Breakfast in Honduras, lunch in Guatemala and dinner in EL SALVADOR!

Getting to El Salvador was certainly a trek, involving two border crossings, three currencies and some hitch hiking but it was certainly worth it.
(Its ok worried parents out there, the hitch hiking was with Salvadoran Immigration Officials, promise no more dangerous hitch hiking!).

I stayed a night in the city of Santa Ana, in the northwest of El Salvador. I didn't really see much of the city, but the people made an impression for me. I made friends with lots of people just in the first day! First was the guy I got off the bus with, who helped me out because I had missed my stop by quite a few kilometres. He walked me to the bus stop in his neighborhood, which was on the outskirts of the city. We were chatting away and he turns to me and asks "Aren't you scared?" It was one of those moments where I stopped and really thought about the situation I was in;
I had just arrived in a new country, in a strange city and it was dusk and had no idea where I was or how to get to a hotel and there were no taxis in the immediate vincinity. I was trusting a guy to walk me to a bus stop where hopefully a bus would take me somewhere.
Thinking this through honestly, I said to him "No I don't feel scared, should I?"
He replied "But you a young female alone in a strange country that is very dangerous."
And I realised how much I had changed since the start of the trip, when a situation like this would have caused mild panic. Whilst El Salvador is a dangerous country for many of its residents, and gang problems are rife there and security men with gangs stand guard at every shop. as a tourist I felt very safe and welcomed extremely well by the Salvadoran people.

INTERNATIONAL FOOD FAIR
After Santa Ana I headed to Juayua, which is on a stretch of road called the Flower Road, because the wildflowers are spectacular. Bright pink hibiscus and orchids everywhere. I was attracted by the flowers, but more so by the International Food Fair held in the town every weekend. Juayua is my favourite small town that I have visited. The atmosphere is great, a blend of exciting things to do without feeling like gringo land (tourist land). Apparently after the coffee industry went through a bad patch the town decided to rely on something else, so the Gastronomico was born. You can get all kinds of food at the fair, from rabbit to iguana burgers to shrimp cocktails. My personal favourite was the chocolate covered strawberries. There were hundreds of people there, many Salvadorans now living in the States and a couple of blue eyed muchaleros (backpackers) wondering around.
When I arrived in the town, in the middle of a thunderstorm, I didnt even have to ask for help. Someone yelled out to me from across the road directions to the local hostel, so friendly. As well as the Foor Fair there are stunning waterfalls amidst jungle and coffee plantations to explore. I went on a tour to the Seven Waterfalls and had a crazy adventure abseiling down the waterfalls, except you are not harnessed in - simply hanging onto the rope and scrambling down the slippery vertical 10 metre waterfall!

NAIVE ART
Once upon a time an artist decided to cover a town in bright, cartoon images. He taught the local townspeople how to create his artworks and thus the town of La Palma is the home of Naive Art. Its a style of artwork with very bright, almost childish like pictures often used to depit religious images. Picture a pyscidelic painted Jesus! Its so exciting to wonder around the town and discover random images on the walls of houses and businesses. It was a great last place to stay in El Salvador.

For the past couple of days I have been in Honduras, chatting up cowboys, drinking yummy coffe and now chilling in the Caribbean. Will fill you in on all the details next blog!

Adios
Trisha