Day 49 – Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Today we travelled along highway CA-1 from San Vicente to San Miguel in El Salvador. It was a short trip of less than 100 kilometres. Our destination was a mall parking lot – again. It is locked and patrolled at night but during the day it is a first class mall with many name brand high end shops. Most of the restaurants are fast food type places but we had a great brunch of homemade food in Lesly’s. There is another volcano visible from the parking lot and the scenery today was tropical and mountainous with thermal steam rising occasionally from underground sources. Julie notes, “Oh there was steam rising alright, when the 5^th wheel in our group became wedged in the mall parking entrance. Quick thinking, many swear words, some of his tools and some local help resolved the situation but the already caliente situation became even more caliente-er.”

Early morning San Vincente street scene.

San Vincente bridge.

El Salvador campo (countryside). Julie notes “Bonito!'”

Julie was able to find a salon and get her hair cut. After some charades they were able to figure out what she wanted. Julie notes “These lovely ladies were ever so helpful. And my cut cost $6, less than Brad paid the other day I think. So now good luck telling us apart because I think we got the same haircut. Short and sassy.”

Our mall campsite for restocking with a view of the volcano in the background. We were able to buy an unlocked smart phone here and will now be able to purchase SIM cards as we travel. Julie notes “Watch out folks, I have weeks’ worth of texts I have been holding in wanting to send. I may blow up your phones. I think that is the cool hip word for that.”

We travel straight through Honduras tomorrow and then into Nicaragua. The border crossing into Honduras has a bad reputation for long waits and corruption. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow. We took in an English speaking movie with Spanish subtitles, The Hangover, Part III, and then went to Pizza Hut for something to eat. It was one of the few places open after 9:00 PM. Julie notes “I can now add the ‘F’ bomb and several other similar type words to my slowly growing Spanish vocabulary. This movie gives you ample chances to read those translations in the subtitles if you happen to be studying ‘how to say naughty words in other languages’ but overall it was actually not bad for a 3^rd-quel.”

…over and out for today, the muleskinner and his sidekick

Julie notes “2^nd song out of the iTunes bank on this first morning back in the sidekick saddle was “I’ll Fly Away”, a favourite of Mom and Dad’s. It was in the list of songs that I had playing in the church this past weekend and we would all sing along with it. So a few tears fell this morning. When we reached our mall parking lot ‘campground’ Jann Arden’s “Good Mother”, also one of Mom’s church songs, started playing. There would’ve been more tears but our attention was then focused on the drama unfolding behind us in the wedged mall entryway. But I sure felt you today Mom and Dad – to quote Jann ‘I have a good mother, her voice is what keeps me here, feet on ground, heart in hand, facing forward, be yourself … I have a good father, his strength is what makes me cry, feet on ground, heart in hand, facing forward, be yourself. Just be yourself …'”