We woke up early so that we could snag some breakfast at the hostel. I was expecting the somewhat traditional hostel breakfast of some white toast, a couple of jars of jam, peanut butter and if we are lucky, Nutella. At least that is what I’ve seen when I’ve stayed at hostels in the past. However, we were all pleasantly surprised when we noticed a waiter serving another group of people staying at the hostel. We had to wait a few minutes while the server prepared our meals, but we were given two pupusas, a piece of quesadilla, a Salvadoran cheese-bread specialty, and a cup of cinnamon coffee. Yum! The best way to start the day.
Edgardo arrived early, and we weren’t quite ready, so he waited for us outside the hostel. We tried to hurry, but we ended up walking out right on time at 8:30. As soon as we exited the hostel, I saw Edgardo standing next to the car, and was sooo excited! It’s been at least 5 years, if not longer since I’ve seen him. We gave each other a giant hug, and I introduced him to Dana and Hayden. Hooray for friends!
Our first stop would be the Tazumal Ruins, a little ways outside of Santa Ana. My friend Marcela, who I met while I was living in El Salvador, was coming to meet us at Tazumal with her husband and their 7 month old baby, Adrian. I couldn’t wait to see them, and to meet Adrian for the first time!
We hit the road and are moving at a good pace, but eventually we hit some traffic…of course, lol. I text Marcela and let her know we might be a bit later than expected, and she also said they ran into traffic. Oh good! Maybe we’ll arrive at the same time after all! :). Before we know it, we’re entering the street for the ruins, and I’m getting excited, as we’re able to see the ruins right from the street. I’ve been here before, but I can’t help but feel the excitement of exploring ancient Mayan ruins every time I go. Nerd! Hehe. The entrance fee is $5 and off we go to see our first Salvadoran ruins.
I explained to Dana and Hayden that these ruins look a lot different because when they were discovered, there wasn’t a great way to protect them or to restore them, so they were covered in cement. It gives the pyramid a smooth look on the outside, very different from most Mayan ruins. However, it’s almost a glance as to what they may have looked like in their prime. We’re so accustomed to seeing unadorned, rocky pyramids, when in reality, they would’ve been magnificently ornate with colors, smooth surfaces, and sculptures.
We walk around a bit, bummed by the barrier rope they’ve put up, unable to get up close and personal with the ruins. I don’t remember climbing the big pyramid before, but there was a section I climbed once in the past, which was now completely blocked off. Dang! Honestly, it’s probably best for the preservation of the ruins, but it’s always fun to get to hike the steps and walk in the footsteps of the ancient Mayan elite. We take our pictures and goof around for a bit, waiting for Marcela and her family to arrive.
As we’re ready to leave the ruins, Marcela calls me, saying they’ve arrived! OMG! So excited to give her a big hug! Their car pulls up, and she’s in the backseat, taking care of the baby, so it’s a couple of minutes before she actually gets out of the car, but when she does, we give each other the biggest hug we can muster! And I again introduce Dana and Hayden, and Marcela takes Adrian out of his car seat. What a freaking cutie! I’ve seen so many pictures on facebook, but dang, is he just the cutest little thing.
We decide to grab a coffee and visit for a bit before deciding what’s next on this list. Our original plan was to visit San Andrés and Joya de Cerén, ending up at the hotel in San Salvador. But, after talking with Marcela and Balmore, her husband, we decided it’d be better to go to “La Ruta de Los Flores,” or the Flower Route. This route passes through several cute colonial towns that offer a lot of typical Salvadoran food and picturesque central parks and churches. With a confirmed plan, we pack up our things and begin our journey to Ataco, the first of the towns.
Ataco is as adorable as ever with its colonial buildings, cobblestone streets, and murals of wide-eyed cats and people, an exaggerated art style the town is known for. The Central Park is small with a lot of trees, and all around the park are restaurants and food vendors. I want Dana and Hayden to try all kinds of typical food, so we begin our hunt. We found “riguas,” a sweet corn and cheese treat, more sweet than savory, which Dana ended up loving! We also found Salvadoran empanadas, which are made with a plantain dough and filled with beans or cream, and then fried and covered in sugar. Delicious! Dana and I tried a local coffee of the day as well, and after a quick look in the church and a walk around a couple of streets, we were on our way to the next town, Apaneca.
Apaneca is smaller, and we were going to just get out and talk a handful of pictures and move along to the next. But, as we were walking, we noticed a sign for rolled ice cream! We were after this in Copan, but the store was closed, so of course we had to go check it out. It was down a beautiful street with a gorgeous view of a hill in the background. We make it to the ice cream cart, and we start asking about flavors. Hayden asked for chocolate-krispy, I asked for mango, and Dana wanted avocado, but he only had a tiny bit left. So, he offered to make it for us so we could try it. How nice! And all of a sudden I realize he’s wearing a Boston Red Sox hat! Awesome! He said he almost didn’t wear it that day, because sometimes the “B” can be confused for the number “18” which is a gang symbol. That makes me sad, but I’m glad he did feel safe enough to wear the hat, and it made it that more special that we were eating the rolled ice cream at his place. Marcela asked for a mango one as well, and Balmore got a mangoneada, a frozen mango popsicle placed in a cup filled with lime juice, spices similar to Tajín, and maybe “chamoy,” or a tart berry syrup. So delicious! And worth trying if you find yourself in Central America. 🙂
We chatted with the ice cream man for a bit, and then walked over to the church to take some pictures and to sight see a tad more before headed towards the next town.
Next up on our list was Juayuá, which is known for the food festivals they have every weekend. Cannot wait to see what they have to offer! We park the car and walk just a short way until we can see and smell the food festival. We walk down one length of it, checking out all the meals and what they come with. The majority of the food stalls are serving HUGE plates of food: chicken, beef, or mixed with rice and beans, veggies, salad, tortilla, avocado, etc. Everything smells incredible, and we all agree to do a once over before deciding where to grab our lunch. On our way down the second line of food stalls, we see a street dog with an entire to-go container in his mouth. HAHAHA. It was epic! And Hayden got it on film lol. I’ve never seen anything like that. We all had a good laugh, and continued on our merry way.
We decided to eat at the place with the tacos, and Dana and I ordered a Suprema…gotta try out all the local beers! Hehe The food was delicious and we enjoyed the ambiance of the food festival with the music, the smells, and all the people watching. As we were eating, we were talking about our next stop. We were interested in going to the waterfalls that were nearby, but we ultimately decided not to go. It would require getting a mototaxi or maybe a 4by4 vehicle and then a bit of a walk, and we weren’t prepared nor did we want to get into the water. So instead, we decided to go find some “Colones,” the old Salvadoran currency, as we saw some at a vendor stall as we entered town. Hayden and I both like to collect currencies from different countries, so we walk over to the guy and check out his stash. He wanted $5 for the 1 colón note. We thought that was a bit high, but they also don’t make them anymore, so they’re gonna be more money, either way. Hayden wasn’t satisfied, so we haggled a bit, and I asked, what if we bought 2 notes, and he dropped the price to $8, and we walked away. As we were walking away, the man dropped it again to $7 for two notes. Hayden and I thanked him and continued walking away. As we were leaving, we chatted and decided we’d regret it if we didn’t go back, so we got our $7 together, and went back and bought our colones. Mission Complete! Haha
After this grand moment, we got back in the cars and headed towards Nahuizalco, where Marcela is from. This will be our last stop of the day before going back to San Salvador. When we get to Nahuizaco, Marcela brings us around to the church, and then to a small artesanias store. She wants to gift something to each of us… What a sweetheart! Hehe. She’s so adorable, and thoughtful, and kind. We all tried to say no, but she insisted, saying this is her town, and she wants to treat us to a little something to remember Nahuizalco. She is planning on coming to the US soon, and I can’t wait to take her around and be her guide, and go on all the fun adventures! 🙂
We walk around the park, admiring the Valentine’s Day decorations, and I am keeping my eye out for pupusas made out of yuca, which you can only find in this town. Marcela took the initative and found me 3 pupusas de yuca. Again, she’s so sweet! I make Dana and Hayden try them, and they both agree that the yuca pupusas are their favorites! Sweet! I’m so glad I made them try them, and so grateful for Marcela for finding them! Thanks, girl!
We’ve finally come to the point that we have to say goodbye. I really don’t want to leave, as this whole day has been a dream. I felt like I was transported back to when I lived here, and I just ate up every minute of it! After lots of big hugs, we finally did say our goodbyes and see you soons.
On the drive to San Salvador, I chatted with Edgardo, reminiscing about the good times in Fundahmer, and remembering certain delegations and community members, including don Pedro, who passed away a couple of years ago. We both remember him during the employee meetings, nearly or completely falling asleep, and then being asked if he had anything to add, and abruptly waking up and responding with an involved, but yet generic response. We laughed a lot and Edgardo made a comment about how beautiful it is to be remembered by others when you pass on, leaving your mark behind. Don Pedro, you certainly did this! 🙂 RIP, dear friend.
Needless to say, returning to El Salvador after all this time has been just phenomenal, and I need to come back again soon. These couple of days are not enough, but I am so grateful for every minute I have here.
Taking Off With Amelia 