July 6, 2003
We have had a wonderful stay in El Salvador, plus a most fascinating land trip to Guatemala and Honduras. The weeks have certainly passed by quickly.
El Salvador is the smallest Central American country. Even though the 12-year civil war has now been over for 11 years, the country is still quite security-obsessed, and this obsession can readily be seen in the number of guns and security guards. When we first arrived, we definitely took notice. Now, it doesn�t even bother us. As a lot of people left the country during the war, the country�s top foreign exchange source is the money being sent home by those still living abroad. In 2001, El Salvador changed its official currency to the US dollar.
Barillas Marina, where we have been staying while in El Salvador, is a club geared toward the elite and wealthy El Salvadorans with its motto of privacy and security. Besides the usual amenities featuring a couple of pools, some showers, and a restaurant, Barillas also has landing strips for both planes and helicopters as some or its members use those forms of transportation. The President of El Salvador, Francisco Flores, is a member, and he and his family came to Barillas last Sunday for the day in their helicopter. Although he and his family were off on an outing most of the day at one of the remote private beaches in the Bay of Jiguilisco, he did take time to say hello to us upon his return. Naturally, with his presence, there were a few more Barillas security guards on hand, plus the president had his own along. We definitely felt safe!
As Barillas is about ten miles from the main road, Tuesday and Friday mornings the marina provides transportation in one of its minibuses into Usulutan for shopping. In Usulutan, it is always amazing to see many women carrying their loads on their heads, and we�ll usually see some men wearing cowboy hats carrying machetes in holsters. (Note: It�s illegal to carry a machete not in a holster.) The large central market is always bustling with activity, and the vendors can often be heard calling their prices out to prospective customers. |
