18 nov 2014

El Salvador: the land of Volcanoes - and Surf - and coffee fields - and much more !!!

My trip to Guatemala was followed by the little country of El Salvador: 7 hours by bus from Guatemala City, on my own, to reach my friend Karla, a real salvadoreña that was housemate of mine while I was living in Buenos Aires last year.

The smallest contry among the 6 republics of Central America, and the only one that doesn't touch the Caribbean sea, EL Salvador seems to be unique: the mild weather, the variety of landscapes, its people, its delicious coffee, the great surf spots...

VOLCANOES & LAKES
"Land of volcanoes" - Antoine de Saint-Exupery described this way the little world of the Little Prince, with most probability representing the country of El Salvador. Did you know that Saint-Exupery's wife was Salvadorian, and the Rose in the Little Prince story was probably representing her? El Salvador has indeed almost 25 active volcanoes, some of which today are lakes. I have visited the volcano San Salvador (some km from the capital San Salvador) from which I flavoured great cocktails while enjoying an even greater sunset and view the city, and the spectacular volcanic-origin Lake Coatepeque (whose water, in some periods of the year, becomes of a light deep turquoise color, due to some algae and sulphur).
Enjoying the view of Lago Coatepeque, with Manà music in the background!
With my personal guides <3 in front of Lago Coatepeque

Our road trip

Sunset from Volcano San Salvador
SEA, SURF & COCONUTS
If you -as me- are lovers of the sea, no doubt you will fall in love with the beaches that El Salvador offers. I have visited Playa el Tunco, 25 minutes by car from San Salvador, were I have been surfing with perfect waves and a peach-coloured sky, and after the swim enjoyed the fresh coconut my friends had ready for me =).
My deserved coconut after surf
Chicas lindas <3: Karla & I !
You can't miss the sunset from one of the beach-front bars. We literally spent 5 hours with my friends and their lovely group of friends just having fun at the bar with a perfect breeze and view of the sea.
Sunset, Playa el Tunco
If you have time, you definitely have to spend the night there in one of the hostels in the beach !!!


Five hours after the sunset...still there!!!
The entrance of la Hola Betos in Costa del Sol!
Costa del Sol
Hola Betos in La Costa del Sol

COFFEE FIELDS
Another experience I LOVED was viting coffee fields and my friend Karla's finca in Ataco (not far from the border with Guatemala)Look how spectacular the views !!!! We had so much fun and have been eating so well in her hometown city of Ahuachapan!!!
Karla's coffee field -amazing!!

The view from Karla's finca
Me, trying the coffee beans - they were too good!!!
My dream come true - me on the pickup full of coffee bags!
On the pickup! going back to Ahuachapan from the Ataco fields
Me in the coffee beans
Quads in Ataco
Ahuachapan
To eat, fresh ceviche (typical Peruvian dish also very popular in all Central American countries, based on raw fish) or sopa de mariscos (seafood soup), go to the rustic little restaurants in Puerto la Libertad or go to La Hola Betos (both the one in Playa el Sunzal -another great spot for surfing- and the one in Costa del Sol beach). Other typical food that you just CAN'T miss is the pupùsas (corn-based tortillas filled with melted cheese and/or other ingredients), and the frijoles (red beens puree). Have a look at the pictures to realize why I loved that much all these places!!
Mi amiga Karla in one of the restaurants in Puerto la Libertad - just 20 minutes from San Salvador!

La Hola Betos, el Tunzal

 More pictures of the city...

From Volcano San Salvador - the capital San Salvador behind us! And behind the hills, the Pacific Ocean =)
El Salvador del Mundo in San Salvador, with my two favourite guides!
Cemetery in the countryside - How lovely all coloured
Panoramic view of the capital San Salvador, with Guatemalan shirt!
Las pupùsas !!! Loved them
Francisco's bday!

Thank you all guys for making my stay in El Salvador unforgettable!!

11 nov 2014

Discovering Guatemala - Panajachel, Lago de Atitlàn, Chichicastenango and Antigua!

When I bought the tickets one day before leaving I wasn't sure it would have been a great idea...I told to myself: "Damn Sofia, stop doing crazy things" - but I just couldn't help, travel was calling me, and my Trolley Fucsia was looking at me with hungry eyes!!!

Copa Airlines, Panama City->Guatemala City and San Savador->Panama City. The idea was to visit Guatemala on my own for 4-5 days and then pass to El Salvador by bus to visit my salvadoreña friend Karla other 4-5 days. Eventually, it turned out that my friend Ben -who is backpacking CentralAmerica in these months, btw check his Guatemalan video here!!- was in Guate with other friends exactly the days I was there, and in the same cities! **Such a perfect coincidence!**

Let me tell you about GUATE.

5 days are not enough to visit all Guatemala: I only managed, indeed, to visit a little area of the country: in the order: Panajachel, right on Lago the Atitlàn, el mercado de Chichicastenango, and Antigua. Following the suggestion of my friends, I didn't even stopped by the capital, Guatemala City (a dangerous and not really interesting place), therefore when I landed in the city I moved directly to Panajachel. I wish I had more time though, because even if I got to see the best part of the country, I still missed the Maya temples of Tikal, and the Festival de Sumpango, 20 minutes from Antigua, which is a unique cultural event they do the 1 of November (right the day I was around there!) for All Saints day. But for that day my friends had planned a full-day boat party in Lake Atitlàn, so I definitely could not miss it!!

But definitely - if you visit Guatemala you can't miss el Lago de Atitlàn (with its beautiful volcanoes and villages all around), Antigua, and possibly Chichicastenango (with its typical thursday and sunday artisanal market).

As always, I let the photos speak. I hope they inspire you to go visit this amazing country!!!

1. Panajachel and Lago de Atitlàn
Playing with a kid
Making new friends =)
Portaits
As promised - Ben in The Trolley Fucsia!!
Before taking off with the party boat - For Ines' birthday!
Sunset - lago de Atitlàn and its 3 volcanoes behind
Sunset on the Lake
Que paz!
After sleeping in the most beautiful bungalows in front of the shore, good morning!
Boat people!
Boat
En casa de Inés
Halloween Party
 2. El Mercado de Chichicastenango
 3. Antigua 
Coffee pickers
The coffee experience - visiting a Finca de Café
Coffee beans
Between coffee plants



My lunch, for 1.5 euros
Antigua market



me in Guatemalan style



Waiting for the sunset on top of our hostel "Hacia el Sur"

...Go living the Guatemalan experience !! Thank you all for the great time spent =)