Blogs from El Salvador, Central America Caribbean - page 42

El Salvador has a dirty reputation. It’s famous for its creepy pre-pubescent moustaches, massive guns and the fact that it boasts more prostitutes than tourism. It also gets a bad rap for being dangerous - I can count the number of us gringos I saw whilst in El Salvador on two hands. The local men are mean looking characters - short, ruddy and broad - wearing cowboy hats and requisite moustaches, yet their faces and entire demeanor transforms when they break into a smile. I also discover that they often speak English, even if they claim not to - teenagers on the checkout at supermarkets and random locals on buses and in internet cafes shyly strike up English conversation. One hapless bloke said to me - “You’re from Australia - but you look American?” “Oh no”, ... read more

I've been living on my own for the first time in a small casita, complete with a large backyard bursting with fruit trees--mangoes, lemons, limes, oranges, bananas, coconuts, maranon (cashew), almond, and others that are still a mystery to me (that and I keep forgetting the names for them). I also have my very own pila and latrine to complete the picture, and Cristina has told me that she'll be giving me a couple pollitos (chicks), and Colombia will be handing over a kitten when it's old enough. Cristina jokes that all I need now is a dog, a cow, a pig, a husband, and kids...well, I don't think all that will be happening in a year, but it's certainly nice to feel like I'm settling in. Living alone certainly has its challenges as well, but ... read more

I have decided to start a blog instead of writing emails so that I can also highlight photos of the many that I have and will be continuing to post on myphotoalbum.com For those who don't know, I am currently in San Salvador, El Salvador. Today, we went to the University of Central America. A site where 6 Jesuit Priests were assassinated along with 2 houseworkers. There is now a rose garden in the place of where the Priests where found, and the Stations of the Cross have been replaced with graphic drawing of the Salvadoran people found dead after many hours, days and weeks, being tortured, raped and brutally beaten to death. They in place to represent the "Crucified People". Although this is the fourth time I have been to this site, it is always ... read more

well i made it to el salvador! after my last blog i called my cousin marguerite to check in and explain how i'm doing. well from there she was gracious enough to extend an invitation to visit my other cousin Richard's Pacific house in Guatemala. Usually, the trip to Antigua from Xela shouldn't take that long, but the road construction made me about two hours late for meeting Marguerite and Tomas, which i felt terrible about, but they were great. So from there, we drove to Richard's house and met up with Richard, Ruth, their daughter Ruth Maria, her husband Javier, their kids Javi (3-ish?) Juan Pablo(young), Maria Olga, Jaime, Stephanie, Stephanie's boyfriend Quique, Daniel, Mariel, Maria Olga and Jaimie's granddaughter Isabella (i apologize to my cousins for spelling the names incorrectly). We had a great ... read more

Na het wervelende weekend waarover ik de vorige keer verhaalde, ben ik nog een week bij mijn oom en tante in El Salvador gebleven en relatief rustig aan gedaan. Highlights: beetje voor souvenirs shoppen, zwemmen, lezen, paardrijden en een verrassend mooi museum met Salvadoreense kunst (MARTE genaamd) bezocht. Daar word je toch wel moe van, dus daarom heb ik donderdag maar weer eens een vulkaan beklommen! Vulcan de Santa Ana Ik kon aansluiten bij een groep van dertien Britten en één Schot, die op een soort bedrijfsuitje waren. Even wennen dat alles vijf keer zo lang duurt met een grote groep waarvoor alles geregeld wordt dan wanneer je de enige bent die achter een gids aan loopt. Voedselpakketjes moeten worden uitgedeeld, sanitaire stops, groepsfoto's... Maar gelukkig waren het aardige lui en kregen ze beroepshalve ook veel ... read more