Sunday, February 8, 2009

Fin de Semana (KRF)
















Hola amigos! We had a jam packed fun filled weekend! On Saturday afternoon we went to the David J. Guzman Museum of Anthropology while Drs. R and M went to a parent´s meeting at the girls´school and C. had her weekly English class at the American School. The museum had four main exhibits which chronicled the history of El Salvador. The museum had lots of pottery, that was my favorite part. There was a whole exhibit on agriculture and the various staple crops of El Salvador, including coffee and indigo (añil). One of the interesting things about El Salvador that really separates it from most of the other Latin American nations is the fact that there are almost zero indigenous peoples and traditions left here. So walking around, you don´t see anyone in traditional wear the way you would in say, Peru or Guatemala. There are several reasons for this. First of all, when the Spaniards came, within 100 years there was a 90% (yes...90%) reduction in the native population due to European infectious diseases. Then, as time went on and the Spaniards established indigo and coffee as the main items for production and exportation, the traditional economy changed and many indigenous people had to leave their small towns to find work on coffee or indigo plantations. So, the migration of indigenous people away from their traditional towns towards the Spanish owned plantations led to further disintegration of the indigenous social and economic structure. Nobody really thinks about Spain so much anymore - but boy did they conquer and leave their influence way more than those Brits! My Goodness. Lots of suffering and blood and tears along the way.





On Saturday night we went to Planes del Rendero, which is basically a mountain in San Salvador. You drive (and drive and drive) to the very top of the mountain and at the top is a lookout where you can see all the lights of San Salvador. This is also THE place to eat pupusas, the most traditional food item in El Salvador. A pupusa consists of two corn or flour tortillas stuffed with either cheese, cheese and beans, or revuelto, with cheese, beans, and chicharron (pork). They are cooked on a griddle and they are very yummy. We ate at a place teeming with families and we also enjoyed the traditional hot chocolate with our pupusas. So.....so far we have eaten pupusas (revuelto was the best), casamiento which is refried beans and rice with tomatoes, onions, and spices, yucca with fresh tomato sauce, and cole slaw or curtido which is eaten pickled with practically everything. I love all of it, although both EDF and I confess to some bathroom issues late Saturday night after the pupusas.










Sunday: This was a fantastic day. We woke up early and piled in the car to go to La Libertad, which is another departamento. La Puerta de La Libertad is a beach famous in C. America for its surfing waves. The M family has a membership at a private beach club at nearby San Blas beach. It was really beautiful and luxurious, with a swimming pool, bar, and private beach. The water was super warm and the sand was volcanic and black. We played in the water with the girls and even went to a salsa lesson at the beach club. EDF ordered a gigantic lemonade with tequila and the rest of the family (the adults, me included) had our share of Golden beer (local). EDF is pretty white so she has been very careful about sunscreen but I stupidly forgot to reapply and of course I now have a fantastic burn.










So....then we met some family at a restaurant further down the beach with an amazing view of the water and we all feasted on ceviche. It was really, really good, white fish and shrimp. I had a piña colada and EDF a daiquiri. All in all a great day. The Drs. work hard all week, but they definistely know how to relax, enjoy food and family, and get rejuvenated on the weekends. Reminds me of my family in Spain. Life is too short to work all the time!

3 comments:

  1. Look at those big stuffed animals! Sometimes when we were in Guatemala there would be traditional dances with marimba music and people dressed in outfits like that. There would usually be pairs- two pokemon, two big chickens, etc..

    Have you had good bus riding experiences? Music? Cool birds?

    Happy travels!
    -Jonathan

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  2. I would like to point out that my sister is HELLA white.
    -Kate

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  3. Jonathan- many cool birds! one recently with a bright yellow chest. Haven't been on a bus at all yet- they apparently are a bit dangerous... one of the doctors we know was recently mugged at knifepoint on a bus.
    Kate- um, thanks for the comments! :)

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