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Published: December 8th 2008
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Hello me lovers, we hope all is well in your worlds...
Some thing's we have done in the last few weeks:
1. A pleasant detour into El Salvador:
We weren't planning on coming to El Salvador but we are so glad we did. A beautiful country (well what we have seen so far) and people are so friendly and helpful. After spending 3 days in the capital San Salvador we decided liked it. It was big, buzzy and friendly and surrounded by mini mountains.
We are now in a chilled out town in the west, boosting a lovely little square and church, friendly people, old men waving to us on the streets, strangers in cafes saying Buenos Dais and people being nice to each other.
We have been exploring the area known as “The route of flowers” and we have seen some wild flowers blooming all over. There are many volcanos and mountains here with lots of greenery, making very beautiful scenery.
Trips out have included a visit to the local volcanic thermal water planet that turns steam into electricity. A bit geeky but very interesting! Then someone’s park garden with lots of geezers, which was pretty
damn amazing. Our very nice tour guide cooked some bananas in one of them, yum yum!
We hired buggies and indulged Andy’s boy racer side and went whizzing around rocky mountain roads. Visiting a few crater lakes and taking in the stunning mountain views.
A tour guide told us people are friendly and like to take care of each other because of the recent civil war and this certainly shows. Top marks for El Salvador and if your planning your next trip make this top of your list.
2. World AIDS day - a different perceptive:
World AIDS day came and went and I said to myself what did I do? I wanted to do something last year but went off sick from work so that grand idea was scrapped much to my dismay. it was nice to be in a different place but was still left with the feeling of doing not much...
That different place was Nicuagra in a once grand colonial town called Leon. When we woke up we didn’t know the day, time or date as usual. This travelling lark really loses your sense of time and in some cases reality. Waiting for a
bus I noticed a sign with a red ribbon on saying "Is one night of love, worth a life of pain” Looking down to the floor a reddish straw that someone had made into a ribbon. Was it for breast cancer or AIDS awareness? Who knows, I like to think because of the day it was for the latter.
Eager to see what was going on for World AIDS day the central square seemed like the likely start. Low and behold there were some stalls with information, red ribbon giving out, money collecting, loud hip moving Latin music and a gaggle of assorted people. One positive thing I saw was group’s of late teenaged school kids with red ribbons, READING and what seemed to be DISCUSSING the leaflets. Shocked and sent into past memories of work in schools and youth groups, with blank faces and when walking through the playground to escape finding a sea of the leaflets given out. I am not saying these school kids were any better than the ones in the UK but it warmed my heart that the square was not a sea of leaflets and instead were being read, which hopefully might mean
the information is going in. Looking at the transmissions and death rates of HIV in Nicuagra it is low compared to other Latin American countries. I thought maybe education and awareness is good?
According to stats from Avert and USAID 0.2 percent of the adult population are estimated to be HIV positive. The lowest in Central America - initial reaction was good. Things are never that straight forward though. It seems that many people are unaware of their HIV status and could be spreading the disease. Plus factors like gender inequality and poverty are risking the country to an epidemic. Reading more about it does seem there are drives for more education, condom use, access to health care and testing. Maybe there should be more, well that’s what my little socialist mind says...
It just goes to show when you see awareness like you do on World AIDS day then people might be getting in the message but like everywhere in the world you strach a little deeper and the problem is always so more complex.
3. Stretching out on beaches:
Both of us have been feeling a bit travel worn so we spent 5 lush
days on a beach in Nicaugara. Reading, swimming and eating was high on our list. By the end our brains were full of water and bellies with seafood, so we were feeling a little chilled out.
One local attraction was massive pigs wadding in the lagoon and cute pelicans.
4. Sick inducing boat rides:
When we first arrived in Nicagrgua we hot footed it to Ometepe, an island on Lake Nicuagra with two great big volcanoes towering out from the island. 3 days later we were bitten to bits by pesky little sand flies. Most out time was spent eating, reading, walking and swimming in a lovely watering hole. The boat ride there and back was very scary. The lake is tidal and being wet season it was high and very rough. Making our way over on boats that has seen better days creating a bumpy ride.
5. Grand Granada? (Maybe 100 years ago)
3 days was spent in Granada, Nicuagras draw card colonial city. Quite pleasant but don’t believe the hype...
We found a nice gay guest house with cable TV and DVD player...NICE!
A boat trip on the lake took us to hundreds of
Oh she loves the gays...
The lovley Narmalee. We meet her in Patagonia and spent 4 drunk nights with her...Oh but Argentina wine is so good... little islands with monkeys, birds and rich people’s houses.
We found a good restaurant with the best passion fruit smoothes...Yummy!
So you can guess our movements in the last few weeks have been quite lazy and food based.
5. Camera problems:
What is it with me and Andy and technology? In the last few weeks Andy lost his phone and my camera went up the swany. Oh and then I lost my phone...we really are a pair of twats.
6. Dodgy drag shows:
After a visit to the national theatre in San Jose in Costa Rica (very amazing venue) to see the ballet (darling) we then headed towards San José’s gay nightlife. That night was the final of the national drag competition. Hoards of people with banners and screams cheered on various drag dance troops. Lip synching to Gloria Estefan, lime green lyrca and dodgy dance moves was the style of the night. One word really, C.A.M.P
7. Buses:
The buses here are soooo cool. Old North American school buses brought for cheap and then given a facelift. Most painted in bright colours, religious symbols and a booming sound system. Some with big
Buenos Aires mates...
Ah, The lush Christy from NYC is next to Paul. Next to Andy is Fracjca from Holland...hanging out in one the best cities... monster truck type wheels. One snag, they were made for school kids so it suits the shortness of Central America but not the tallness of Paul and Andy. Occchhhh!
So we are off to Honduras in 8 or so day’s time, The Bay Islands. Andy will learn to dive and I will sit and read on the beach. Then Mexicooooooooooooooo to meet my sister and have a hot Christmas, which is very exciting...
Take care lush people. Love and lots of missing, Andy and Paul xx
Oh, sorry for lack of pictures. Cause camera is being fixed and it taking ages. But have a few and have found some of the nice people we meet in Aregentina.
OH! Carina if you are reading this...sorry for lack of contact. Facebooked and stuff, where are you baby? I am gonna try and ring but really wanna chat. Send a message via here if you can. Love to you and Marlone xxx
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Nat
non-member comment
"Fly to el Salvador, I don't know why and I don't know what for!"*
What a pair of silly buggers. I can't believe that you've both lost your cameras now! You're worse than me. Well may be not... You sound like you're having a fabulous time still. Will you want to go home in the end? If not then make a detour my way! Love you both heapies. Nat xx *Athlete