Santa Ana Volcano, El Salvador
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| Sulfur Lake in Santa Ana Volcano Crater |
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| Teatro de Santa Ana, El Salvador |
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| Volcano National Park, El Salvador |
Santa Ana was our second city we traveled to in El Salvador and it is also their second largest city. As we arrived to the city, it was clear that buses handle most transportation. The number of buses arriving and departing was staggering, and the exhaust pollution was just as bad. I was eager to get off the bus to clear my burning eyes. During our 2 days walking the streets we did not see one other international tourist. It’s important to note that we are also visiting during the low season.
Tall buildings are absent, which we found surprising for a big city. Santa Ana does have a welcoming town square, as most towns and cities do in Central America. Around the square sits a large Gothic Cathedral, the Teatro de Santa Ana and a historic municipal palace. We took a few photos around the plaza and in the church and then headed to the more vibrant market. The market was teaming with local vendors sectioned by products. My favorite was the sausage isle, where chorizo and longaniza hung from the vendor stations. Before dawn, we headed back to our hostel, but were sure to buy some pupusas on the street before arriving. El Salvador’s pupusas are the best in Central America. Be sure to enjoy the bean, cheese and pork filled tortillas.
(to be continued)
Hiking With Condortrekkers In Sucre Bolivia 2
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| Siesta at the Dinosaur Footprints |
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| Enjoying Dinner, Always Delicious Vegetarian Dinners |
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| Dinosaur Footprints |
We arrived just before dark and set up our tents under millions of stars and a full moon. Our group enjoyed a delicious vegetarian dinner as we got to know each other and rested from the strenuous hike.
The final day involved only a 3-hour hike to what seemed like the most remote bus stop in the world. It’s probably not even appropriate to call it a bus stop, con
sidering we are riding in camiones. We road in the camion with the locals for 3.5 hours back to Sucre. Along the way, we saw many farmers working their land and shepherds herding.
Hiking With Condortrekkers In Sucre Bolivia
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| Packing in the Camion, Our Local Transportation |
We joined a 3-day trek with Condortrekkers, a non-profit tour company based out of Sucre, Bolivia. Our tour included walking on an Inca Trail, visiting the crater town of Maragua and seeing ancient fossilized dinosaur footprints.
On day one we took a microbus from Sucre to a nearby small town where our group of 7 hopped into a “camion,” the only local transportation available to the town of Chataquila where we began our hike.
Our first leg of the hike involved walking down an ancient Inca Trail. This was a great workout for the calf muscles as each step required balancing on loose rocks of varying sizes while lugging the weight of our backpacks. We hiked a total of 7 hours on the first day which included some tough climbing in the dark.
The first half of our second day included visiting the “Devil’s Throat” waterfall and walking through the town of Maragua located in the crater of the same name. It was a total of 5 hours from our campsite to Ninu Mayu, where we explored the ancient dinosaur footprints.
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| Walking The Inca Trail in Bolivia |
Isla Roatan, Honduras 4
At dinner, our tablemates share events from the day. They tell us endearing
tales of touching, stroking and even kissing dolphins at Anthony’s Key and
sunning themselves on popular Tabyana beach. Others snorkeled in crystal waters
above some of the world’s most unspoiled coral, “Second only to Australia’s
great barrier reef,” my snorkelling hubby confides. Wendy and Al had explored
Roatan’s East End. “Still pretty rural and undeveloped,” they report. “Over at
Dixon Cove Harbor we boarded island-style boats and visited a shipwreck out on
the reef, then sampled jellies and jams made from island plum, hibiscus, and
other tropical flowers at a typical farm.” One couple visited iguanas at Sherman Arch’s Farm, where 2700 of these prehistoric creatures roam freely. Hearing this, we recall our cruise director’s quips at a briefing, “Iguana stew remains Roatan’s traditional delicacy, except now they’re protected, so if you go there, you can’t eat ’em—but at feeding time, you can handle ’em!” Grinning, we proceed to munch our succulent seafood dinners…
It’s no wonder Isla Roatan is emerging as the Caribbean’s newest holiday hotspot. In fact, the New York Times recently named Roatan one of the“53 Places to visit in 2008.” And although swanky resorts are rapidly developing along this island’s pristine stretches of white powder sand, on our daytrip we encountered a simpler, more natural Roatan. I suspect its flavor will change, way too soon.
Isla Roatan, Honduras 3
Over at the Monkey Sanctuary, white-faced monkeys impatiently reach for our shoulders like little children impatient to be cuddled. Light as feathers, bright little monkey-eyes look into our ears and up our noses, their slim fingers pick carefully through our hair. These furry little chaps stare curiously into our faces as if they recognize us…but we soon realize they’re looking for tasty handouts as their larger monkey buddies swing effortlessly through the rainforest.
Stopping next at West Bay beach, we frolic and splash like a bunch of kids as we paddle and wade, cooling off in the in shallow azure waters with scores of others. Many locals with their big, fun-loving families happily swim, ride inflated toys, and play frisbee along this beautiful crescent of sand bustling with activity.
Before returning to the sugar sand beach, my hubby snorkels off to commune with multi-colored tropical fish and coral; the rest of us relax on towels in the shade of coconut palms and banana trees, sipping frosty fruit drinks, and bargaining with local ladies for handcrafted wooden bead bracelets and necklaces.
Browsing for more local crafts in open-air shops back in Coxen Hole, shopkeepers call out, “Where you from?” and “How you like our island?” Carved toys, wooden bowls, masks and canes fill many tables; hand-thrown pottery and carved slate items abound.
(to be continued)
Isla Roatan, Honduras 2
We enter through a pirate cave where life-sized pirates stand at attention; chests of treasure, old weapons, pictographs and maps conjure up those days in the mid-17th century. In the coolness of Coxen’s Cave, we consider English buccaneer Henry Morgan, who established his base here. Then, pirate hordes of over 5,000 had sheltered their sloops and schooners around Roatan’s protected Bay islands.
Emerging into warmth and sunlight, we stroll in the natural world along pathways looping through profuse botanical gardens. In a shady grove, we chat with zip-liners alighting on a platform after ‘flying’ from tree-top-to-tree-top across the lush canopies above. One breathless gal points upward, “We started on top of that mountain and after 10 traverses, we’ll end up on that beach way down there—very cool!”
Brilliantly colored parrots and macaws enliven the air, squawking and shrieking raucously. Glancing upward, we spot flashes of scarlet, yellow and lime against cloudless blue skies as they flit, float and fly to gnarly perches below. Crossing a rope suspension bridge over a pretty lagoon filled with turtles, we descend along a leafy trail to where many fellow visitors pause for souvenir pictures with these friendly, feathered fellows sitting on shoulders, outstretched arms, and even heads. (to be continued)
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