El Salvador, August 6-17, 2024
Posted: November 4th, 2024 | Filed under: Out Of TownAugust 6, 2024
Got in to San Salvador and took in the view from where we stayed:
Off to get lunch — and saw this guy:
Metrocentro San Salvador is one of the largest malls in Central America:
August 7, 2024
Sightseeing around San Salvador’s Centro Histórico but first lunch at Pollo Bonanza:
Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador:
The sainted Catholic priest Óscar Romero, who was assassinated in 1980 and is revered in El Salvador for speaking out against the military government of the late 1970s/early 1980s, is buried at Catedral Metropolitana. You see tributes to him all over El Salvador.
Iglesia El Rosario, San Salvador:
Nayib Bukele’s image appears many places across El Salvador, including on all manner of souvenirs in stores and markets:
Mercado Hula Hula has convenient, secure parking for visiting the Centro Histórico area as well as a very nice view from its rooftop food court:
A soccer match between Luis Angel Firpo vs. Alajuelense, part of the CONCACAF Central American Cup, at Estadio Nacional Jorge "El Mágico" González:
August 8, 2024
Parque Nacional El Boquerón on the way out of town as we made our way toward Concepción de Ataco:
CA-8 on the road to Concepción de Ataco, passing by Santa Ana Volcano:
Tayua Bosque for lunch:
Staying at Casa Pino in Concepción de Ataco:
Got caught in the rain, so decided to get some pupusas to take back with us from Pupusería Ale:
August 9, 2024
Volcán de Santa Ana/Santa Ana Volcano:
Mirador Turístico Anteojo de Coatepeque:
Driving back through Sonsonate:
A late lunch at El Jardín De Celeste, on the Ruta de Flores just outside Concepción de Ataco:
More walking around Concepción de Ataco:
August 10, 2024
Termales de Santa Teresa/Santa Teresa Hot Springs in Ahuachapán on the way out of town:
Rain on the road east of San Pablo Tacachico on our way to Suchitoto:
Dinner at Casa 1800 Suchitoto:
August 11, 2024
The view of Lake Suchitlán/Cerrón Grande Reservoir from Hotel La Posada de Suchitlán:
From Suchitoto we took a side trip to Copán Ruinas in Honduras via Guatemala. This was up toward the El Salvador-Guatemala border:
Quick stop at La Cabaña in Quezaltepeque, Guatemala:
Amazing michelada technology:
In Copán Ruinas we stayed at La Casa de Café:
A early dinner at Llama del Bosque:
Parroquia San José Obrero, Copán Ruinas, Honduras:
August 12, 2024
The Mayan archaeological site Copán is the main attraction here, but first a visit to the fascinating Macaw Mountain, which began on the Honduran island of Roatan as a sanctuary to care for unwanted parrots and evolved into raising native scarlet macaws that are eventually reintroduced into the environment (we encountered many several hours later when we visited the Copán archaeological site):
The Copán Museum has many artifacts and a reconstruction of the Rosalila Temple, which is buried under one of the complex’s structures (by design):
A late lunch at Los Asados back in Copán Ruinas:
We capped the day off with a relaxing couple of hours at Luna Jaguar Spa Hot Springs, north of Copán Ruinas on one of the bumpiest rides we’ve ever experienced:
Buena Baleada serves up a great rendition of the traditional Honduran folded tortilla dish:
August 13, 2024
Back to Suchitoto, El Salvador with Bukele souvenirs for sale near the Guatemala border:
A more thorough tour of Suchitoto including Parque Central . . .:
. . . the Parroquia de Santa Lucía:
And back to Hotel Jardín de las Marías where we stayed:
For part of the trip we worked with Roberto from the excellent Gringo Tours (as for the company’s name, Roberto grew up in the Bay Area with a Salvadoran mother and ended up spending much of his adult life in El Salvador) who assisted with some travel arrangements and took us over to Copán. We got to spend several days with him and learn a lot about El Salvador, both its history and what’s happening currently. He is an excellent resource and is highly recommended if you are considering traveling to El Salvador (especially if you want to add a side trip into Honduras). Roberto’s wife Tita runs the Gringo Tours Pupusa Class, which was one of the highlights of the trip:
August 14, 2024
Early morning run around Suchitoto, through Parque San Martín . . .:
. . . the wonderful Mirador Flor de la Barranca part of the way down the hill on 6a Avenida Norte:
After breakfast we checked out and made our way down to Joya de Cerén from Suchitoto:
Joya de Cerén is the “Mayan Pompeii,” a site locked in time by a volcano blast:
Finally back to San Salvador, with a different view from where we stayed:
The roof was where we felt a 4.8 earthquake!
Early dinner at Cadejo Brewing Company in the Zona Rosa:
President Nayib Bukele has made Bitcoin official currency in El Salvador (alongside the U.S. Dollar — when you go you see where all the $1 coins end up!), in part to facilitate remittances from Salvadorans abroad, but stores also encourage its use:
Eventually we got the hang of parking in the position of the salida:
August 15, 2024
Museo Nacional de Antropología (MUNA):
Centro Comercial Galerias which is built around an old mansion:
Juggling dangerous items in the middle of the intersection:
Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen bears witness to the tumultuous Salvadoran Civil War era (1979-1992):
Dinner at Beto’s Escalón:
August 16, 2024
An early morning run to Parque Maquilishuat:
We wanted to go up to Puerta del Diablo to take in the view but during the rainy season it seems you just end up in the clouds:
A mural on the drive back down:
The Jardín Botánico La Laguna was another highlight of San Salvador, with its plants, birds, iguanas and cotuzas:
Dinner at Olor de Mar Capital:
August 17, 2024
We kept seeing signs for Duper Donuts so on our last day we had to try them:
Last stop, Multiplaza El Salvador for lunch at Pavito Criollo — turkey sandwiches:
Back on the Autopista Comalapa to El Salvador International Airport:
There is a Pollo Campero at the airport but NB: it’s not *in* the airport, so you have to check chicken at security. Otherwise you’re left with the Diana snack outlet:
