Layout:
Home > A Land of Contrasts

A Land of Contrasts

January 5th, 2009 at 01:50 am

In December we traveled to El Salvador to celebrate my aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary. The best part of the trip was getting to know some family members I do not see very frequently, and of course, spending time with my "tios" (aunt, uncle). It had been two years since my last visit to El Salvador, the smallest yet most densely populated country in Central America. It is also the country of my birth.

I sometimes wonder how differently my life might have been had it not been for the devastating earthquake in 1951 that prompted my family to immigrate to the US where my sister and I grew up. Although we later became naturalized citizens, I continue to feel a bond to this unique and beautiful country, the source of many memories. As a child, we traveled to El Salvador every year or so. The visits became less frequent when I married, and then, the civil war began in 1980 making it more difficult to travel.

El Salvador is a country that continues to develop after the 12-year civil war that ended in 1992. In many ways, I see the influence of the USA. One of the most notable is the adoption of the American dollar as the national currency. It makes it easy for Americans to travel... no worry about currency exchange here.

The geography of El Salvador amazing: it is a land of beautiful volcanoes, lush rain forests, and compelling landscapes. You can travel from the mountains to the sea in a matter of hours.


One of my cousins has a house at the beach and it can be reached in less than an hour from their home in the city of San Salvador. The water is warm and the beach clean. A comfortable ocean-front home can be had for under $200,000, something unheard of in the USA. When I say ocean-front, I mean open the back gate and step onto the beach ocean-front.


We feasted on freshly caught oysters, shrimp, and fish. The house at the beach was one of my favorite places.


El Salvador's beaches are great for surfing, a popular sport. This is the view from the back deck of the house.


Tourism is a growing industry. El Salvador sometimes gets bad press regarding crime and danger to travelers, but we felt completely safe at all times. Of course, we were always escorted by a family member or a "motorista," familiar with the city and the traffic patterns. Rush hour in San Salvador can be just as ugly as it is in Silicon Valley or LA.

A favorite place we visited was La Palma, is a city known for its unique artistic style that features vivid colors and motifs from rural life. The buildings and even the light posts show off the unique art style.


That is my 80-year-old aunt in the green top... she is an amazing lady who has boundless energy. My dh is on the left. You can see wall paintings in the "La Palma" style on the right.


From my aunt's home, we can look down to the American Embassy, the largest in the Americas, situated in an area called Antiguo Cuscatlan. It is rumored that the building is built like a fortress, ready to house Americans in case of an emergency. There are many Americans living in El Salvador, and I think the number will increase because the American dollar goes much farther in El Salvador, making it attractive for retirees.

Some contrasts and comparisons with middle-class life in the USA:
-Many housing complexes, large and small, have 24 hour guards who monitor the premises and screen visitors;

-Homes are often built like "mini-fortresses" in that they have bars on the windows, heavy doors protecting the parking area through which you can usually access the front door. High concrete walls topped with concertina wire impede access through garden areas and back patios;

-Most homes that would be considered at least middle-class have an area called a "servicio" which is used by household help (e.g., nannies, maids);

-Homes are usually built without heaters... there is no need due to the mild climate;

-All banks and many businesses employ armed guards;

-Some food is more expensive or about the same as in the USA (canned goods, imported items) but some, such as fresh fruit, is far cheaper;

-Gas is currently ~ $2.25 a gallon, higher than it is where we live in CA;

-The cost of meals at many restaurants we visited (Caliche's, La Pampa, Hunan, Tony Roma's, Black Angus, etc.) is about the same as in the USA but beer and mixed drinks are much cheaper;

-American fast food is very popular (Pizza Hut, Burger King, McDonald's, etc.), especially with the younger crowd;

-Go to a shopping mall such as Galerias or La Gran Via and you will think you are in the USA... no difference, right down to the Christmas carols in English, Santa, and large trees with all the trimmings;

-In El Salvador, Costco is called PriceSmart and is a considered a good place to get bargains... membership required, just like in the US;

-Internet access is becoming more commonplace... we even had high-speed wireless where we stayed;

-Household help is very affordable by US measures: you can hire a full-time, live-in maid, motorista (chauffer), nanny, or cook for minimum wage that is about $175 a month. (One sobering thought: how does one live on $175 a month, especially when food can be as expensive as it is in the USA?)

And finally, one of my favorite things about El Salvador is the

Text is cuisine and Link is http://www.whats4eats.com/central-america/el-salvador-cuisine
cuisine. If you ever get a chance to eat in a Salvadoran restaurant, be sure to try the pupusas which are small stuffed corn tortillas. I also love the red beans with cream (frijoles con crema), fried plantains (platanos fritos), and the variety of fresh cheeses available. Now, I've made myself hungry.

That's me at the Club Tecleno, on the day of the anniversary party.

9 Responses to “A Land of Contrasts”

  1. creditcardfree Says:
    1231120800

    Thanks for sharing. Makes me interested in visiting El Salvador.

  2. miclason Says:
    1231121677

    You should have told me you were coming here!!! Your aunt must live about 10 blocks from my house!! (I live 5 blocks away from the American Embassy!)

  3. Analise Says:
    1231123060

    miclason - I would have loved to meet you! Maybe next time we can coordinate it. Lucky you to live there... wish I could have stayed longer.

  4. scfr Says:
    1231125806

    That is so interesting ... I love learning about how people live in different parts of the world ... Thank you for sharing.

  5. Koppur Says:
    1231128828

    Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing!

  6. Mr. GoTo Says:
    1231132707

    Thanks for this great written and visual description of your birth country. To be honest, I learned more about El Salvador from your post than from years of reading and watching CNN! Please write more when you get a chance. A beach house for $200K? Wow.

  7. Ms. Pearl Says:
    1231162136

    Very interesting. I had a dream last night I was in the Dominican Republic (I have never been there) Thanks for sharing!

  8. Ima saver Says:
    1231170761

    Beautiful pictures and very interesting!

  9. LuxLiving Says:
    1231171361

    Lovely post - I stuck my big toe under a fence into El Salvador once!! Why? Because they told me NOT to!! It was during the war and we were told it was heavily guarded across the border and if we so much as stuck our big toe over...KABOOM.

    I did it. No Kapluyie!!

    What a daredevil am I??? hahhaaa. If I was really brave I would've stuck my arm over but no, I'm a big sissy! My mother was horrified that I did the toe deal!


    You've made me want to return to Central America! ...and to visit La Palma, El Salvador - I love all those bright colors!

Leave a Reply

(Note: If you were logged in, we could automatically fill in these fields for you.)
*
Will not be published.
   

* Please spell out the number 4.  [ Why? ]

vB Code: You can use these tags: [b] [i] [u] [url] [email]