Our Time In El Salvador
23 May 2019
Violet Scott
Going into El Salvador was, to say the least, incredible. A new country! It made our 'going south' seem all the more real.
Thankfully, crossing the bar to enter Bahia del Sol was uneventful. We had a pilot and everything went smoothly. I feel lucky that my dad is an amazing boat driver/captain.
We stayed in river, on a mooring ball, for about two weeks. All the while observing the differences between this country and the previous one's that we've been to. Leaving the hotel/marina area was a whole other experience. Argus, a boat that we've been buddy boating with, and our family rented a car for the remaining five days of our stay. With it, we drove to San Salvador to explore. Stephanie the woman, who may I just say, is absolutely fabulous, on Argus was curious about the churches. Therefor, we strolled around looking at them. The architecture was fascinating. One of the churches looked gothic and Victorian, while another had a wall, that was completely stained glass. When the light shone through the glass, a rainbow shone on the pews. Along with churches, we walked through an indoor/outdoor market. It made me feel as though I was in a maze. The people were selling clothes, food, movies, comics, and more.
We also used the car to visit a volcano, which was beautiful. The temperature, which was significantly lower at the top, was pure bliss. I even felt cold for a while. After the volcano, we also visited an ancient town that was preserved by the lava of an erupted volcano. We got to see artifacts, and the areas where they were digging around the old structures.
Then, on a surf expedition, we went to La Libertad, where Brian (Stephanie's equally as fabulous) other half went surfing. We surfed El Tunco, a fun point break, over rock reef. The waves were a good size, but fairly gentle. I'd recommend it, to novices, and intermediates. We went there twice, both times were fun!
Now, towards the cultural differences of Mexico and El Salvador. The two countries are very different. The food in El Salvador was good. I enjoyed their chicken more than the pupusas, but hey, that's just me. Both were yummy, regardless. My dad would recommend the cheese and jalapeƱo pupusa. The trash management situation isn't great. On the sides of roads, and in the water, little blue bags, that normally old water are everywhere. It's sad to see, as is seeing large amounts of garbage anywhere is. The scenery is beautiful despite the fact though.
To people traveling via plane, I'd definitely recommend La Libertad. It has a huge young travelers scene, with good surf, for those who are looking for it. If you don't surf, it still has a lot to offer. For those staying on a boat, if you're going to be there for a while, having a car was a definite plus. There wasn't too much immediately near Bahia del Sol, so having the car to expand and see more of the country was a lot of fun.
Our time in El Salvador, was very enjoyable.