Day 47 – Monday, August 12, 2013 Julie’s Back

Today we left Conchalio near La Libertad and travelled about 75 km to Turicentro Amapalapa near San Vincente, El Salvador.

We toured the facilities which consist of restaurants, a wide variety of manmade pools that are filled with natural spring water and tiny fish, and other support buildings. The facility is showing its age and could definitely use some maintenance.

After the tour and getting setup I caught a ride into San Vincente town centre with our guide Norm and his assistant Merriam. Norm helped me negotiate a price with a taxi driver for a 45 minute drive to the San Salvador airport, wait for me, and return with both Julie and me. The total time was about 3 hours and the cost was $40 US.

We left Conchalio at 7:00 AM and this sow and piglets that had been grazing on the loose since we arrived, came to say goodbye.

I arrived at the San Salvador airport and waited for Julie in open air arrivals area along with many others. Well, they weren’t waiting for Julie, I don’t think, but you know what I mean. Julie notes “Flights were great. But boy were my arms tired! Sorry used that the other day and got a lot of groans at the church. You would think Brad and I, being tall and foreign would’ve spotted each other immediately but it took some searching as I ran the gauntlet of eager taxi drivers. It was a hot and sweaty reunion and not in the way you are thinking. The taxi driver helped us with some name place pronunciation. It made him giggle anyway which is maybe why the fare was low.”

After arriving back at Amapalapa, we made our way to the uppermost natural pool to get a fish massage. It is really a neat experience that I can’t really describe. The first little bites they take of your dead skin is like being tickled and feels really weird but you soon become accustomed to the sensation. Julie notes “haha oooteehee that tickles….”

One of the larger ones attacked us later on in our massage. Scary.

Our campsite in Amapalapa.

I loaned Victor my backpacking nylon tarp to help keep him a bit dryer in his “el cheapo” leaking tent. Hopefully he can stay dry during rainy season in Central America.

The shallow kids area was a little run down but it didn’t seem to stop families from having fun in all of the pools. Julie notes for her family “We thought…you was…a toad…”

I had marinated a steak all day and got out the grill. I made some roasted potatoes, tomato, red onion and cheese salad, grilled the steaks, and added it to Julie’s garlic bread. Before I could finish BBQ’ing the skies opened up and we had a torrential downpour. I finished the grilling with a headlamp and umbrella and we enjoyed a great meal with a nice glass of wine in the camper. This was all in an attempt to let Julie know she made the right choice in flying back to meet me. Julie notes “It worked but now there is a lot of pressure to maintain that level of pampering. Luckily for him there are leftovers for at least one more day!”

…carry on folks, the muleskinner and his sidekick