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Published: September 4th 2007
Welcome to La Libertad
Cecilia was situated in a small town called Sunzal.El Imposible, La Libertad and Cecilia's Yard
Since I passed thru the area in the dead of night with lightning only occasionally … every five minutes …illuminating the whole sky it is best to read an authoritative source concerning the existence of this place.
In Park Net .... nps.gov/centralamerica/Salvador.... the following description of El Imposible can be found;
“EL SALVADOR
Welcome to El Imposible National Park! A combination of unique flora and fauna, archaeological remains, and truly spectacular scenery will allow you to enjoy one of the last remaining tropical rainforests in El Salvador.
Of the few natural areas in the country, El Imposible has the most species of plants and animals. The jaguar, harpy eagle and scarlet macaw are already extinct in El Salvador, and countless other species are endangered. Some impressive creatures, such as the puma, ocelot, crested curassow, black hawk eagle and collared anteater, are making their last stand here.
From the trail that winds along the spine of the mountain, there are sweeping vistas all the way to the sea. Traders from the northern parts of the country used to travel to the coast passing through this forest, carefully leading their mules through
Street Vendor
On every street corner around the market independent men and women attempt to make a living. the steep "Impossible Pass", from which the park takes its name.
El Imposible represents one of the last remnants of rainforest that once grew all along the Mesoamerican Pacific coast, and even though it is relatively small in size, it is an exciting place for any visitor to explore!”
I can only swear to a rutted road, tropical trees on steroids shaking hands at the midpoint of the road, derelict huts housing people, dogs and chickens seen by the light of a candle or kerosene lamp and splendid cement block structures painted various colours, protected by beautifully wrought iron at doors and windows and adorned by intricately woven hammocks, wicker furniture and electric fixtures. Everything registered on the retina in a twinkling and the images merged on eon top of the other.
The road seemed endless. And at all the times there was no certainty that anything lay at the end of this dark stretch. It had been said at the border crossing that there is no signage in El Salvador. It was believed and we could have been driving pointlessly.
Suddenly after many dips and dives, holes and gullies, parked busses and pedestrians in the
Cecilia's Yard
Everything from glass bottles, plastic bottles, wood pieces, old cars, and a variety of eating bowls for the animals could be found. darkness appeared the El Imposible Hostel lit up and without customers. That looked like a nice place to stay…even had chairs and tables that strongly resembled a restaurant.
Let it be known it is almost nine o’clock and we have not had a real meal since that most English of breakfast … toast with margarine and marmite …. Ugh… had it once and that was enough ... mainly because of the quality of the bread … you know the kind …made for people with false teeth and for children who like to make spit balls … certainly not for a serious adult with a real appetite, real teeth and a strong knowledge of what real bread is.
Back to the road… and right past the hostel… ever onward and upward. Finally …EL IMPOSIBLE … and true to its name …impossible to breach. The entrance gate smartly covered with a little tiled roof, was lower than the 13foot clearance needed for the Monster.
Nothing to do but turn around. Nothing to turn around in. Nothing to do but back out. It had taken us over two hours to get to the gates… no way could we back out
Minnie Gets a Haircut
Tony is a professional hairdresser from Tasmania and offers his services for bottles of beer. all the way. Parking at the gate was not a solution. Going to the hostel was not a viability…Full…in the middle of f%^$g nowhere!
With the help of everyone’s headlamps Will was able to backup far enough until the VERY SMALL driveway of a health clinic was found. That driveway will never be the same again and I am sure in the morning the people new what monster had destroyed the worn smooth surface.
And so we rolled past the same houses we had past before out out out to the road and god knows what kind of sleeping spot.
We had not long to wait.
In the rain we stopped at what seemed a deserted gas station. Only a dog and a man with a gun were on site .. in sight …choose your stance!
My stance was clear… if I could not find one damn bush to p--s behind there was no way I was pitching a tent. … on cement…in the rain …. with dogs …. in puddles of oil and gasoline!!! PLEASE!
Slept in my seat on the truck.
In the light of day the man with the gun turned
Cecilia's Yard ... View two
Rosters, chickens, rabbits and creepy crawlies manouvered around the yard loking for food. One chicken when presented with a piece of bread found it to be so big that he took fright and was able to get up the courage to approach and eat it. out to be the security guard. The station had not yet opened and a fancy black pickup drove into the banks between the pumps. A long stick was used to measure the level of the oil in the tanks. Not even the security guard was trusted not to siphon off some fuel with the help of friends during the night. As the numbers were written down and seen to concur with previous figures, the black pick up drove away and the station started to open for business.
It was still raining. Had to walk a long way down the road to fin an out of sight place to do business. As it was …a few more steps and I would have deposited a load in the driveway of a small farm!
All of the above has been a preamble to the fact that we were on our way to the second stop in El Salvador…La Libertad ..purported too have the best waves…in El Salvador? In C.A? ….. in North America?… who knows?
What I do know is that it was one of my greatest disappointments suffered so far.
The first place outside of the city of La
Relaxing in the Yard
Cecilia was most generous and lent us chairs for sitting. Libertad had as per usual an entrance to small for the Monster. A very helpful senor brought us to Cecilia’s…two driveways down. We sure fit in there and there we stayed.
Cecilia was a very congenial person; friendly, helpful, older, appreciative, articulate, kind, poor, sociable, lover of animals, obviously good in the kitchen (had lots of people to eat every day) and the worst housekeeper ever.
The yard, with no help from the others, who seemed to be fixtures along with the rabbits, chickens and roosters, looked like it had been routed by a hurricane or was part of the town’s recycling unit.
And it rained. Heavely. And the tents were spattered with mud. And we stayed for more than one night ….because of fishing.
The ‘beach ‘ was a rock and garbage strewn expanse of unreachable bedlam. I did walk towards what looked like resorts. They were private clubs amid the beach in front of them had equal amounts of garbage with black volcanic sand and ROCKS. Walked all the way to where the surfers were enjoying the ‘waves’…brown breakers that were more than uninviting… didn’t even want my legs in that stuff… could not
Cecilia's Yard ... View Three
Finding a place to pitch the tent was difficult especially since the heavy rains had made the ground soft and sink holes were numerous. remove flipflops for fear of doing permanent damage to the soles of my feet. Chad and English Paul both came back from surfing lessons with badly scrapped feet.
The visit next day via public bus, to the city of Libertad, was equally disappointing. The fish market was one long cement warf covered in orange tarps and there were more flies that fish scales being protected from the sun.
An ancient tractor motor hd been put in use to lower and raise fishing boats over the high edge of the warf. Attempts are eing made to make Libertad more tourist friendly. The evidence being a dazzling white pavilion, an exhibit in the public square and some lovely restaurants.
The market was chaotic and Minnie and I bought the vegetables needed for the evening meal and made our way back, on the public bus, to Cecilia’s.
Minnie and I did walk to the nearest hotel resort once to have coffee and the second time to enjoy a very ‘civilized’, lovely lunch.
Cecilia rents rooms for $6. The origin and age of the mattresses is questionable and the rooms have never been decorated. The showers and toilets had
Idealic View
It looks so great from far away and part ofthe reason for going to the posh place was to enjoy the scene. The waves had been brown because of the silt carried into the ocean by the rain filled rivers. the basics…flushing toilet, knobs to turn on shower water but no basket for the ever non-flushable toilet paper or shower curtains to stop the water flowing all over the toilet floor. Clothes washing basins and clothes lines are available ..just. If your looking for cleanliness, order and efficiency … keep driving.
San Salvador, the capitol, was not even a gas stop.
The countryside was fascinating and a pleasure to drive thru. As in most of the C.A. countries, so far, an over abundance of Christian churches, splendidly presented was in evidence. Every denomination is making an attempt to wrest the souls of these people in their direction; Seventh Day Adventist, Baptist, Pentecostal, Catholic, United, Evangelical this or that and not to be left out the Jehovah Witnesses. Any I have not listed are sure to be somewhere out there!
EL Salvador is the smallest of the C.A. countries and surely there are reasons to return … but not to La Libertad!
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