After two days in Antigua, we decided to head south to El Salvador.
We were picked up at our hotel just before 9am and a shuttle bus took us 45mins north west to Guatemala City, where we were to wait for the bus to El Salvador. When we got to the bus station we realised we had three hours to wait - the bus was at 1pm. The time passed fairly quickly as we talked, read our guide books and had a lunch of tortias, beans and rice.
The bus trip took about five hours and getting through the border was no problem at all. At the Guatemalan border we were mobbed by men waving money in our faces, trying to get commision on an exchange. We ignored them and went inside to line up and get stamped out of the country. It didn't take long at all, and before we knew it the bus driver was honking the horn to signal that we were leaving.
The border at El Salvador was about 10mins away from there and it was even less trouble - we didn't even have to get off the bus. A customs offical and a nurse got on and to check everyone's passport, and ask if anyone wanted to see a doctor (in case of swine flu). It didn't take more than about 10mins and then we were on our way again.
Once we arrived in San Salvador (the capital of El Salvador), we headed straight for a street dotted with hotels. The one we found was fairly expensive ($45US for a triple room), but it was clean and comfortable with air conditioning and cable tv. There was even a lovely little garden just outside our room.
That evening we had the most delicious Mexican food for dinner - fajitas with beans, cheese, veggies, salad, salsa and guacamole. YUM!
Today we decided to spend the day in San Salvador. We visited the art gallery, the museum and went to a MASSIVE shopping center called Metro Centro.
San Salvador is a huge city and although there seems to be very wealthy people around, there is also a lot of poverty - just like the rest of Central America.
I do feel much safer here than I did in Guatemala City, but even so, there is still permeters of barbed wire around pretty much every residence and many business. There are also loads of security guards around, all carrying guns (shot guns and hand guns).
Everyone we speak to, says that this part of town is fairly safe, even at night. But we still haven't ventured TOO far from our hotel.
Tomorrow we're heading south east to Costa del Sol - a lovely beach town that isn't in any guides! An American guy who's lived in El Salvador for 30yrs told us about it, and it sounds amazing. He also told us the name of a hotel right on the beach for US$10 a night! It'll be great to get out of the city. El Salvador is SO humid. :)
It's been really fantastic traveling with Alex and Morgan - we all seem to be getting on great. Alex is even teaching me some Spanish!
I'll up date more after we arrive in Costa del Sol.
