Checking Out El Salvador

We hitched a ride in the back of Collette's truck to the village of San Marcelino just up the road a bit, a bit farther than our bike ride, and caught the crazy bus back later in the afternoon. Major drumming and dancing masked characters greeted us on the main street of the little town; they were celebrating their day with costumes you'd find on the streets of Laguna Beach on Halloween. No one could explain to us the significance except that each village has their own day to celebrate their essence. Wish I had the camera; it was definitely worth taking pics.

We sauntered down the main street on the way to a well known restaurant on the beach. Bright eyed smiling women with multi-colored aprons, only seen in El Salvador, welcomed us with yummy watermelon, mangoes, shaved ice, roasted cashews, and whatever else you can imagine for sale out in front of their neatly swept humble abodes. As we walked, the parade of teen-agers followed with dancing, celebrating, smiling, drumming, and cheering. We had a marvelous lunch of fresh fish, ceviche, clams, and beef and were entertained by the parade of kids who followed us. They inspired us to dance with them, and the celebration was very festive.

We later walked the beach and meandered through the neighborhood. Again I wished for the camera; it was amazing how neat each home was adorned with flowers and obvious tender care. A blind old man with wrinkles eched in strategic places on his face, smiled with deep satisfaction as he pumped water from his well. He was oblivious to our admiring glances. Of course, another photo opportunity missed, but a grand time to think of what it is that truly makes us happy. His face told me that life was so good; perhaps he was reveling in the delight of being able to have clean water in his own backyard, across the street from a beautiful beach, surrounded by all in his village whom he has known forever.

Community is the essence of what brings joy to people here. Each morning I wake up to the roosters crowing the light of day and the turkey gobbling good day. The fishermen have already brought in their very early catch and are getting ready to go back out to sea; they are cleaning their fish together and the fires are going, getting ready to cook the first meal of the day I suppose. Through the binocs, I can see kids sweeping the dirt, doing their chores with gusto and the women are both cooking and part of the fishing crew. The young women wear tights and their fancy aprons on their hips, which seem to show some kind of freedom. They are not just in the kitchen cooking these days; they are fishing, cleaning, cooking, moving across the estuary in their canoes with a beautiful rhythm, and enjoying somewhat of a sense of freedom, perhaps newly found. This is all just observation and perhaps, wishful thinking. I have been trying to watch and learn as much as I can through careful observation. There is so much to know.

Yesterday David and I met a very cool little surfer guy who is the lifeguard at the beach in front of Bahia del Sol. We went out with our fins and did a bit of body-surfing and when we came in, he greeted us, wishing he, too, had fins. He teaches surfing off of La Roca surf break during the week and works out here on the weekends. He was so cool at teaching us how to say what we wanted to say en Espanol and we taught him the English words he wanted to know. What a cute guy; he is twenty-six years old and so enthusiastic about life.

We brought Sidewinder into the marina this afternoon and will keep her here as we venture into the mountains. Our plan with Richard and Virginia is to catch the bus from the peninsula at 5 A.M. and head to San Salvador. We will change buses and make our way to the small town of Tacuba, which is near the Ruta de las Flores. There is a small colonial town named Ataco, and we're hoping to have a bite to eat there. We have emailed a guide in Tacuba who lives with his family and has a place to stay where we will have meals and safe quarters. Hopefully we will be riding horses into the Parque Nacional El Imposible made possible by Manolo.

I met a woman yesterday who works with students at the secondary schools around the area to recruit and help them get into college, and surprisingly enough she knows our guide and has a restaurant with her husband up in that area Small world, eh? We are leaving Sidewinder here in the marina because the refer has a mind of its own these days and we don't want to come back to dead batteries. This afternoon looks a bit like rain, and it is cool. We will be back late Wednesday. I will catch you on Thursday. We will have pictures to share!