With the van fixed up and ready to go I stayed one more night in Guatemala City and linked up with Eva and Michel who I had meet earlier in Belize and were on their way back from Costa Rica. It goes to show how slow I am going because in the time I visited Guatemala they have been to Costa Rica and back again. The next day I had an easy crossing into El Salvador and landed in Santa Ana by mid-day. I had planned to stay the day but I couldn’t find a decent place to stay. The town seemed a little run down and dirty for me. I decided to bug out to a small town called Ahuachapan a little further south. It was starting to get late in the day and I wasn’t sure where I was going to stay when I found a nice restaurant by the highway with a large, green parking area. I pulled in and asked if I could camp in the parking lot for the night and the waiter went to ask the owner if it would be ok…
William came back with a better plan and suggested I could stay the night in his home. I had noticed a small brick out building when I drove in and asked if that was his home. He laughed as it turned out to be the quail coop. He assured me his home was a little nicer and had room enough for me. He suggested a visit downtown while he tended to the restaurant. The town center was really nice. I didn’t see a lot of it but I did manage to grab a coffee and watch the evening settle in on the town. I returned to the restaurant a little early as I was concerned that I would get lost on the return trip and leave him waiting for me. There were 3 ladies having after dinner cocktails and dancing with each other. I was invited to join them and take a few dance lessons. After this it got a little confusing because I am sure they said they were related to William… sisters, aunts, nieces… I dunno anymore. Anyways they asked me to come to their home and meet their father???? I discussed what was going on with William and he said ‘Ok, the girls know where he lives, just show up at the house after your visit.’ I went to the house and there was no ‘father’ there. It was weird as I was suddenly alone with 3 women in their home. I was polite, looked at some pictures, declined the cocktails, ignored the inuendo, and then indicated I shouldn’t keep my host waiting. We left and they took me to Williams place. It was no chicken coop… The home was in a gated community. It was very large and open. It was decorated with Asian furniture, had a large pool, and a view of the country side dominated by a large volcano. He had a maid that did my laundry and cooked us meals for the next 2 days. I explained my confusion to him and he explained that the ladies were no relation to him at all, but were regular customers that always enjoyed a cocktail or 2 after their dinner. Whatever!!!
William lives in the home with his 3 children and his wife who also spends time teaching in Guatemala. We spent the next day tending to his goats, shopping in the open market for the restaurant, visiting the mud geysers, and the geo-thermal power plant. We also toured the town and some of the sites in town. He was a very gracious and accommodating host.After leaving his place I drove the long way to Cerro Verde National park. I set up camp in an open field near an ‘eco-lodge’ and geared up to climb the volcano the next day.
I walked to the base of the volcano and was expecting to be the lone climber when a tour group of about 25 Canadians rolled in and broke the tranquility. We hiked up the volcano with an armed guard leading and another taking up the rear position. It was a great day and a relatively easy climb. I am not sure what it is, but a women in uniform with a gun and handcuffs made me feel very..... safe :)From Cerro Verde I headed to Playa El Tunco on the coast. I camped in a motel parking lot next to the river. As it turns out the area doubled as public parking and I had to pay an extra $2.00 for enough room to set up my kitchen and extend my awning. It was another amazingly hot beach. The shade of the restaurants and the breeze later in the evening was God sent. I met an El Salvadorian lady (Juli, not to be confused with Julie) and her daughter (Alejandra). I initially thought they were sisters or perhaps friends but I was wrong and mom was flattered. We learned a little about each other while I practiced my Spanish. Alejandra was able to fill in the gaps as her English was a lot better than my Spanish. When asked I explained that my dancing was worse than my Spanish. Again the El Salvadorian hospitality was extended to me… Juli took her daughter home and took me dancing. We did pretty well and one local dude, who was pretty good himself, even commented that we shuffled around fairly gracefully for a first timer. It was a good thing she knew what she was doing.
I tried to find the town of Alegria when I left El Tunco but I got lost and ended up at the Honduras border. I decided to spend the night in a recreation area and cross the border the next morning. The border crossing pissed me off. Everyone had their hand out for a tip. And when you gave one they complained and tried to intimidate me into giving more. The Customs prick asked if I was carrying guns and asked if I had ever been in a Honduran jail. He indicated that he was going to spend the afternoon searching my vehicle. My guide being very helpful gave the gesture of wrists in hadcuffs. I told my guide that the ‘Hollywood’ was really boring and if I have to pay the guy a tip just say so. I reminded him (less then politely) why I hired him and I wasn’t interested in playing their stupid games. I then paid $20.00 to the customs agentfor ‘special express service’. In the end I also paid my ‘guide’ $10.00. He started getting in my face because he wanted more and then his friend showed up to 'support his claim'. I asked the friend ‘Who the @$#$@#%@ are you?’ and told him to get lost as we didn’t need his services. He left, I tore a strip of my guide, and reminded him that I had been subject to intimidation tactics since I got there and I wasn’t going to take it from him. He was supposed to prevent all of that. I was in his face and not backing down. He took the 10 bucks, gave me his best 'tough guy' look and left. I wanted to smash his skull and I think he knew it. Two kilometers later I got pulled over by the police…. A young punk with a gun and a greasy attitude was backed up by 2 other retards. I didn’t have reflectors and if I didn’t want a ticket I would have to pay a ‘tip’. I gave him $5.00 and was pissed off because I wasn’t carrying smaller bills. We were best friends when we left. It’s a good thing he didn’t speak English or I may have been in that Honduran jail the last guy talked about. The second police check was 2 older guys pushing the same infraction. I told him that I already paid a fine to the last police. I showed him that my flashers and how everything else on the van works perfectly. I told him that if I have to pay $5.00 to every policeman in Honduras then I’d rather he give me a ticket. He laughed and sent me on my way. I made it across the Nicaraguan border the same day after paying a fraction of the tips I did at the previous crossing. I think it was due to the little talk I had with my guide before we started the whole process.
I am so far behind on my blog. I will try to add something really soon about the 2 weeks I spent in Nicaragua before arriving in Costa Rica where I am at now.
