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Published: April 9th 2016
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Since leaving Mexico we have traveled through Central America by chicken bus, at least 50 buses. And on only a couple of them have we seen backpackers. I am so proud of us as this is no easy feat when you don't speak Spanish. We haven't felt threatened or scared and people always smiling and ready to help. Glen always helping the people with their produce ie bags of rice, and heavy loads. And so we have loved the experience and it's been incredibly cheap way to travel. But to meet the ordinary people has been the most rewarding.
At each different country border controls, we have dodged the tourist buses. The guys that tell you that theirs no local busses, to get you on expensive tour busses we followed the locals and have researched different routes it's been quite a adventure. Not bad for a couple of over the hill Australians.
Into El Salvador to Suchitoto a small town which over looks lake Lempe. We ate Pupusa from the Pupuseria. Which I can best describe as pastry stuffed with meat cheese spices and flattened. Then cooked on a BBQ toasted each side and then covered with
El Salvadore
Suchitoto, Charlie's cafe chillies and pickled cabbage, they are quite tasty.
Stencilled on the entry walls of the houses in Suchitoto we found a bird with writing next to it. We thought it was anti violence and translating it, it reads "In this house we want a home free from violence against women."
Traveling from Suchitoto to San Salvador the Capitol city of ElSalvador and then on to Santa Ana were we stayed and enjoyed, volcanos and surrounding towns exploring........ Route of the Flores "the route of the flowers" a holy procession which passes through small villages along lined with beautiful white blooming trees each small town has quite unique street art and traditional street foods, music and dancing.
A quick return to San Salvador and on to La Union the reason for this was to cross over the ocean into Nicaragua by fishing boat. When we arrived in the small town of La Union we checked into our hotel which had a great views of the ocean, and the trip which we were to make in the fishing boat. We were apparently going to be dropped off on the other side of the water, and
El Salvadore
Suchitoto, main plaza make our way to Leon a town in Nicaragua, I was so not convinced that I could do this trip be a the mercy of some fisherman who, when you pay him $140 US would actually drop you off were you wanted. So after much discussion a alternate route was agreed on though it be 10 hours long and in and out of ElSalvador into Honduras and then into Nicaragua a long and complicated day but I felt much safer. But all was not lost as we met the most wonderful group of young people who were dining at our hotel in La Union. we got chatting to one of them who spoke English,Antonio. And before we knew it enquiring about each other's life's. The young group were first year Architects and all friends who study at San Miguel university. It was lucky for us to be in such good company and lovely to spend a evening with.
The following morning we set off on our 10 hour journey and arrived in Leon, Nicaragua.
We find the boarder crossings so disorganised especially Honduras was so time consuming at least 2 hours of stuffing around, although Nicaragua was quite
hairy as we asked for a receipt for our departure tax and were ushered into a office and told to sit down. But a nice officer wrote the receipt out and we enjoyed a blast of air conditioning. I think he was amused that he had Australian in his office.
Leon we found disappointing so we spent the next day at the beach to see if it was worth visiting for a couple of days, but were totally disappointed although they were gearing up for a rave Easter weekend of party's we found the beaches horrible, so the next day we headed to Granada. Easter in Granada was lovely great food great location totally had a relaxing long weekend.
Days later we arrived in San José, Costa Rica......... What lush rain forests we found in Costa Rica as opposed to Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua which are quite dry and barren unworked land. Costa Rica land was being farmed and cattle well kept. Totally different managed country although San José wasn't a particular pretty city and had quite a lot of homeless people. The centre of the city had some remarkable buildings however. Standards of lifestyle seemed much
El Salvadore, Suchitoto
In this house, we want a life free of violence against women.
This is on most homes that you enter in Suchitoto. better in Costa Rica. After leaving SanJosé, we traveled to the east coast and not the west coast were most travellers head. We wanted to visit the Caribbean waters again, it certainly wasn't a bad decision as we arrived at a small beach town called Cuhuita really lay back with the most beautiful beaches and a wonderful national park, The National Park is home to Sloths ,Jaguars, amazing butterflys and bird life. Great snorkelling on a beautiful reef. We stayed at basic Hostel which was owned by lovely Italian couple.
It was great as we were able to enjoy cooking, although I think we could have cooked for every one as everyone hung over the balcony while we were cooking. Enjoying the aromas from the kitchen.
our next stop Panama, and to David second largest city to Panama City, a over night stay from a long 8 hour drive from Cuhuita Costa Rica. And then the next day traveling to Panama City, our final stop in Central America.so for the last six days we have been resting and recouping after our Central America experience and enjoying 5* indulgence.....swimming and just enjoying being pampered.
Panama City is not
quite what I expected. Spanish and English spoken lifestyles are still worlds apart, people who have and those who have not. High raised buildings along with slums. Fantastic buildings but streets that stink, which are full of rubbish certainly a mix of different society's.
The old Panama quarter is full of cars and buildings that have crumbled. Only now I think they understand that the old quarter holds the key to Panamas tourism as now they have started to restore these beautiful buildings the heritage of Panama. In my opinion they need to stop cars entering the area, so that people can wander around and appreciate this area.
We visited the Panama Canal which is so interesting, when you think how it was built 102 years ago and how many life's were lost. The upgrading of the canal will be opened next year which will allow these super cargo ships to sail through. 80klm of man made canal is amazing, and the money that Panama revenues from this canal is amazing as a container ship pays 100,000 to 400,000 to sail through it. We read that a man once swam the length of it and was charged 35
cents the volume of what passes through the canal.
On Sunday we will travel to South America to Columbia, Bogota feeling quit apprehensive about this country. But I'm eager to sample the coffee, maybe a quick visit will be a good visit, we are hearing some bad travel stories but we shall travel as we always do with common-sense.
Not all the country's in Central America that we have visited we have liked, but we have met people who have welcomed us with smiles and their stories, We have felt safe and enjoyed looking and learning about each place we have visited.
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