Christmas in Perú

It´s been a while since I´ve posted and update...hopefully I will remember everything that has happened.

Since I´m writing this info, I obviously made it to Perú safely. My flight from San Salvador to Lima was relatively painless. It was a normal 5 hour flight in coach. Sat beside two sisters from California who are visiting family in Perú for the holidays. They kindly gave me suggestions on some do´s and don´ts as well as things I should try to see. Had another guy holding a sign with my name on it, waiting at the airport for me. Pre-arranged that with the hostel I´m currently staying at. Toured around Lima yesterday, visited Plaza San Martin, San Fransisco Cathedral and took a tour into the catacumbas under the church - quite interesting - brought me back to anatomy class in first year undergrad.
Had a nice Christmas dinner with the 8 people staying at the hostel. Turkey, veges, rice and champagne at mid-night. Was quite nice but doesn´t compare to spending the holidays with family at home. How I miss all the turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, salads that Mum makes. mmmmmmm

A quick recap of my last days in El Salvador:

- Hung out in San Salvador for the last week. I was taken out Friday night for dinner and drinks with Anita, Ivania and a few of their friends. We started the night off with a belly dancing performance. Had dinner and wine followed by a night of dancing - or in my case, trying to dance. Made it home at 4am - slept until 3pm.
- Sunday I met up with Jennifer and Dennis who took me to the soccer finals. It was great...the game went into overtime and then a shootout. Jennifer´s dad is a sports announcer and we had access to the announcer´s box. On the national radio, he welcomed me to his country and explained how El Salvador was the first country on my world tour. The game was followed by devouring the best Pupusas in San Salvador. The restaurant we went to was voted the best pupusas! They lived up to it too!
- Monday I checked into my flight, made sure everything was set for Tuesday morning. That evening I went for dinner with the girls who took me out on Friday. They were wonderful hosts!! Made my time in San Salvador really enjoyable!

Arrived on Tuesday to Perú.

The weather has been fantastic! Lima this week, doesn´t drop below 25 during the day. Doesn´t seem like Christmas when there is no snow.

I´m figuring out today my plans for the next two weeks.

Merry Christmas to everyone! Best wishes for the holidays!

Next stop...Peru

My time in El Salvador is over. I'm currently sitting at the airport, awaiting the departure of my flight to Lima, Peru. I'll write more once I get settled at the hotel. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. It will be interesting which strangers I'll be spending the holidays with.

Staying in El Salvador

So there isn't going to be a trip to Costa Rica. The bus trip takes 2 days to get there and 2 days to return, leaving only 2 days to explore. Not enough time. So my plans are to hang out in San Salvador until Tuesday when I fly to Lima. I will visit Universidad Centroamericaca Jose Simeon Canas where a landmark commemorates the assassinated archbishop Monsenor Romero. Apparently, there are some intense paintings of the assassination. Will post pictures.
Looks like I will be attending the National Futbol finals on Sunday in the capital city at Estadio Magico Gonzalez.

Unfortunately, I have to say the weather here has been awesome! It hasn't dropped below 30 degrees during the day.

Volcano - Soccer

Soccer - Coffee - Volcano

This past weekend I think was my most eventful since I started my trip. As I wrote on my last posting, Karaoke is the same in every country. That was Friday night. Saturday I took another bus trip out to Santa to meet up with Marcella and her family. I had Wendy´s for lunch. I must have been in and out of the bathroom 10 times in a matter of 5 hours. It did not sit well at all! Marcella´s dad gave me a pill to take. 30 minutes later I was cured!! (Note to self: no more Wendy´s) Later that evening, we pulled up to the Soccer stadium. I want to say it was an organized chaos to get in but that would be pushing it. EVERY MAN/WOMAN FOR HIM/HERSELF!!! Once inside, the chaos wasnt over. No assigned seating. You find a spot, you sit. We were cheering for the home team, Santa Ana. Unfortunately, they lost 3-1. No crazy parties after the game.

Sunday morning I joined Marcella´s family for a day out at the coffee plantation. We toured through the fields. I found out I knew nothing about coffee! Before lunch we hiked a volcano! I can check that off the list now. I´ll post a pic from that hike in a little bit.

Monday, I played some tennis at the country club. Tennis is rough in 35 degree weather. But when I think of what it´s like in Calgary at the moment, it doesn´t seem so bad. Every time someone mentions what the weather is like back home, I seem to enjoy the time here that much more.

I was planning my hike for Machu Pichu in Perú after Christmas. Everything was working out until the company I was working with said they had no departure dates during that time. I was advised to check in Cuzco when I arrive. Hopefully I can hook up with a group once I get there.

One more week in El Salvador...

Latin Karaoke

Went out for a good ol´American dinner at TGI Fridays last night. Enjoyed a decent chicken burger with fries, which was washed down with a couple beers and rum (ron en español).
To emmerse myself in some El Salvadorian culture, Anita and her friends took me to a Latin Karaoke bar. It was - interesting. The music was really good - the singing, however, not so much. I guess it doesn´t matter where you go, a karaoke bar is the same. The one down side was that almost every single person in that bar was smoking. I couldn´t manage it all night, so we took off around 1:30am.
Stayed at a hostel/residence last night - Casa de Huespedes Australia. A lot nicer than the place I stayed at in Santa Ana.

New Blog Layout

Do I keep this blog layout or change it back? What do you think?

Public Transportation

I´m not sure if I mentioned what public transportation is like in EL Salvador. Now that I have experienced it first hand, I can give an accurate description.
We get picked up on the side of the highway, not at a bus stop but by waving down the bus driver. (We include - Charlie Brown and his wife, Sara). Before we all get on the bus starts pulling away. All the windows were cracked because it´s crazy hot and there is no AC. Brian Adams is blasting on the radio. We grab a seat and I take a deep breath.
At the next stop, the back door flies open and 2 guys carrying car tires jump on. The tires are tossed onboard. People carrying baskets of vegetables, kids running up and down the aisle. The only thing that was missing was someone carrying a chicken.
We get to our stop and jump out the back, once again the bus starts to pull away before all three of us are off. I guess that´s what you get when it´s 30 centavos (cents).
Charlie gets some fresh fish, shrimp and veges. Fresh as in caught this morning in the ocean.
We make our way to a dirt road that leads to his girlfriends mom´s house. I am welcomed with a seafood lunch, coca cola and a hammock! Food was fantastic! The fish was fried whole - skin, head, liver, heart - the works. Everyone ate everything except for the bones and head...my plate had 1/2 the fish still remaining.

Plans are to get a good night sleep and wake up fairly early tomorrow to surf. Peace out!

back to the beach

It´s been 6 days since my last update. I´ll try to be more efficient at updated my blog from now on. I was using my ipod touch (wireless) for most of my internet work but the other day it crapped out on me. Too many programs were running and it shut off and went to the ´connect to itunes´ screen and wouldn´t allow me to log back in. I connected to a few different computers but no go. Called Apple and they said since I put a password on my ipod there is nothing they could do over the phone. I have to bring it in to an Apple store or mail it to them and they will give me a new one. The closest ipod store is in Mexico city. And with my future travel plans, I would have to wait until April when I am in England for an Apple store.
Solution...My Parents!!! They got me another one and are sending it with a friend, Jennifer, who is heading to El Salvador this Friday. I will pick it up from her. Crazy how that worked out! Thanks mom and dad, it´s greatly appreciated!!!

Anita took me out to an opening of her friend´s restaurant-lounge. Gotta love free drinks!
Spent some time in Santa Ana with Marcella and her family. She took me to Juayua where we enjoyed the weekend feria gastronomica (food festival), when local restaurants set up stands and sell you their specialties.
We went to see some Mayan ruins on Monday but it was closed. Managed to take some pictures from the road!

I´m now back at the beach until Friday! Hitched a ride back to El Sunzal yesterday to catch some waves and more of a tan. I wanted to go surfing today but it´s quite windy and the waves are crazy big. I think there were 2 people out there earlier (normally there are at least 15). So I plopped myself on the beach for an hour or so.

Added another bunch of pictures to facebook, hopefully uploading completes this time.

Traveling back to San Salvador on Friday, chillin out there for the day and then taking the bus back to Santa Ana for Saturday to watch a semi final futbol game. Definitely let you know how that goes. Sunday we are driving out to a coffee plantation...should be interesting.

That´s it for now!

Quick update

I took my first mode of public transportation the other day...and what an experience. The bus went from San Salvador to Santa Ana, about 40 minutes away. A taxi was about $60 USD and this bus cost $1.50. It was similar to a greyhound but a little...well...rougher. Although, there was a movie playing in English!! I don´t know the name but it is about 10 or so people who are picked to travel to New Mexico from Las Vegas to win $2 million.
This past weekend, went out to a few restaurants, nightclubs. Clubs are the same as back home, although the music is in Spanish...some of it anyways.

Now that I have 2 weeks left in El Salvador, I´m thinking it´s a little too much time. So I might take a bus to San Jose, Costa Rica for a few days next week - leaving Monday or Tuesday.
I´m heading back out to Playas El Sunzal (the beach) today until Friday. Driving back to San Salvador Friday night to go to a theatre, heading to Santa Ana on Saturday to attend a semi finals soccer game and then out to a friend´s coffee plantation on Sunday. That leaves me next week to visit Costa Rica or even Honduras. Going to do some research...

I´ll try to put up some more pictures this afternoon or tomorrow.

Beach Life

You know you have it tough when your biggest decisions in a day are as follows:

1. There is too much sun glistening off of the ocean, should I roll over so I don´t face the window (sun) or get up and shut the curtain
2. Do I go for breakfast, surf, sleep on the beach or go back to bed
3. Should I eat another papusa knowing I´ll be using the toilet within a few hours
3. Putting on more sunscreen is a must...problem: it is in my room and I am on the beach. Do I really want to march up that flight of stairs

These are some of the toughest decisions I have had to make...believe me, I had to think long and hard about some of them but for the most part, they worked out.

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I finally managed to surf for the first time since arriving in El Salvador. Didn´t stand up yet, nonetheless, it was fun. The guy who takes care of the guesthouse I´m staying at, Charlie Brown, gives surf lessons. We were jammin´ to some music, teaching eachother Spanish and English, eating some local fruits (I can´t remember the names of) when he pipes up...you want to surf? ahora (now)? Sure, why not!
We had a very very quick 1 minute lesson on the sand on how to stand up and where to look when you surfing. That was it. We jumped in the water and paddled out further and further...and further. The waves got bigger and bigger. We didn´t start at the ´biginners waves´, no, we go to the biggest ones. I won´t lie, I was a little nervous. All of a sudden, ¨Shawn...catch this wave!!¨ I quickly turn around and paddle like a madman. I catch it!!! Swallow some ocean water (figure it can´t hurt me now), put one foot up on the board and fall. That generally was the same occurance over and over. Next week I´ll master this sport. ;o)

Today is Friday, December 5 (I think). Planning on heading back to San Salvador for the weekend. Plan to meet up with a few people for dinner tonight, and maybe head out tomorrow to a Disco! For everyone over the age of 40, this does not mean I will relive your youth - singing and dancing along to ´Stayin´Alive´ at the center of the dance floor with a discoball hanging overhead. It´s another word for ´club´.

Need to grab breakfast and then head to the beach. Or should I go to the beach and then eat breakfast...see what I mean, I always have these dilemmas!!!

Pictures

El Tunco

Why did I mention I felt fine?! Came back to bite me in the ass. Felt sick around dinner time yesterday. My guess is it was the 1/2 raw turtle egg I ate with a little tobasco, lime juice and salt. Might be an idea to stick with the cooked food for a while.
Sleep yesterday was kind of rough as well. I thought the restful sound of the ocean would put me to sleep but I guess not.
Going to attach a few pictures, hopefully they work. I´ll write a little about them when I figure out which ones I want to post. If you´re on my facebook, I added an album with pictures I have taken up until now. It´s a lot easier to load onto there.

Volcano!

Day 3 and everything I have eaten has not come back up or caused other issues down south. I say that knocking on wood because most of what I ate so far has been boiled, fried or baked. Minus a few foods digested this evening that might cause some discomfort tomorrow. Actually, now that I think about it my stomach is a little off. Meh!
Yesterday, I worked on my tan, had some delicious seafood for dinner and visited the El Salvador museum of modern art. Some very impressive pieces.
I hadn't accomplished a lot today (unless you call lying in the sun for hours, productive) until this afternoon when I met up with Marcella - a friend from high school. I received a msg on facebook stating she was currently in El Salvador as well. She picked me up with a couple of her cousins. We drove to the top of a volcano, that is now a lake. We had a bite to eat, a drink and played some pool on a dock out on the lake. I'll try to post pictures soon, I need a reliable computer first. They toured me around Santa Ana. We went for papusas!!! If you don't know what they are, google it. All I'll say is they are the staple dish of El Salvador and are bloody delicioso!
I leave the comfort of the Sheraton tomorrow and head to the coast to become a beach bum. Plan to do some surfing, surfing and more surfing. I'll keep updates on how that's working out.
It's 11pm - bed time!

Buenas noches