Saturday, February 26, 2022

Welcome to El Salvador

 We're in El Salvador! I know, I know. As usual, I'm running behind. We've been here in El Salvador for a little over a week now and are thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Kyrie is once again in a new country! Currently, we are docked at the marina at Hotel Bahia del Sol, grateful for power and an air conditioner because it's hot. I mean, 90s in February? Ouch. But I have no complaints. The hotel manager is the bend-over-backwards-to-help type and we've met some lovely people.

     For example, last week, we met a family visiting from San Salvador and chatted with them for quite a while. They were curious about our life on a boat, so we brought them down to Kyrie so they could check it out. Then, they offered to take us out for pupusas, which is pretty much the El Salvadorean national dish. Delicious! They are basically thick tortillas, made from either corn or rice flour, filled with cheese, beans, meat, or some combination thereof. They come to you right off the comala, with the filling at approximately the consistency and temperature of molten lava. Usually a bowl of spicy pickled cabbage sits on the table, inviting you to pile it on top of the rocket-hot pupusa and dive in. I've burned my fingers both times I've eaten pupusas now, but just can't bring myself to wait until my dinner cools down, or to use a fork! 


      I digress a little. Trying new foods in new areas is a huge part of why our family is traveling, but meeting new people is equally important! This family has a son Levi's age and a daughter Rachael's age and they seemed about as fascinated with us as we were with them. We were told that we have to come visit their home when we go to San Salvador, Levi has been in touch with the son all week, and apparently, they are coming back down here this weekend! I love making new friends!

   We'll be here all told about a month. Joe and I are trying to figure out road trips so we can explore this small but vibrant country. We want to find waterfalls to play in, coffee plantations to see the process from plant to cup, and towns with paintings, architecture, and food! If anyone has a location in El Salvador we just have to go check out, please let us know. This is a place I don't know much about and am eager to learn.

These parrots live in a tree outside 
the hotel office. The girls like to feed
the green one Chinese almonds.
The red one isn't as friendly
toward fingers

This turtle has showed up in the marina 
a couple of times. It has enormous 
barnacles all over its shell!






Tuesday, February 15, 2022

On our way out

    Today's the day! In just a few hours, we'll have our final inspection by the navy and finalize paperwork with the Port Captain, and then we're on our way. After being in Mexico for more than two years, it's quite surreal to know we're leaving and moving on to another country. I'll admit to a bit of apprehension, but in the words of some other cruising friends, it's time to get out of our comfort zone again.

     Mexico is currently our comfort zone. We know enough about how things work to do and experience what we want to. I love it here, and I foresee us returning someday, although I don't know when or for how long. However, when we planned to travel, we definitely intended to visit more countries before we potentially chose to settle somewhere, so it most certainly is time to see other places!

       El Salvador is our next stop. It will take us about the same amount of time to get there as it did for us to cross the Tehuantepec from Huatulco--about 40-43 hours. We're in touch with an ex-pat couple who run the marina and mooring balls in Bahia del Sol and they will bring a pilot boat out to meet us and guide us in for the bar crossing. Here's hoping it's a calm crossing and nothing like our surfing experience coming into Humboldt Bay!

       Here's to our time in Mexico. Two years of new experiences, new friends, new food, and beautiful places. Mostly good times, and only a couple what I might call bad. I have high hopes for the next few months as we travel through Central America.

        The adventures of Kyrie and her crew continue...