I arrived in El Salvador, Concepción de Ataco to be precise, with a tourist shuttle. Since then, I am taking local buses. It’s a sight in itself. The driver will wait until the bus is full. And full is a very subjective point of view. There is always place for one more 😉. They stop multiple times, sometimes only after another 10 m because there stands another one (why not walk where the others are standing?). Thus, the trip is usually much longer 😅
However, it is very cheap. To give you an indication, I paid 0.80 USD for the trip from Santa Ana to Metapán, which took about 1.5 hours. Plus, you can get yourself settled with everything you need: food, drinks, charging cables and anything else…
When booking the first nights I didn’t realize that Ataco is already on the Ruta de las Flores. Small villages along a scenic route with lots of coffee farms to see the process and taste the result. I didn’t do that since I have seen coffee farms already. I took the bus to ride the route but it left me with the impression that Ataco is the most beautiful of the villages. Good choice.
It’s also the starting point for the tour to the national park El Imposible. I leave it up to you if the following story is one related to the power of thoughts and manifestation, self-fulfilling prophecy, intuition or simply bad luck 😅 (Let me know in the comments what you think!)
So, here it goes. Another guy wanted to do the same tour, paid 200 USD (I paid only 50 but gained experience), but didn’t want anybody else with him. The guys told me we will start 30 minutes earlier and I can ride with them on the motorcycle. I proposed that I can ride myself and at 7:30 am we left.
They rode really slow and I was able to keep up with them. However, the ride took longer than anticipated. We met the guide in a small village (200 people live in the area) and off we went.
After about 30 minutes and explaining me plenty of different plants (which I remember zero of) we stopped at the first “waterfall” that we were supposed to jump in. I guess you could say that the tour was a kind of canyoning. Anyway, excitedly I took off my hiking pants and heard something skiddering down the rock. And “NO!” was all that came out my mouth. It was my cell phone! That little peace of shit…ups…electronic took a water slide and it was the last time I saw it. We tried to recover it from the base of the tiny waterfall but we didn’t manage to even locate it.
Just 2 weeks ago I thought that it would be the worst thing that could happen to me if I would lose my cell phone while traveling (or got stolen). My whole life is in there and I rely heavily on it to navigate myself through a country. FUCK! After a bit of cursing I gave up and we continued on our way. The hike itself was beautiful and I tried to enjoy it as much as possible. I am proud that I didn’t let that experience ruin the whole day.
So, what next? Went to town and got another one and started re-installing all the stuff. What I feared most was not being able to access my banking accounts. But somehow the old one made backups and I could recover nearly everything. Sure, photos (plus some data) and the convenience of the “old” phone are lost but, it wasn’t so bad as I thought/feared. And now I can walk with more confidence that even if that is happening I will manage 💪
Elections were held in El Salvador last Sunday, to determine a continuation of the current president (although officially only 1 term is allowed) or if a new one will step up. With over 85% Nayib Bukele was elected again. While I read in some western articles controversy about the hard policy and one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, the people are really happy about the security his actions have gained them. They are able to breath again and not having to fear the gang violance that was holding the country down for so long. I feel very safe here and although I guess incarceration isn’t the solution, safety is a basis need for everyone. I feel this country will take off tourism-wise.
As a side-effect, I was able to ride the busses to Santa Ana for free as that was part of the election day 😏
I stopped in Chalchuapa to marvel at the Mayan temple Tazumal:
I met 4 Ecuadorians, who first told me that they were tourists but later confirmed that in reality they are on their way to the US. Don’t know why these things only appear in my mind afterwards. But I could have given them some road money…
Santa Ana is a good base for the vulcano with the same name and Lago de Coatepeque. I have no idea what the guy was smoking when writing this city has one of the nicest historic centers in Central America. It wasn’t as bad as my first impression told me (“shithole”) but I never warmed up to it.
After half a day, I decided to go to the lake. It’s a nice enough excursion for a day. Had some food there and jumped into the refreshing water.
My way back is an example how nice Salvadoreños are. I walked to the first bus stop, where on the way there I was dropped off. But this bus left already for the last ride today. A lady was nice enough to hail down a Uber driver and with him I went to El Congo, where I could catch another bus back to Santa Ana. Even that his information was outdated, I made it, because another local guy told me, which bus to take. And he insisted on telling me exactly where I need to exit the bus. It was already dark and I told myself not to ride busses during the night. But, I arrived safe and sound at home.
It doesn’t stop there. Often, I’m greeted on the street or even stopped for a smalltalk.
The next day I got up early to catch the bus to Cerro Verdo or Parque nacional Los Volcanos. I wanted to climb vulcano Santa Ana. It wasn’t an enjoyable adventure. We kind of run up there and in company of many people (even on a weekday). The color of the crater lake is quite impressive. I just don’t get the part why people just can’t shut the fuck up in the face of nature and enjoy it’s silence 🤦
In general, I am doing this trip differently than my usual habit. I am staying more nights in one place and explore what’s around. Or I just relax and take it easy. It’s good, but I could slow down even more. I always have the feeling that I should do more
It seems the majority of my adult life, I am running after this thing called purpose. Call it soul purpose, life purpose or what not. In the current phase of my life, I come to believe that it isn’t an external thing but rather something internal. Less doing, more being.
Maybe this phrase “Be like the children” means that we haven’t to follow a certain goal and just enjoy the moment and be fully present in it. And than follow the next thing that brings us joy, and the next thing. I mean, how bad could it be?
What I want to experience is:
– Joy
– Freedom
– Peace
– Love
– Health
That’s also what I want for the people I love, don’t love and anybody in between.
Do the things that bring you joy (prerequisite: that don’t hurt anybody else) and you are living your purpose. It’s that simple!
We define success as how much money/wealth somebody has (or makes) or maybe how much somebody can accomplish. While I would love to have more money, I define success based on the points above. And I count myself blessed. Do I want more? Sure! But I also see the good I have already 🙏 I am grateful that I have the freedom to do whatever I want, go wherever I want (travelling is an expression of the freedom I have). Have the health I have, live in peace, outside and inside (well, not always 😂). And experiencing joy as much as I do. Yes, there are hard moments that I don’t feel happy. We all do.
One last word, that fear of money and postponing stuff till retirement…it’s an illusion.
I am writing these lines on my last day in Metapán. Now, this is an undervalued destination and I am happy for it. I haven’t seen any foreigner at the plaza. No Germans! Yippee 💃
Yesterday I rented a motorcycle and drove a bit around. The first road was a bit adventurous and I didn’t ride it till the end. In the afternoon I went to Lago de Güija and just watched the sun disappearing behind the mountain range.
Today, I went hiking. Alas, these are the most expensive 8 km I hiked in my life 😅 70 USD for the 4×4 transportation, another 10 USD for the guide and entrance and finally 25 USD for staying a night longer. Anyway, it was a nice hike and I enjoyed the fresh air and different kind of forest. It’s quite dry here in the summer but up there it’s often misty. Not today though, and with a great view from the top. Oh, I forgot to mention. I am talking about the trifinio hike in the parque nacional Montecristo that ends where 3 countries meet (El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras).
I have more to say but since this post is already quite long I will say it another time. Keep hanging 😉
Love,
Matthias