pizza Hut where I proceeded to eat two slices of my personal pan pizza. I wasn't SICK, but still not hungry. M's aunt got the waiters to sing happy birthday to us, just because they didn't have any songs to sing that would simply tell us "goodbye". At first I was a bit crusty at being embarrassed like that, but when I realized that they'd done it out of good intentions, I stopped being a stick in the mud and proceeded to be amused at the busboy who was *angrily* clearing away tables. I swear, this guy was PISSED! He'd slam the plates down and throw the forks/knives. We chuckled at his misery for a bit and then left.
Time to go home and get to bed. Granny!robes firmly in place and the ceiling fan on high, we slept well... I think.
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