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Limerence Update #18 March 3-5 2001 Traveling inland in El Salvador was a educational experience. We knew very little about this tiny country nestled on the Pacific coast between Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, and we were very lucky to be accompanied by a knowledgeable guide and driver. Our intention was to see the capital city of San Salvador, and a cloud forest in the southwest corner of the country – not seek out the areas damaged by the recent earthquakes. Our guide, Celina, is from a highly educated family, and spent eight years living in San Francisco as a Salvadoran refugee. She provided us with many details about the history of this war-torn country. As we left our guarded Barillas Marina we drove past miles of sugar cane fields. The sugar cane crop grows annually and in February, which is harvest time, the fields are burned. This burn takes off the sharp outer leaves and kills the snakes and tarantulas living amongst the cane. Then, the cane sticks are chopped to the ground by machetes. They are then stacked on flatbed trucks and hauled to processing plants. The field workers make $5.00 a day, and work six months a year. The sugar cane crop regenerates itself without re-planting for five years. El Salvador also grows coffee, corn and cotton. At the moment the major crop – coffee – is threatened by Vietnam which is competing on the world market with very low prices. The drive to San Salvador took us through miles of farmland dotted with small villages. It is common to see oxen pulling carts in the fields, and pigs and cattle herded down the highway. The villages consist of simple one-room houses made of wood or mud and sticks with corrugated metal roofs. There are group wells servicing several homes and limited electricity. Despite the poor conditions, the people are very friendly and curious about tourists. We drove across many bridges over rivers and they were busy places with the women washing clothes in the streams. The civil war in El Salvador lasted twelve years and the peace treaty was signed in 1992. Bullet riddled buildings are everywhere. There is also a great deal of damage from recent earthquakes and hurricanes. Our guide, Celina, told us stories of murders and atrocities committed by both the military government forces, and the guerrilla forces. The history of El Salvador is difficult to comprehend from our safe American viewpoint. The redeeming factor in all this is the spirit of the people who are committed to rebuilding. The war years behind them, they loathe war and are united in the effort to move on. However, there is a strong military presence everywhere and guards with weapons patrolling the streets. We might expect this in the middle-east, but it surprised us to find it in Central America. We took a van tour of the busy city of San Salvador, and spent the night in a lovely small bed and breakfast. It was near the Zona Rosa which is the central square area and the location of the best hotels and restaurants. We had a fabulous CHINESE dinner at Hunan’s, which has become somewhat famous. Nearby is a huge shopping mall with underground parking reminiscent of Los Angeles . . . with one amusing attraction. The land for the mall was donated to the city by a wealthy family with the proviso that the home, or hacienda, remain on the land. So, the mall was built around the hacienda. One enters the glass and chrome mall, and there in the center – instead of a garden or ice skating rink - is a house! It is lovely, but quite unusual. Sunday morning we departed early for the southwest part of the country to the city of Sonsonate and El Imposible National Park. The name of the park reflects the steep impossible terrain that graces the park. Our van turned off the highway and made an endless (it seemed!) drive up an unpaved, rock-laden road to the top and entrance to the park. It was dusty and hot as we drove on and on past many small homes dotting the mountain. We were the only group in the park that day, and enjoyed meeting the park manager and learning of the commitment to preserving this land. Because of the previous wide spread use of insecticides, and the ravaging of the forest during the war, it is in the process of regenerating. We saw few birds and no animals. It is an educational challenge to teach the El Salvadorenos the benefit of preserving the environment and allowing the animals and plants to survive. Several of the families who live in homes adjacent to the park service visitors by serving lunch. We hiked into a small yard with laundry hanging and chickens scratching and sat for lunch in a very clean little room with several picnic tables. The shy pleasant woman and her family prepared a meal of scrambled eggs, beans, rice and tortillas for us. They watched us curiously from the doorway while we ate. It was a cultural experience that was intriguing. Early on Monday we left for the four-hour drive back to the Barillas Marina. We stopped in one of the poorest cities in El Salvador, La Libertad. As soon as we opened the van door we were surrounded by a police escort. They don't see many tourists, and they wanted to guard our safety. We took a fascinating walk on the long fishing pier that sits 60 feet off the water. At the end of the pier is a primitive crane that lifts pangas up and down into the ocean. All along the pier are pangas sitting in dry dock, and people cleaning and selling fish. The policeman who escorted us on our walk explained to us that he fought with the guerilla force during the war. He went into hiding in the mountains when he was ten years old, with his parents and brother and sister. He said the communists provided them with guns and supplies. When they would go into the city to fight, the guerillas would shoot up buildings and kidnap the rich for ransom money. He was quite matter-of-fact in describing the extortion and crimes against the wealthy. He finished his story by telling us he is tired of war, and hopes the country can be rebuilt. Our three-day trip was an enriching experience. If we were not cruising in our sailboat, with time to explore, we would never have an opportunity to see and learn firsthand. Talking to many different people and getting their viewpoints on history, war, and the future is an experience we would not trade. El Salvador is not a traditional tourist destination, and the new President has real challenges to reform the educational system, environment, healthcare and world trade. However, the country is a tribute to the determination of the human spirit.
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