Hola.
Im in a lovely little surfer spot on the pacific coast of El Salvador called El Tunco. With black volcanic sand, I think the softest, smoothest, finest sand that I have ever felt underneath my toes, lovely.
It wasn't all plain sailing to get here though as I first headed to a place funnily enough called Costa Del Sol! thinking it sounded less touristy and exclusive. There I am sat on another crazy bus, edging up this quiet road, passing signs for all the places near to where iI was meant to be headed, but it didnt look very inviting, then I saw a sign for my destination, and still everything was so quiet and run down, and what seemed like they might be hotels, looked closed and uninviting, so I stayed, glued to my seat, in the hope of coming across some other place that looked wonderful... The driver and the conductor just kept looking at me as if to say, you have to get off sometime, but what I have figured out is that Im good at getting on buses, but once there, never have the courage to get off agian, and just stay on in the hope of being taken to somewhere lovely, that or being forced to get off coz we've reached the end of the line! This is what happened and I had to explain that I was lost, well kind of and didnt get off where I should have done, anyway the driver and conductor were so kind, and looked inmy guide book at the hotel I was trying to find and explained that they would turn th ebus round and take me right to the door, thank goodness for human kindness!!
Well I reached my hotel, it was a bit like something from Canvey Island, (Age you will know whjat I mean by this, following our random day spent there last bank holiday!) there was a murkey pool, with 2 slides, one at either end plonked right next to a litle row of basic rooms. The owner, Marco was kind and friendly and showed me to my room, it was ok, but did have ants, and one lot of them were carrying a small pice of food up the wall into a small crevice in the celing - well come I thought to myself, it was fine apart from this. But I was a bit tired and v hungry, and a bit disapointed at my destination after all these hours and hopes of trying to find the beautiful promised Cost del Sol!
So the hotel did have 2 other tourists, and they were checking in at the same time, 2 up beat chirpy Americans. I set off to find the beqach, hoping that hidden behind this quiet strip of village was a beautiful untouched exclusive beach, well it was exclusive to pigs, chickens and wild skanky dogs!! and that was once I had walked through what looked to be a shanty town, (I feel bad saying that) and wives gutting the produce that the local fishermen had caught that day, v smelly, I didnt like it and didnt want to stay. I quickly headed back to my room, where I bumped into Tori and Stu who asked all smiles how the beach was, I just couldn't muster enough enthusiasm to smile, (and this isnt like me) I think my face looked like I had swallowed something v sour and I mumbled its OK, and hurried into my room, sat on my bed and had a 3 second cry, then said to myself stop being so silly, its safe here, you have an ok room, just go find some cookies (this is all I ever seem to be able to find in the middle of the day when the only restaurant around is closed untill dinner time and this is the best thing on offer in the only shop around) so I eat a lot of cookies!! and then laid in the hammock and read my guide book.
The day got better, you'll be happy to know. I poped my bikini on and gave the beach another chance, this time walked a bit further, wwaded in the sea, took a long walk up the beach and enjoyed looking at the locals, folding up their fishing nets after a days work, kids playing in the surf and realised it wasnt soo terrible after all.
Later I ventured into the murky pool, only after Tori and Stu had had a dip seemed to survive, it was actually quite refreshing.Then later ventured out onto the street to the local Pupuseria and watched this lady and her daughter make about a million of these tasty treats and sell them to locals their as take away diner and took a seat to eat a couple myself, this made me happy, they were so tasty and id obviously found a good spot as this place, this tiny road side stall with a few plastic chairsand tables was bustling now with hungry customers, yey! I was finally content.
So the next morning after my pancakes that Marco made for me I headed off on yet another crazy disco bus, they make me smile these crazy buses! to my next destination, El Tunco.
Im staying in lovely little hotel, about 5 rooms, I have my own bathroom and there is a kitchen and a little sofa area over looking an estuary that leads to the sea about 100m away, and the owner is such a sweet young lady. It is my 4th day here, and I am settled. I go to the same lovely little restaurant called Erikas for yumi pancakes at breakfast time and then for great fresh cheap sea food in the evenings after a day at the beach, laying on the black soft sand and negotiating my way into the choppy sea water over lots pebbles and trying not to let the strong rip tide topple me over. I like to feel settled for a few days at a time rather than getting on and off buses each day and seeing other sights non stop. There is lots more of El Salvador that Id like to see, but for now, at this moment, the sun is shining and Im gonna head back to the beach and thank goodness that I found this place and also that it is mid october and im able to venture out into the hot hot hot sun and top up my tan! may even grab an ice cream sunday on the way
Hasta luego xxxxx
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