Day 5: Ruins and Garrobo

Today we had a bit more of a relaxed day. It started very early in the morning for me so I could attend Eli´s Rotary meeting.

On the way down the mountain every morning Eli picks up the two employees of her coffee shop (and not at their houses, on the side of the road). This morning there was tons of traffic. One of her workers said that the reason for the traffic was because people were picketing in the streets because they did not have access to water. Many people across El Salvador and Central America do not have any close access to water (even wells). From what I gathered, these pickets were caused because a pipe had broke, cutting off access to water and it was not going to be fixed (or fixed in a timely manner). I have to stress there is little importance on promptness. We have heard that a 5km stretch of highway once took 5 years to build. Even though we are all staying in very nice areas, we are constantly aware of the shanty villages we drive by and the widespread poverty in these areas.

Eli and I arrived a little late, just at the end of the Salvadorian anthem. I encourage you to listen to the last 30 seconds, it´s the most fun part of the anthem. Paul joined me at the meeting and we gave a quick presentation over ourselves and our Rotary and Rotaract clubs of Springfield.

The meeting was held at a country club that houses one of the few golf clubs in the country. It was very beautiful.

Eli and me... it was a bit windy

Eli´s Rotary club

Following the meeting, we were met by Parker and then picked up by a couple who we had not met before. Salvador (like the country, and the city) and his wife Mercedes. On our way, we picked up Jimmy and Christi at Christi´s house. (Sidenote: I feel like I have spent 50% of my time in San Salvador in a car.)

The first ruin we went to was San Andres Archaeological Site.

El Salvador volcano

Next it was lunch time and we stopped at El Jabali for some grub, quite literally. Their specialty was garrobo, which is lizard. Jimmy, always up for anything, decided he would try the garrobo.

 

We had a relaxed lunch and had a couple of local Salvadorian beers, Pilsener and Suprema.

 

 

I was less adventurous and went with the tacos pastor.

The second ruin was the Parque Argueologico Joya de Ceren.

Replica of a sweat lodge

See that tiny door behind Christi? That is what we were climbing in and out of.

Tonight we are each staying with our hosts for a family dinner. Eli and Jorge´s son and daughter-in-law are coming over as well as another member of her club and his daughter, who is also a Rotaractor. Everyone was supposed to arrive a moment ago, so I ran downstairs to be ready. Jorge told me to relax and go back upstairs. He said, ´We are in El Salvador. It is impossible to be on time. We have another 30 minutes to an hour.´ And that perfectly explains all of our days.