Cuba, a dream come true. Aug 10 to Sep 04

10Aug

Finally I have arrived in Cuba. I have wanted to come here for so long. Bizarrely, I landed before Sue did, so I was able to greet her when she landed rather than the other way around as we had expected.

It was funny as loads of Cubans and tour operators were greeting the new people and there was I shouting Sues name like I was a native. ha ha We had a laugh about it.

We got a taxi to our Casa Particular. However, we had to wait a few hours before we got to enter our room. If we had known, we could have gone earlier for food. Then we found out that the casa didnt serve food on Sundays. We were directed to a cafe a little way away. However, it was just sandwiches or sandwiches. Not a good start. I had already had a few days where I had eaten pasta or bread, so eating more was going to play havoc with my body. But I was starving. The gent behind the counter was very friendly and chatted to us. Of course, he offered his services as a guide. This was indicative of things to come. Later, 2 gentlemen invited us over to their table to join them for a drink. One spoke English, Jesus and seemed quite taken with Sue. It was difficlut to extricate ourselves from their company and offers of taking us out. However, we said we would ring Jesus, (oh my god that looks so bizarre written down) if we found the time to do so. We scuttled off giggling. Sue is such a man puller.

It was so good to sleep, having been deprived of so much of it over the last few days. Oh the sheer bliss.

11Aug

We had a lovely breakfast served to us in the littlecourtyard outside our room. Fruit, bread, juice and eggs. I declined the bread. It was a lovely start to the day and the couple who run the casa are just the most adorable, genteel, helpful peoole.

We walked around the Plaza de La Revolution. The massive statue of Jose Marti, a beautiful white marble of the poet and icon of pre 20century independance, in thought, dominating the plaza. Across the way, the famous mural of Earnesto "Che" Guevara and his immortal phrase "Hasta La Victoria Siempre". We were really here.

After a visit to the museum and fotos of the views etc. we walked on to the Famous Havana Cemetery. We walked along the wide street to the Cemetario where many martyrs of the struggles before and during the revolution are buried.

It was a pleasant street and the sun was streaming down. I was walking ahead, as I do. I head a murmur behind me and when I looked behind, what I thought I saw was Sue showing her shoulder bag to a young guy and another one was to the left of her. I couldn’t figure out why she was doing that. Then in a sudden rush of realisation, it hit me that sue was trying to hold on to her bag, as this thief was trying to rip it off her. I ran up but it was too late. The shoulder strap just gave as I touched her and the 2 guys rang off to the cemetery. I held Sue back, who had wanted to chase them but my first impulse was to protect her. The thought struck me forcefully that they could punch her in the face or her chest or stomach.

I was shaking and Sue was angry. I was sorry I held her back but some instinct took over before I could stop it. She had a few moments longer to grasp the situation before I realised what happened. I felt absolutely lousy for her. I realised my sugar levels were low and my body was up the creek because of the lack of calories this morning and the bad diet over the last few days was playing even more havoc. If I had been fully aware, I might have been able to help her sooner. But it took so long for my brain to process what was happening. I just felt like crap. She had just lost her bag, her camera, over a hundred pounds, her glasses and a few other things.

She was lucky shedidn´t have her passport etc. But she was suitably shocked and annoyed and shook up. Anything I could say would have be inadequate. It was unbelievable. Havana is one of the safest cities and renowned as such. It was 2.30 in the day, we were on a lovely street, that would normally be busy but just not then. We got ourselves together and continued to walk to the cemetery. We saw some policemen and I tried in my crap Spanish to tell them what had happened after I searched the dictionary for the word Robbed. They seemed totally disinterested in going into the cemetery or following it up. But they did tell us where to go to report it.

We went to the only café we had seen and yet again I had to have a sandwich but I knew I had to eat. This whole wheat problem and trying to find food that was not wheat based was getting to be incredibly tiresome. But we had time to calm down recover from the experience.

We went into the cemetery and I tried to explain to the guard what had happened. I left Sue near the guards and my bag and wandered up to the section of the fence they jumped over, in the vain hope that they had dropped the bag somewhere, so could rescue at least something from the situation. I walked around where I thought it would be. But nothing!
I came back and one of the guards walked with us and then organised that one of the cemetery attendants escort us around. This proved to be a blessing, as it distracted us a little and made us feel a lot safer. He also showed us the graves we were interested in and told us a little about them. He was a lovely chap and told us about his daughter who was going to be a doctor and his son who was going to be a musician, as he felt there was more money in that than medicine. We had to agree sad though it was.

We decided it was best to go to the police station. They kept us waiting for about 30 or so minutes, then we were brought into the office of someone who seemed to be high up. We explained again and he asked us for a complete description of the thieves. It was amazing how our memories had already deteriorated. We did the best we could but there were gaps. Sue tried to remember as much as she could what was in her bag for the police report, so she could claim it back on her insurance.
The bizarrest thing then happened. They put us into a police car and took us to the scene of the crime. There were 3 of them. They took photos of where it happened and then over by the cemetery wall where the absconders had jumped the fence into the cemetery. The purpose of all this was beyond me. We did see the man on the balcony that we were sure saw the whole thing that happened beneath him but the police didn’t bother to question him. They went about their business with the camera work etc. very thoroughly and professionally but it all seemed to be some show for our benefit and totally inappropriate. They barely asked us anything.
Sue and I at least were enjoying the hilarity and adventure of it all and it made the horrid theft a bit less awful.
They then took us home. Whey hey. it is not every day you get driven to your abode in a police car.

Returning to the casa Particular, we regaled the story. They were shocked and very sympathetic and served us a beautiful dinner. I at last was able to eat something that was good for me. The relief was immense. But I still felt lousy for Sue, especially as she remembered more things that had been in her bag.
I had to be more careful in future and get some snacks to keep my sugar levels up especially in case something like this happens again.. I have never been somewhere where it was impossible to get simple snacks. There just weren’t any shops or not with anything worth buying. It was the most bizarre situation.

12Aug
We went looking for china town but were sadly dissapointed with the selection of chinese restaurants. However, we did find a steam engine graveyard which was pretty cool.

We walked around the main plaza with its replica of the US white house a sort of ironic monument to see in Cuba, but there it was. Splendid but so out of context. It was surrounded by other plazas, all with amazing colonial architecture, most of which had been renovated.

The streets were wide and not clogged with traffic as many other grand cities. The array of amazing cadillacs and other classic cars in all conditions, kept my camera snapping. They were just so beautiful and soooo plentiful.

We wandered over to one of the most famous cigar factories in the world. But as luck would have it it was closed for the summer holidays. I mean what are the chances of that. But we wandered into the shop anyway and snapped away. It really was old world.

Getting food was hard. We were unused to the city and were in the wrong place again. So we ended up going to this rather posh hotel, as we thougth it would give us a better variety. Well it sort of did. But even the posh hotels have a very limited menu. Although, we had a nice salad and fresh juice.

The city is amazing. So many buildings, have been renovated but still there are just as many about to crumble from neglect, and as many again that are in the process of renovation. It is easy to see where the money from tourism has gone. I just love being here. However, our happiness is marred by the remaining sense of alertness for another mugging. It is a shame. Still we were enjoying ourselves.

We were on the trail of Ernest hemmingways old haunts, The Mundo hotel, still with his room, as he left it, the last time he stayed. It is now a museum. We didn´t go to the room but did have a cocktail on the roof terrace, as you do. Refreshed, we kept up our wanderings, just mesmerised. Sue said that she found sooo many changes since she was last here, about 7 years ago.. Then the streets were full with locals living street life or parading for fotos in historical costumes. Now there are only a few token people left for the foto opportuinites. The main streets have been cleaned up. hmmm.

Well one the many things Havana is known for, is the fact that Ernest Hemingway played hard there, among many of the rich elite of the 50s and 60s. He went one step further though, and scribbled on the wall, in his favourite bar. "The floridita for my daiquiris and the bodega for my mojitos" This forever put these bars firmly on the path to posterity and mass tourism. So of course we had to go.

Sue and I put our glad rags on and headed there for our pre dinner "Floirita" daiquiris. And yea we took the requisite fotos of the bronze of old ernie standing in his favourite spot at the bar. It is quite lifelike. Fotos of Hemingway line the walls, while the line of mass produced daiquiris line the bar, ready for the hoards of tourists willing to overspend their hard earned CUKs. I won´t say the daiquiri was the best I have had but...

Things have changed a lot since hemingway´s day, thats for sure. But hey it was fun. Today we wandered again into the heart of city. Sue saw these police officers lining up for inspection etc. and decided to join the force. It was priceless. They were so cool and played along with it. They thought it was hillarious and dont you just love Cubans. Although note the er em footless tights. Wouldn´t get that style at home...

TRINIDAD
13Aug. we went to the bus station, The casa owner came with us to protect us while we got money from a local exchange. God bless him you could blow him over with a feather but it was so sweet of him. We got on the bus and arrived in Trinidad to be welcomed by our new Casa. She seemed really lovely. It was not quite the one we booked but... We had a lovely room. We walked around looking for a restaurant. I really wanted to go to one in the book, as I felt I could get more than pasta or pizza. I was so hungry and so fed up with wheat. We couldn’t find the restaurant and my head was hurting so much as I could feel the sugar being drained from it. I could barely process the info on the map. We had to go to some other one. Of course there was limited selection. At least we got something. Later, when I saw a supermarket, I stocked up on raisins and peanuts. Phew at last I had something to snack on.

We walked around Trinidad, an incredibly charming town. Beautiful cobbled streets between magnificent restored buildings with the odd dilapidated grand dame in between. Every street held a new wonder yet again for us. It was also a place you never quite knew what you were going to see. At the church we saw a wedding. It was so elegant and the bride wore red.

That night we had food at our casa. It was superb and so much of it. It is strange though, all the china, furniture is from the 40s and 50s. when it was possible to import things and people had more access to foreign. There is nothing from the 60s, 70s or 80s in our house. Except of course the TV and one or 2 electronics. Usually things are in good condition but the odd chipped cup. Everything is carefully treated. It is like time stood still after the revulution.
14Aug
We took an organized tour to the sugar plantation. Some time ago it was possible to go through the sugar plantation on a train specially built for this purpose but this had ceased to function. I think it was a problem of spare parts. It is not possible to get much here. It was beautiful country side. We go to have a beautiful fresh lemonade though...

Back in town, we went for a coffee near the Casa de Cultura. It was a beautiful sunny square and the cafe were on the steps.
We bargained with a local who asked us if we wanted at taxi to the beach as we had missed the bus. Totally illegal but such good fun and as the legal ones cost a fortune... We were a bit nervous when he stopped to take another guy on. And thought oh god they think they are on to a good thing with 2 girls etc. but no it was all ok. They just went to the beach.
The beach was lovely but limited in food again. Just a greasy hamburger or a greasy hamburger. So we had one of those.
Later we met a Canadian couple waiting for the public bus back to the beach but it didn´t come. So we walked to the tour group hotel. I asked the doorman to get us a taxi. So then this man arrives in a Cadillac and we all get in. 5 minutes down the road, we pass a cop on a motorcycle, questioning a stationary car. Our driver sped on and told us to say we were his friends. The cop followed and pulled us over. We were all forced to get out and the driver was sent on his way. Then the taxi that I think we actually did order turned up. It looks like the taxi waiting outside the hotel called the police. Anyway we got home.
Later, we went to dinner at a restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet. Oh my god I was I in heaven. The food was superb. Most of it had been procured through the black market and was certainly illegal. But oh soooo good. It was the best meal we had eaten. We would have gone every night but we felt obliged to eat in the Casa at least some of the time.

We went back to the Casa de Cultura for some Trova and salsa. Sue got to dance. I didn’t bother. I just don’t know how and don’t like embarrassing myself unnecessarily. The place was packed. Locals and foreigners alike sat at tables or procured a position on the many steps around the casa and café & bars. We stayed till midnight. It was such a balmy night and the music was jumping. The band was at least a 6 piece, with various dancers giving it their all to the music.

The next day we organized another illegal taxi to the beach with a taxi driver.
This time we went to one just before the one we went to yesterday. It was lovely too. We waited for the official bus and waited and waited but eventually we got some bus so got home for cheaper than the day before and without incident. Ah.
Had another wonderful dinner at our casa and hit the Casa de Cultura for another brilliant music session.
Getting out of Trinidad proved to be a bit of a problem but we decided to just turn up on the day and hope to get on a bus, even though we were only able to reserve for the following day. But we were lucky and got the bus.

SANTIAGO
We had arranged through our Casa particular for one of her friends to put us up. The road to Santiago was interesting. Many modes of transport are used and most are crowded. There is a lot of beauty but relative poverty too but not really as bad as I have seen in many other countries. On arrival in Santiago, we were met by a taxi. We had a really good place right outside the centre. So quiet at night and only a 20 minute walk to town. It was interesting in this casa. There was a lot of mod cons and modern cups etc. you could tell there was a lot more money here. We came to the conclusion that, she must have relatives in Spain as the email address she uses is a Spanish one. We are beginning to be able to see the difference in the Casas and who has relatives abroad or is making more money.

Santiago was a bit edgier than Trinidad. However, there seemed to be a bit of racism too. When we told people about Sues robbery, the usual question was if the thieves were black and when we said yes there was various tut tuting.

We liked Santiago though. There was a lot of activity by Fidel and Che down here. This was where they landed in their yacht Grandma. This was where much of the rebellion was organized in the start etc. The presence of many murals attested to this.
We went to see the barracks, where Fidel etc. tried to attack and saw the bullets. There were a lot of them.

We also went to a beautiful fort that had been used during colonization. We met 2 girls from Eastern Europe who went with us. Later that evening we met up with them in Casa Grande. They had bumped into 3 English lads that lived near where Sue and I have lived.
There are again amazing buildings here. We tried to get into the Bacardi family museum but it was shut each time. The Bacardi family emigrated from Cuba after the revolution when the new govt. took their lands. Although the Bacardi family was offered compensation for them, they left very bitterly and were and are responsible for much of the Anti Cuban feelings in the US. They moved their Bacardi Rum making facilitie

s and offices to the Dominican Republic where they still remain.

We lunched in the Hotel Casa Grande, the poshest place in town. But bizarrely it is managed by a foreign company and has the most reasonable food. We went to Casa de Trova for one of the afternoon sessions. This is the centre for Traditional Cuba Trova music in Santiago. It was such a cool place with fabulous photos. It really was like stepping back in time. There was one old lady there tapping away to the music. She even got up to dance. She looked like she had been coming here since the place was built over a hundred years ago. She came and chatted to me and told me about her breast cancer and god knows what else. I did end up giving her a little money. She was soooooo old, I had to.

We were usually exhausted each day from all the walking around. There was just so much to see.

As were going to the bus station to go to Baracoa, I got to see the Monument to Antonio Maceo, one of the early and few revolutionaries that was half indigenous.

Honduras, ruins, ruined diving, ruined tired.

30Jul
I got up really early to get the bus to El Poy, the last Salvadorian town before the Honduras border. What a waste of time. The bus was heaving and I could not get on let alone my huge rucksack and 2 other bags. So I went back to the hostel, had breakfast and tried again an hour and a half later. This time the bus even had seats. A well dressed cowboy, including cowboy hat befriended me. He told me where to get off and pointed me to the border when we arrived. I just love the salvadorians. Some of the loveliest people I have encountered. It saddens me to leave. I walked across the border. It was easy. The most effort was trying to locate a soldier to look at my passport. I thought I would have to have it stamped and they would as usual charge me. But no, here they were honest.

Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala have an agreement known as the C4. They allow pretty much free passage between the countries once you have been stamped one the first one you entered. However, the odd time some unscrupulous guard charges you. I find it easier to pay the 2 or 3 dollars then argue, as I am never quite sure anyhow what the rules are. I looked for a bus to take me to Nueva Ocotepeque. When I asked this taxi driver he quoted me 5 dollars.

So I walked on. At the Honduran side, I asked the soldiers where the bus was. A taxi came buy and they said why not take that. But he said 20. I said no it was too expensive. The lady soldier then pointed out that it was 20 lempira, not 20 dollars. That is about 1 dollar. I felt an idiot and laughed. They thought it was hilarious. But when you are a foreigner, you get quoted such ridiculous prices, that it hadn't twigged with me. Well the bus came along then and all was well. At Nueva Ocotepeque, it was onward to La Entrada. The driver forgot to tell me where I was to get off and it wasn't that obvious. So I had to jump off the bus on the highway a way out of town. After asking a food seller which direction for Copan, she flagged a moto taxi for me and explained where to go.

At Copan Ruinas, due to floods, the bus was unable to take us right into town but it was just a hop, skip and a jump over puddles to the centre. I got a moto taxi to a hostel but no answer and the taxi had disappeared. I was glad though, as I realised it was a bit far out once I had walked the long way back to the centro. It was time to eat. I had been travelling for hours. The centre was wet but delightful. It is a bit of a tourist enclave though. Well it is the most popular tourist centre in Honduras, in fact in much of Central America. But it has retained a certain charm, as have the people. I spent a few days walking around town, exploring museums and the myriad of cobbled streets, shops and of course cafes.

01AugJul
Walked to the Enchanted Wings Butterfly house. A butterfly farm, created by an American nature expert and ex Peace Corp. I had the place to myself. The young assistant explained they take the larvae and hold it in special wooden boxes until it is ready to become a butterfly. Many of the butterflies are moved to Roatan Island, for the butterfly farm there, as they are not as successful at breeding. Some of the caterpillars were as big as my hand and thats pretty damn big. It was weird walking around. None of the orchids were in bloom but many of the butterflies landed on my shoulder or shoes etc. if I stood for more than a minute. It was disconcerting as this has never happened to me in the wild. Some of the butterflies had this huge eye design on their wings.

It was a pretty cool place.

I hopped into a moto taxi to the Macaw Mountain bird sanctuary. The gent who escorted me and 2 older Israelis around, had lived in America, and had owned a successful restaurant in Copan. He had just sold it, so was helping out his friend who owned the sanctuary. All the birds here have been found by locals, recovered from poachers etc. Now the government actually send birds here too, as it acknowledges the sanctuary. As a result. if a bird dies, the sanctuary has to keep the body to show it to the govt inspector, as proof they didn't sell it.

There was an amazing amount/variety of toucans, parrots and macaws. The grounds are like a tropical forest and a pleasure to walk around. They have a souvenir shop and also now have their own coffee plantation, the profits of which go to maintain the sanctuary. At the end of the tour, a guard brought in a baby armadillo, whose mother had been killed on the road. It was soooooooooo cute. They will take care of it here, a new addition to the family.

Walking around later admiring the jewellery stalls, I ran into Jeremiah again, the guy I had met sailing from Colombia. This must be the 5th time we have met. Had to laugh. He said my Spanish had improved. As has his English.

02Aug.

An early start. Today I see the famous ruins. When I hit the reception and main plaza of the ruins, I thought oh god there are so many people here, bus loads. I ventured off a little and lost them. My next view was of 5 or six parrots, toucans in the trees and another batch on the fence. It was great wandering around, climbing up the temples, many of which have been reconstructed or repaired. Albeit, many still connected to the jungle, with trees and their roots strangling the bricks, a reminder of how they looked pre-discovery. It was definitely worth the US$15. There were some brilliant sculptures e.g. my favourite: the Old mans in the foto here. Also one of the highlights here was hieroglyphic stairs, with its amazing carvings and drawings outlining the reign of the kings here etc. as well as the giant sculpture at the foot of the steps again in a foto here.

I didn't pay to go into the tunnels. This I really regretted, once I entered the museum. Underneath one of the pyramids, was an earlier pyramid/temple, now known as the Rosalea temple. It was common for the Mayans to build a temple for one king, over a previous temple of an earlier king. A recreation of this temple was built in the museum. It had all the colours and faces of the kings, gods etc intact. The original had been spared the vengeance of the sun and the jungle, so it provided an immense amount of information and detail previously lacking. The museum itself was stunning and well laid out. The Rosalea was constructed in the centre of the museum, with the museum in two levels encircling it. The centre of which, and thus the temple itself, open to the sun. I would have gone back into the ruins and paid to see the original but I was too tired, having walked around for several hours. A shame.

03Aug.

5am start and of course today, no one is leaving the hostel to go to the bus which is a walk away down an empty dark street, I would rather avoid. Each morning, I have been woken by people with their wheelie suitcases making such a racket. OF course when I want someone to be awake...However, a few of the locals were up, so it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I took the expensive shuttle with hedman Atlas, instead of the cheaper local buses as I wanted to get to the ferry in La Ceiba before it left.

I arrived at the ferry port, at about 2, bought my ticket to find that the ferry had not run at all that morning and there was quite a few people that had been there for hours. Luck was still with me, as I was one of the few to still get on AND the ferry left an hour early. RESULT!!!!.

The first person I met on the ferry was Sonia, one of the girls who drove me to La Palma in El Salvador. What a coincidence. So I sat next to her and Sahara a girl from London, who were seated next to 4 Salvadorians, who had started drinking the supplies in their beercooler at 10.30 am. They were a hoot. We sat outside, as it is more fun. We got drenched as the waves landed and crashed on the deck. But we had a laugh and got a foto afterwards of the three of us wet rats.

Alex, who had been working in Altons, recommended it, so we all headed there. Luckily we got accommodation and I booked myself on a diving course. I had 2 days to read and absorb the diving manual. Sarah and Christen were there as a welcome party. It was so good to see them. It was going to be a mad week. I also met Johnny, that I had met in Grenada. Sarah ended up getting to know him too before I came, even though she had not met before. bizarre connections.

The original plan was to meet Alex in Utila, one of the Bay Islands in Honduras. Famous for its cheap diving underwater beauty and backpacking party scene. I had organised my trip around Alex being on the Island and the island for the SunJam festival (a big electronic dance fest.)on 08/08/2008. Alex had been working on the island for a few months, as a dive master. but he had got island crazy and left about a week before I got there. It was a shame, he could not have lasted but I could see why, as the place was too busy and the staff totally overworked. As I had planned various things around the 8th Aug, and had arranged to meet Sarah and Christen. Also I had decided months ago to skip Belize and was psyched up to go to the festival and it would have meant leaving El Salvador earlier and maybe not going back. So I decided not to change my plan and join Alex in Belize, as he offered to meet there.

I did my theory and read the diving manual as part of the course. However, I didn't get a chance to go snorkelling or even for a swim before having to jump into the water with all the diving equipment. I couldn't do it at first. I finally got to jump in with my mask and tank but the tank hit my head rather hard, enough to make it bleed (which I only realised later) and I couldn't bear to remove the mask. I knew that at every step it was just going to take me that bit longer than everyone else to do the tasks and I just couldn't deal with breathing through my nose. I seem to have got worse with this. So I gave up. I was disappointed and felt left out when all the others came back with grins on their faces after all the wonderful things they had seen. But such is life. Maybe I will try again.

That evening, I met some guys, Sarah and Christen had met, who have been coming regularly over the last few years and their fathers before them.
We stayed in the gazebo chatting for hours about everything. Alton an dI had a really good chat on aging, as he is jsut a little younger than I. It was interesting to chat on our experiences. Next day they invited us to go with them by boat, to go snorkelling near Water Cay. Sarah and I decided to lie on the roof of the boat. We had to hold on for dear life as the boat bounced over the waves on the way to the Cay. Not sure Sarah liked it as much as me though.

The Water Cay is a tiny little islet if you could call it that with just a few trees etc. There are a few other smaller islets around it with one or two houses on them or nothing at all. It was stunning there. The water was really shallow, with turquoise water and white sands. After a lot of tomfoolery, we headed back to the dive centre.

Over my 10 days in Utila we met the boys on a semi regular basis, as well as Alton. This was always a blast and conversation was entertaining. I also met some of the others too for dinner etc. We made it to Treetanic a few times and a few other bars on the island. Treetanic was incredible. The owner has spent the last 12 years or so creating this amazing bar with mosaics made from tiles, bottles and god knows what else. foto attached. The bar is a work of art in progress and pulls in the punters and the money like nothing else in town.

One day I went to the private beach, the nicest beach on Utila, accompanied by this Israeli girl who had similar problems to me and had also given up dive classes. We went snorkelling around this reef but it was a killer to get to as there was a lot of sharp coral. We tried to follow the path to the reef but without shoes it was vicious. The Israeli girl went for another stab at it but I just lay on the beach reading, as I felt uncomfortable going over coral and killing it.

As I was walking back to the dive centre, my name was shouted by this person whizzing by on a golf buggy. It was Brendan from San Juan in Nicaragua. I was so surprised to see him. The last time I saw him, he was in crutches, in a lot of pain and could barely walk after a motorbike accident. As Sarah and Christen also knew Brendan, we all met up for food and drinks that evening. There was definitely a clicking between Brendan and Sarah, so I left them to it, after we started playing pool late into the evening.

Utila is definitely a party town. Although many nights didn't really go out too late. Sarah or christen usually came back with a tale if they went out, which always made me laugh.

07Aug.

After the beach went to treetanic and another bar that turns into a late night club. Everyone was preparing for tomorrow. The boys, Paul, Reed etc were there and were joined by these 2 guys they had been expecting and talking about for days. Apparently they are mad. They didn't seem as mad as some of my friends but I guess we all have different views on madness. ha ha. The music was brilliant, So I just went and did my thing. The others thought I danced mad. As we were dancing on this bench near the wall. I saw Eddy, whom I had met in San Juan. He joined us. Had such a laugh especially watching Christen and Paul taking the pee on the dance floor. We bought some balloons filled with laughing gas and played with those for a while. Then home.

08Aug.

Today is the day of the Infamous SunJam. We are sooooo excited. Spent ages though trying to sort things out, like mail, packing, and most importantly getting money, ATMS are not working and getting cash has been a stuggle. It is going to be a long night and we leave first thing in the am. Then we got the Alton dive centre boat to the Water cay. There were so many boats heading there. The foto here shows the cay, before the 4000+ people arrived. Simply beautiful.

The Israeli girl and Sonia managed to get work behind the bar, so got in free. We got there about 7.30/8. We were early. Those behind the bar were on such a high. The boys, Paul, Reed etc. were there already. It was all a bit subdued and the music was ok. However, as the night wore on, the music really took off. Nearly everyone I had met was there so danced with different people. It was so amazing, the set up. There was a large bar to the side. Everything was under the stars. If you wanted chill you just went over to the quieter side of the cay where it was darker and you could sit or lie. Some people brought tents so they could take a nap etc. There were food stands too, so all was catered for. It was such a cool night.

09Aug.

At 4.30am it was time to leave. The worst thing was this was when it was really getting at its best. It was really, really difficult to leave. We easily got a boat back to Utila, then grabbed our bags from the centre and managed to get tickets for the 6.30am ferry to La Ceiba. We were really nervous in case the ferry was sold out but we got lucky. A 5 hour bus ride to San Pedro and we were in a hostel and searching for food. We were so exhausted. It was early to bed and again at 6am we were up and on our way to the airport. The girls were flying to the US. so we were all leaving together which was great.

10Aug
At the airport, Sarah, Christen, and this young guy we had met in Utila and I, all decided to meet up next year and go to all the festivals and become international ravers. This cracked us up. I can see them doing it but I think I will be working my butt off back in London or on the dole. Either way no money or no time. On the plane, I was missing the girls. I had such a good time with them. Always something to laugh at. They have such a great sense of humour and fun. Oh well at least I was on my way to something good not back to work. I was really looking forward to meeting up with Sue and seeing Cuba.

From Flowers to Machetes in Ruta del Flores.

East El Salvador. In Santa Ana, the hostel I chose, Casa Frolaz, was highly recommended in the Lonely planet. The hostel is really the home of the owner. A very regal elegant gentleman. Everything was just so clean and sophisticated. He even had a lovely garden, with chairs and tables for breakfast etc.

On my way into town I met this man selling icecream. He was learning French and didnt have any English so we had a chat in French. He showed me some coins he had which he was exceedingly proud of and asked me If I had any euros, I said I had and he promised to come by later to collect them. However, later I remembered I had given them all to Robert. I felt so bad.

I wandered around town exploring the local sights. The cathedral here is amazing with the interior painted in pink and grey slate. I also got to visit the colonial theatre. This reminded me so much of the theatre in Manaus, Brazil, that I am sure they were influenced by each other. I will send them to you if you wish Dan. However, unlike in Manaus, I was left to my own devices. The interior was of sumptions red velvet and has been so well repaired and maintained. The parquet flooring was identical to Manaus but here was left unpretected with everone walking over it, in their outdoor shoes. The murals on the walls were simply fabulous and a delight to the eye, bringing to mind the French masters or Versaille. There was also a brilliant foto exhibition in the lobby.

Later I ended up meeting my roomates. Lynn from the UK and Erica from the US. Erica, was big into Couch surfing and had met a few of her boyfriends through it and said that a lot of people were now meeting locals in their area through it rather than foreigners coming into town. We had to laugh.

23Jul
Early next day, I went to the ruins of Tazumal. On the bus I met this lovely gent who spoke to me in English. When I asked him how he learnt it, he said it was a long time ago and remained mysterious. Maybe he was with the internationalistas maybe not. He kindly told me exactly where to get off for the ruins and shortened the journey. There were loads of school groups there and one group took a particular shine to me and wanted to know my name etc. They were all giggly and curious, and acknowledged me wherever I went in the ruins during my visit.

The ruins were burial pyramids and were interesting but not hugely. I had wanted to go on a hike but no one was about and it meant meeting with the tourist police so I didnt bother.

24Jul
Today it was adios to Santa Ana and hello bus terminal. I ended up on the wrong bus, as I arrived too early. So it took me an hour or 2 longer. It probably would have been better to get the later bus and still arrive around a similar time if not earlier. Oh well.

I was in Juayua. A little town described as "hip-yet-quaint" in the lonely planet. A major coffee growing area. It is a superb little town. Many of the buildings have these incredible murals on the interior or exterior walls. Works of art throughout the town. A little cafe I went into was covered in it. I was trigger happy for hours. The whole square and church is just picturebook pretty. I met up with my dorm mates 2 young very friendly mexican guys and a rather unfriendly French Canadian girl. I had a great chat with the guys. One was on his way to South El Salvador tomorrow to meet this girl he has been talking to on the internet. They have never met but coincidently happen to be in the same country. He is very excited and we were too for him. I hope it works out.

25Jul
I met up with Lynn and Erica. They were a day ahead of me. We arranged to go to a series of waterfalls called Los Chorros de Calera. The hostel said it was ok to go without the tourist police and another girl who accompanied us had been there the day before. The walk there was nice and not so long. However, there was more water and more people there, so we didnt go for a swim. We started to chat to this young girl in her late teens. She was Salvadorean but had been brought up, if not born in the US. However, she had returned to live with her uncle in El Salvador due to gang problems in the US and was happier for it.

When she, her uncle and 3 young cousins were about to leave. The uncle seemed quite concerned all of a sudden and said we should go too. He said to the others that he had seen 3 young men pointing in our direction with their machetes and he didnt like the look of it. So we all vamosed at a fairly quick pace. Along the path out, the uncle picked up a stick that was lying in a pile. As there was some more, I thought maybe it was a good idea too. I would prefer to have a stick than nothing against a machete. He sent us off in his taxi that was waiting for him and his family at the entrance to the park. The taxi though was a little moto taxi and really should only take 2, max 3. There were 4 of us but we squeezed in. Although when we came to a bit of an uphill, we all had to get out. I had to laugh. We really would have been quicker walking. I dont know if the man over reacted, as I didnt see anything first hand. The young guys could have been just curious but it was better to get out. It was a shame though.

26Jul

Saturday, the girls left. Those left now are couples and not so friendly. I came to Juayua for the "Feria Gastronomical", a food fair held here every weekend. A brilliant tourist gimic that works exceedlingly well. In the morning, hundreds of food and drink stands are set up around the central park. All to the sounds of a DJ and local bands and singers. The food is gooood!!!!!!!!!! Many San Salvadoreans come down from the city, only a few hours drive away for the day or even the weekend. It was buzzing. You can really see the difference though between the wealthy San Salvadoreans in their big cars and sunglasses and the much poorer locals.

After an hour or so of deliberation, I got myself a feast and sat down at one of the many tables spread around. This little boy about 8, came over and wanted to sell me headbands. I could see he was hungry, so offered him some of my dinner. He misconstrued and took my whole plate. I had to laugh. I now had a hairband and no dinner. I didn´t have the heart to correct the mistake.

Then this lady, that had been selling wooven baskets etc., asked if she could sit beside me. When I made to get up, she asked me to please stay. I got the impression that she feared being kicked off. Reading about Juayua, later I realised that there had been indigenous uprisings here. As a result, the govt. forces along with the coffee elite, brutally crushed the insurrection. Today the indigenous people eschew traditional clothing and language for fear differentiating themelves. Sad indeed.

While the lady was eating her dinner. A man dressed as a Mexican bandero, including wide sombrero started singing. He came over and sang to me. Oh god was I red but I got a laugh and some fotos and the lady beside me had a grin. I tried to leave again and she said please stay. So I stayed til she finished. I liked my hairband so much I tried to get more but the boy was gone. Typical eh!!

27Jul Sunday.

I Jumped on the bus to this coffee plantation, to see some pot bellied figures carved from hugh boulders found on the grounds. Turns out the ruins are not where their cafe is and I had not seen them on my journey. So I thought better of it and carried onto the next village. I am now on the continuation of la Ruta del Flores. This is a route through various pretty villages Juayua, Ataco, Apaneca and a few others. The route is so called due to the beautiful flowers that blossom along it, albeit not now. It was still beautiful. Between the villages, the telephone poles are painted with flowers. All different. Along, the road, are many locals brandishing machetes, some in beautiful leather holsters, like ancient swordsmen on their way to the fields etc.. .

The 2 villages I visited Apaneca and Ataco are just lovely. Like Juayua, Ataco has some beautiful murals and craftshops. There was also a rather big local market, so had a jolly good rummage around there. I had a lovely day.

28Jul Monday.

Bused from East El Salvador to a village in Northern El Salvador called Suchitoto. According to the LP, it says if you tell Salvadoreans you are travelling to Suchitoto, they give a nostalgic sigh. Well I did mention this to some locals and that was true. It is beautiful. Lots of whitewashed houses, cobbled streets and an air of tranquility. This is apparently what El Salvador was like in a lot of places before the war and various natural disasters. There are many festivals here, none around now of course. It is an arty but non pretentious, lefty village and there are lots of cultural activities here.

I found a leaflet for this new hostel and ended up in this rustic place with gaps between the walls and the ceiling, through which the insects can get in. The big ones and they came. But I have a TV and lo and behold there is a jacuzzi on the level below me. Beat that.

Suchitoto is just above a picturesque lake. A half hour walk takes you down to the lakeshore. I tried to take a boat tour of it. However, you have to rent the whole boat for US20. Luckily enough a family of El Salvadoreans allowed me to tag along with them. One of the ladies in the group, an El Salvadorean, now living in the US, was on vacation to her family here. The others were her sister, her kids and husband. She spoke English to me and I had a nice chat with her and the family. The ride across the lake was lovely.

After the hard slog back up to Suschitoto in the strong afternoon heat, I deserved an iced tea in this rather nice cafe overlooking the lake and was enraptured there for hours just taking in the magnificent vista til the sun went down.

28Jul

I veged for a while watching tv. It has been so long. Later, I went for a walk with our hostel owner and 3 American girls to a waterfall. Our leader rode on horseback. The walk was nice, as he knew everyone and it was very scenic. The waterfall flows over rocks like the Giants Causaway in Armagh, N. Ireland. Apparently there are very few examples of this type of rock formation in the world. He thought just 3.

The 3 girls are all Medical students and were working in a clinic in the N. of El Salvador. The clinic provides free smear tests etc. to local women and was sponsored by their university in N. Carolina. The all loved the experience, albeit not all of them liked the insects.

29Jul

The girls offered me a ride in their rented car, to La Palma, as they were heading up that way to buy some handicrafts. I very gratefully accepted. I booked into this rather lovely hostel overlooking a rapidly flowing river. I took Sonias email address as we will be in Utila the same time.

La Palma is another arty town. It is covered in colorful murals etc. The famous El Salvadorean painter Fernando Llort moved here in 1972. He is the one who painted the outside of the cathedral in San Salvador. He founded Naive Art. A trend, still representative of El Salvador internationally. This art is primitive, childlike. Many images are of christ or mountain villages or local farmers. The art is very very colourful. Llort started a cooperative and taught the locals how to create handicrafts using this art. Today 75% of the village makes a living from this. The camera was put into good use again and I even managed to buy some nik naks. I would have bought more but...