June 7, 2016 Roatan, Honduras
Up very early for flight!
Very interesting drive to airport, taxi driver was a real talker! I caught a bit but not a lot. He was very happy to know that I enjoyed his country....once again a person very proud of their country. He has been driving taxi for 22 years and never a problem. He talked about the danger....and i think he was saying not as bad now and that people need to change how they think. A great country to visit and 1 week is pretty short time but I did cover a lot of ground.
1 1/2 hour flight. Nice to fly over the Pacific coast line. There was probably only 10 people on the plane that seats 50.
Arrived and actually had a driver waiting. Stopped at grocery store and then off to apartment. I am on the beach but 3 houses back. Nice view from small deck. Went for a walk down the beach in either direction. Saw a ray and star fish in the water, several hummingbirds and some kind of huge rat..but without a tail (turns out it is a Roatan rabbit!). I am about half way in between West End and West Bay. 20 to 25 minutes either way.
Relax, nap, swim.
June 6, San Salvador, El Salvador
Today I walked unto the main square of San Salvador. It took about 1 hour. Very interesting, as I knew there was a large market nearby but it has over flowed....it was several blocks from the square. You could buy anything you need here....not many people around. The main cathedral is large but I did not go in....seen enough churches.
I did go into the National Palace. It is now a museum, but only a few musical instruments on display. The building is beautiful. The former president used to live here. Built in the square, but each side has an added piece jutting unto the central court yard. Some of the tie work and painting was great...even the would that is an optical illusion.
Walked back to the hotel.
Then later the guide from the first couple of day had to take me out to taste the local beer. First stop to a pupusas place, huge and cheap. Great food, the pupusas are made to order. Pupusas are 2 tortillas ( corn or rice ) with different fillings. I had beans and cheese. Then to a bar. Turns out to be a sports bar...a huge place with a vinyl roof and open sides. Definitely a warm climate. Huge tv screens all over. A big soccer match on, Chile and Argentina.....the American Cup.
Back to hotel after a couple beers. Good. They sell it by the litre...$3 US.
The father showed up and had to say good bye. Talked until about 11..late since i have to get up early.
June 5, San Salvador, El Salvador
Off to Cerro Verde, the green hill...actually a volcano with a lake in the crater. We got there and there were lots of people around...no other tourists. They convinced me that the weather was not good enough to climb the 1500 steps to the tops..While waiting for the tour to start we wandered around an old hotel. Huge and must have been a great place when it was open.
It has been closed since the 70s. The volcano stopped spitting out lava. it was very cloudy, so instead did another hike. They wanted me to drive part way down, avoiding the 600 steps, but did it anyway. Good thing as just as we started on the second part and the police closed the trails! I thought for a while the guide was going to get trouble as he was arguing with the police!
So off we went. Stopped at a lookout where the valley was completely covered in cloud on the way up. The lake is Coatepeque. A lake is In a crater. We stopped at a little place on the ridge. Good thing as there was a rain storm roll through, it poured! The place is just a roof overlooking the lake with a video jute box. Great coffee and nice to look at the lake. I went to the toilet, well this is one of the best views from a toilet! No door and a great view over the lake.
Then into Santa Ana, the 2nd largest city in the country. Stopped at the main square, wandered around a bit then off to lunch. A buffet style place just off the square.....great food and it cost about $3...there are some cheap places you just need to look!
Then to Tazumal Mayan ruins. These are more pyramid style. Very nice to see. The period is about the same as Santa Andres. Walked down the street as I had to eat the local food specialty! It is yucca with toppings! You could get dried fish (tasted them, not good), pork rind (I had this) quite good, or some other sauce (not bad). Problem was it had only been a couple of hours since a big lunch! A very busy little place. We were going to Casa Blanca but it was too late. Headed back to the city....it poured rain most of the way...some of the city streets were like rivers!
A great day even if there was no hiking!
June 4, San Salvador, El Salvador
Drank lots of coffee this morning as no plans. Just went for a walk around the neighbourhood. Quite nice with some parks, although they are very dry...apparently there has not been much rain.
June 3, San Salvador, El Salvador
We were to go to the volcano today but the weather was not good. So instead we headed off to the San Andres Mayan ruins. They are not far out of the city. There was several buses in the parking lot, a school outing. The ruins date back to about 600 AD. There has not been much archaeological work done. The site was abandoned at one time and then repopulated. Mostly used for ceremonial purposes. While in museu6m we sort of got an unofficial tour from a student that just wanted to practice his English, it was pretty good.
Then off to do the Flower Route. I was expecting flowers but really was a tour of the various coffee plantations. Very nice. The temperature is much cooler, but then there was a good rain storm go through the area just before we got there.
Stopped at Santa Leticia, a quiet little hotel with a coffee plantation. The coffee was great...the best so far. There are a few people around but not many, they even have a zip line!
We drove through several small villages but stopped in Conception de Ataco. A very nice place. Many of the walls have murals and only a few market stalls. Coffee in a small place quite good. There is definitely a country feel...hats and boots everywhere!
It took about 2 hours to get back to the hotel. About 150 km round trip but the roads were very windy and lots of traffic in the city.
June 2, San Salvador, El Salvador
Today to the bank.....but card was blocked! So back to hotel to call. Turns out they did not like me withdrawing money in Nicaragua 2 days ago and now trying in El Salvador? Oh well better safe.
Then off on tour. First around the modern part of the city...lots of road construction including an underground tunnel...but makes for tough driving. Past a huge mall that is own by one of the richest men in the country. Very nice...then by some $10 million homes on the hillside...great views of the city and the houses are huge!
Then to a craft market. I bought some local candy...coconut in a very sweet brown sauce. Very good but even too sweet for me! The crafts seem to be similar to other central American countries. Very colourful and nice...bought a couple of things.
Then to El Boqueron, the sleeping giant volcano that over looks the city. A very windy road up but u great condition even with the pouring rain. The rain stopped once we got to the top so did not get wet although it looked like many people got soaked! A short 15 minute walk up steps and we were looking down into the crater.
Quite large but nice as there is a small crater at the bottom. It was even nicer as some cloud kept rolling in. We looked out 4 different view points. The volcano last erupted in 1917. They say it should erupt every 100 years..so due!
On the way down we stopped at a couple of restaurants for coffee, just so i could try the coffee. Ok coffee, tastes fine but not strong enough. The views of city were amazing. I was also to try pupusas....2 tortillas with beans and cheese inside but can also get many other fillings. There are toppings as well...pickled (sort of) cabbage with carrot and a mild tomato sauce. All very good. The 2nd restaurant was much bigger and fancier...with some Hobbit houses built along the walk way. The whole place is themed around the Hobbit. Great place with lots of little paths and almost hide aways for dinner or lunch. Again great views of city...I could see the mall I was at yesterday and the cathedral in the historical centre really stands out.
A beautiful drive through some very lush parks.
Up very early for flight!
Very interesting drive to airport, taxi driver was a real talker! I caught a bit but not a lot. He was very happy to know that I enjoyed his country....once again a person very proud of their country. He has been driving taxi for 22 years and never a problem. He talked about the danger....and i think he was saying not as bad now and that people need to change how they think. A great country to visit and 1 week is pretty short time but I did cover a lot of ground.
1 1/2 hour flight. Nice to fly over the Pacific coast line. There was probably only 10 people on the plane that seats 50.
Arrived and actually had a driver waiting. Stopped at grocery store and then off to apartment. I am on the beach but 3 houses back. Nice view from small deck. Went for a walk down the beach in either direction. Saw a ray and star fish in the water, several hummingbirds and some kind of huge rat..but without a tail (turns out it is a Roatan rabbit!). I am about half way in between West End and West Bay. 20 to 25 minutes either way.
Relax, nap, swim.
June 6, San Salvador, El Salvador
Today I walked unto the main square of San Salvador. It took about 1 hour. Very interesting, as I knew there was a large market nearby but it has over flowed....it was several blocks from the square. You could buy anything you need here....not many people around. The main cathedral is large but I did not go in....seen enough churches.
I did go into the National Palace. It is now a museum, but only a few musical instruments on display. The building is beautiful. The former president used to live here. Built in the square, but each side has an added piece jutting unto the central court yard. Some of the tie work and painting was great...even the would that is an optical illusion.
Walked back to the hotel.
 |
| Actually a church Rosario |
Then later the guide from the first couple of day had to take me out to taste the local beer. First stop to a pupusas place, huge and cheap. Great food, the pupusas are made to order. Pupusas are 2 tortillas ( corn or rice ) with different fillings. I had beans and cheese. Then to a bar. Turns out to be a sports bar...a huge place with a vinyl roof and open sides. Definitely a warm climate. Huge tv screens all over. A big soccer match on, Chile and Argentina.....the American Cup.
Back to hotel after a couple beers. Good. They sell it by the litre...$3 US.
The father showed up and had to say good bye. Talked until about 11..late since i have to get up early.
June 5, San Salvador, El Salvador
Off to Cerro Verde, the green hill...actually a volcano with a lake in the crater. We got there and there were lots of people around...no other tourists. They convinced me that the weather was not good enough to climb the 1500 steps to the tops..While waiting for the tour to start we wandered around an old hotel. Huge and must have been a great place when it was open.
So off we went. Stopped at a lookout where the valley was completely covered in cloud on the way up. The lake is Coatepeque. A lake is In a crater. We stopped at a little place on the ridge. Good thing as there was a rain storm roll through, it poured! The place is just a roof overlooking the lake with a video jute box. Great coffee and nice to look at the lake. I went to the toilet, well this is one of the best views from a toilet! No door and a great view over the lake.
Then into Santa Ana, the 2nd largest city in the country. Stopped at the main square, wandered around a bit then off to lunch. A buffet style place just off the square.....great food and it cost about $3...there are some cheap places you just need to look!
A great day even if there was no hiking!
June 4, San Salvador, El Salvador
Drank lots of coffee this morning as no plans. Just went for a walk around the neighbourhood. Quite nice with some parks, although they are very dry...apparently there has not been much rain.
June 3, San Salvador, El Salvador
We were to go to the volcano today but the weather was not good. So instead we headed off to the San Andres Mayan ruins. They are not far out of the city. There was several buses in the parking lot, a school outing. The ruins date back to about 600 AD. There has not been much archaeological work done. The site was abandoned at one time and then repopulated. Mostly used for ceremonial purposes. While in museu6m we sort of got an unofficial tour from a student that just wanted to practice his English, it was pretty good.
Then off to do the Flower Route. I was expecting flowers but really was a tour of the various coffee plantations. Very nice. The temperature is much cooler, but then there was a good rain storm go through the area just before we got there.
Stopped at Santa Leticia, a quiet little hotel with a coffee plantation. The coffee was great...the best so far. There are a few people around but not many, they even have a zip line!
We drove through several small villages but stopped in Conception de Ataco. A very nice place. Many of the walls have murals and only a few market stalls. Coffee in a small place quite good. There is definitely a country feel...hats and boots everywhere!
It took about 2 hours to get back to the hotel. About 150 km round trip but the roads were very windy and lots of traffic in the city.
June 2, San Salvador, El Salvador
Today to the bank.....but card was blocked! So back to hotel to call. Turns out they did not like me withdrawing money in Nicaragua 2 days ago and now trying in El Salvador? Oh well better safe.
Then to a craft market. I bought some local candy...coconut in a very sweet brown sauce. Very good but even too sweet for me! The crafts seem to be similar to other central American countries. Very colourful and nice...bought a couple of things.
Then to El Boqueron, the sleeping giant volcano that over looks the city. A very windy road up but u great condition even with the pouring rain. The rain stopped once we got to the top so did not get wet although it looked like many people got soaked! A short 15 minute walk up steps and we were looking down into the crater.
A beautiful drive through some very lush parks.
No comments:
Post a Comment