El Salvador in hammock

By Trapez on 25 March 2018

28.02.2018 Jocoro 33,4km///2346,02km

I knew that in El Salvador is more weapon than books in libraries. But I never thought, that I gonna start fight on knives. And on border. I rolled near by soldier, when from my baby car felt down knife to bread which looks like small machete. Almost hit his feet! Good start, I thought, but without any other problems veeery quickly I walked away.

I walked in good, wide road with nice side road, where I met a lot of open people and… advertisements of Western Union. Because maybe development level in El Salvador is much higher than in Honduras, still in every city is possible to meet a lot of guys who have been or they want to go to US. Best proof for that is, that Western Union make more cash transfers only to Mexico. I find more and more proofs that illegal immigrants in United States are main economic power. And without them all country gonna collapse. If You like them or not, Mr. Donald Trump.

It’s garden? No! It’s cementery 😀

On map Jocoro village is only like few crossing streets, but that was place, where I decided to spend night. Just when I came on small main square few local folks came around me. They gave me chair, bottle of coke in one hand, hot sandwich in other. There was even honorable round in moto taxi around square 😀 How can I don’t love them! Finally I spend that night not under the stars but under comfy roof of church.

1-6.03.2018, San Miquel 24,6km /// 2370,62km

I go to San Miquel when Rolando, host from Couchsurfing, is waiting for me. He live in three floor building with view for active volcano, palm trees and neighbors who are play every night in cards in front on street. And every night there is a lot of cash to win! Even few hundreds dollars! And few weeks before some of them lose here… home! I wanted to spend here only two days, but finally I was there whole six days. Rolando was really cool guy! He spend almost all his life in US. So we spend looong night and talk about American dream in Salvadorian eyes. Huge packet of information, which maybe I will not receive from Americans. Because nobody want to talk about bad sides of own country 😉

Best, one-eye host ever!

“Your bands are so colorful!”

Pupusas!

In few hours whole block knew that some strange white guy with trolley came here. Mothers wanted to give me theirs daughters, fathers wanted to sell me ranches in good prizes. San Miquel looks like city, but in fact is like huge village, where everybody know everything, where people are burning trash on streets. And we’ve been almost in city center! For long time I will not forget voice of guy who sell bread from his bike. If someone hear his voice, when he shout “I have bread!” in one second gonna give him play in opera 😀

Our roommate…

Finally I see some signs of crime here. I see public buses with soldiers with long weapon in doors. I didn’t took picture of them because I had fear that it’s prohibited. Why they secure buses? Because in San Miquel gangs started fight to take control of lines which are in private hands. Scheme is simple and brutal. Few guys are going inside bus, rob everybody and kill driver. Even in city center! That’s how they wanted to fear owners of that lines, who after few weeks/months of that kind of actions decided to left business. In El Salvador is few small and big gangs but, thankfully, they operate only in big cities.

Table with every kind of fruit. Mlask!

Frozen chocobananos!

Thanks for Rolando I realize also one more thing. That everybody with obsession are staring at me. And shout something! I’m familiar with that and don’t notice that, but when we walked across city Rolando was in permanent stress, that people want to rob our things 😀

It’s time for Cuco beach

7.03.2018 El Triunfo, 24,1km /// 2394,72km

It’s impossible to walk all time. It’s necessary to rest. Under roof, eat tasty pupusas, ride on beach, steal Wi-Fi from shop on other side of street. But during one evening You hear how road is calling You. And You realize that You need to move! Step by step. Heading north. I’m passing whole streets full of furniture, and next to me are passing buses with fancy spoilers on roof. Strange things 😀

Once again mountains are showing up. And enormous heat! I’m not sure if I’m going to be more weal, or I’m walking into some white guys frying zone. I didn’t felt so high temperature since… I can’t remember since when! Decided to wake up at 6am, to walk from 7 to 12, make brake from 12 to 15 and once again make kilometers from 15 to 18. Thankfully beside heat I meet also a lot of wonderful people who invited me to theirs homes. First night next time on road I spend in hammock in home of wonderful family Lopez. They live really simple. Without electricity, water and gaz. How I became there? Simple! Sun came down, and I started to look for some place to camp. On side road I met Jose, head of family. After few quick words he invited me to his home! And after few seconds we laugh with whole his family.

8.03.2018 Chamoco, 33,3km /// 2428,02km

Second night I spend in hammock of Cruz family. I met them accidentally in Chamoco village. I waited for him to ask if I can camp near church. Mean time I met whole village, and whole village knew me. Laughs, stories, pictures and surprise in eyes of folks when I said what and how I want to do. Finally I spend that night besides church’s gate but in shop of Cruz family. Which have 16 kids! Last daughter, which still is without husband, do everything to become my wife. But she was definitely not in my type, so I walked away to another village 😀

Who make that signs?!

Maybe quick trip to Europe? 😀

9-10.03.2018 Cinquera, 74,3km /// 2502,32km

I fight to not die on side road because of heat. I walk to another villages and pass procession which headed to church. I didn’t knew that they are heading to same church where I wanted to stay for night. Priest was really surprise when he saw me waiting for him 😀 First I didn’t wanted to ask in churches for place to stay. But it’s much more simpler than watching for place to stay on field. Much more safety, and I think not only about strange guys, but also about animals which can walk inside my tent, because I have broken zip. And much more comfortable, because usually I have access to electricity, dinner, toilet, water and sometimes even shower! Last time I had hot water in Panama, so I don’t even imagine about that 😉 And what is most important – only one time priests say no, and only because they normally live in different village.

It’s so hot!

Pan-American highway, on which I still walk, is heading directly to capital city, where definitely I don’t want to enter. Big cities always cost me a lot of nerves. People look at me there like on ATM with legs, on suburbs always are some kind of slums, and later cross roads, wholes in roads or other difficulties. Big cities = big problems. And I don’t want to have problems! So in San Rafael changed road on small on which leaded me directly to Llobasco. Cool, small city, where first time since many months I found… small, local cinema! Since few years is closed, and in that place now have place Red Cross, but it’s better than nothing. I tried to enter but guard on enter say no, because was Saturday and nobody who can show me place.

Public bus

But on front of Cinema Palace I met guy who said that his name is Magic Baby, and was one from shoemakers, who made there theirs main market. And that man was REALLY interesting. He spend almost 40 years in United States. He have diploma of Yale university, and on beginning of 1980 he moved to Silicon Valley where he started to work in IBM. He was one from programmer. Guy who saw how IBM became bigger and bigger, and who participate in that. And after that time, few years ago, he decided to come back to El Salvador. And repair shoes. Strange? Incredible? It sounds like, but he show me his university diploma, papers from IBM and pictures from US! Maybe Palace Cinema is already closed, but in front You can find people with stories like cut from Silver Screen.

To next village I have only 20km, when I hear shot! Easy, that wasn’t gangs, but my tire explode… I couldn’t imagine that’s is possible in baby car 😀 And on good, flat asphalt! On side road I found piece of plastic and with memories of every episodes of McGiver I repaired that thing. I need to find new tire, because old one is in so bad condition that I can’t find simple road’s trash which cut my tube inside. But where I can’t find new one?! Probably in… Mexico :/

I walk accelerating with happiness. Feeling of freedom. I sing with whole my voice what is interesting for horses on field and local folks in home. Sun goes down, color mountains with gold, and my future in multicolor. Next proof that it’s better to walk on back roads. Calmness and safer.

At evening, I came to really small village Cinquera. I feel here like in military museum. In front of small church are old plain bombs, which thankfully does not explode. But really eye catching is part of chopper on monument with real guns on barriers around! I saw many monument but that one I will remember for long time. Also memory about civil war will not despair. Now i understand why people who I met said me so much about piece and that they hate war. They told me so may terrible stories about war. It’s hard to believe what they saw here…

On tinny main square I found small place where old lady prepare pupusas. I eat few of them and meet in same time family Medrano. Wonderful people! Grandfather, Jose, who talk all the time, have enormous knowledge about Poland! And Amado, who is pastor in local evangelic church, invited me to home! It’s strange, but during every night in Salvador I have access to shower 😀 Our laugh invite other people. For few hours live came back to village. My small gift for them 🙂

Next day I moved to Sochitoto.