Sick in Salvador

It is inevitable like walking with your pack in a rain storm, getting ripped off by a taxi driver or leaving something behind in a hostal, you will get sick while traveling. Whether it is getting sick from a mosquito bite, catching a cold from someone in a ten bed dorm or in my case, getting the runs (diarrhea) from eating local street food, possibly from Acataje  the shrimp, brown bean and deep fried corn meal snack. Refridgeration and seafood, good, no refrigeration, not so good. All last night, I walked my own personal "green mile" from my bed to the toilet. Drink lots of water and carry Ciprofloxacin (cipro) are my recommendation. Though I don't think I need it this time, Cipro has been a Godsend in the past when I have been passed out in bed. It is such a strong antibiotic that it used as an antidote for Anthrax. It's all rest for today but on the positive side, I have checked into a local hotel with a couple friends (who just left for Rio de Janeiro) and later into a nearby hotel. Because of the World Cup, prices for dorm beds in hostals cost the same or even more than a one bedroom in a three star beach hotel slightly away from the city center. Crazy but handy for me in my condition.


Before I returned to Salvador, we took a 7 hour bus ride to Lencois to take a break from the city. A great little mountain town near some national parks of forested plateaus and water falls. There was also the Sao Joao festival with bon fires on the streets, fireworks lit by kids and a big dance at one of tye central plaza. Plus, Brazil won their futball game and there was an informal victory march with drum bands and people dancing.

We stayed with a local guide's house and made some arrangements for some treks into the some national parks. Unfortunately, he did not go home that night and came back drunk and in no state to guide. Luckily, we managed to find another guide to go to the waterfalls, waddling chest deep in rushing river water or stepping between rocks inside the narrow canyon that ended with an impressive waterfall and pool. Unfortunately, this new guide then got drunk  the next day and couldn't bring us to another trail. We managed to visit the Morro do Pai Inacio park by hiring a taxi and short hike for the sunset at the mesa peak that overlooked a valley and other plateaus.  Moral of this story, either don't pay your guide until all the treks are done, don't go with the same one if you do or go with a proper (and more expensive) tour company.

I am next flying to Recife (which is cheaper than taking the bus and about a quarter of the time) to stay in the nearby artsy city of Olinda.

In the Copa Del Mundo

I have been staying in Northern Brasilian city of Salvador for the past three days in the old historic center of Peleourinho. The center sits on top of a hill among this sprawling and spread out, hilly coastal city and feels a little like an artsy, tourist colony. It is full of cobbled stone streets and crumbling buildings and churches but shop keepers and hostel workers constantly warn against pick pockets and thieves and some of the nearby neighborhoods are not safe to walk around, despite the heavy presence of tourist, local and military police. One local scoffed they are only for show as there was a police strike three weeks ago, just before the World Cup but they were ordered back to work and their heart is not into it and there is a feeling some of them are corrupt.

With the cumulation of both the World Cup and  a local 5 day holiday of  Sao Juan, Christmas and Birthday has arrived for the pick pockets. With the tight streets clogged with people and at times, neck to neck inching among the thick crowds, these thieves are having a field day with locals and tourist. I went out on Friday, light with only my wallet, leaving my camera and phone in a locker at the hostel  and while huddled in the mass crowds, felt hands reach into my pockets and waist (for the money belt). One of the people in our room, lost his I-phone this way. It is Brasil, and when you add a large population who are unemployed, uneducated, poor  without much hope and disgruntled with government, it usually spells crime.

Some of the local's are really friendly though, and we got invited to a artist's home and he described his pieces from teen years to current and introduced his wife and home to us, with no expectation to buy anything (which was beyond anything I could afford). Good ol'Goggle translator came through.

I am enjoying watching the World Cup, and during these early stages there games everyday and fans from around the world walking and cheering. I watched the England and Uruguayan game in quintessential fashion, outside on the streets with a TV propped up on a window and a sudden make shift bar made up, sitting on plastic chairs with chanting, swearing and jeering English fans yelling nearby (including their loss). A total World Cup experience.

I also watched the high scoring Swiss and French game at the newly renovated and beautiful Arena Fonte Nova. Built vertically high to capture the crowd sounds and to be closer to the pitch, the 51 000 plus cheering fans could be heard chanting, cheering, singing and booing. I felt bad for the Swiss loss as they were definitely louder and initially more spirited.

The security was a bit lacked though. I don't know why they even asked for my name to be printed on the ticket as they never checked and they quickly rushed people through the security checks. I heard that they were not strict on where you sat and you could move down and even into the tunnels where the players moved around. No armed security on the field or even in the stadium. People were also scalping tickets outside the stadium, many of them for less than were bought  in cities outside of Rio De Janeiro (though some of the police do warn you not to do so or may confiscate it, and use the ticket themselves as in the case of a one English fan in our hostel). In the future, just come to the world cup and buy your tickets outside the stadium in the non-major cities which seemed pretty easy to do.

I can also understand some of the Brasilian frustration with government spending on this event. From what I could see, it was on the stadiums and police presence, but I was surprised how dumpy the Rio De Janeiro airport was with outdated and old layout, limited seating with few amenities, I could not believe they claim it had been renovated. Even in Salvador, the Fan Festival (TV stage and entertainment booths) only happens when games are played at the stadium or when Brazil plays because they ran out of money for security. The seaside promenade is unfinished as they too ran out of money.  

Off to the beach today and starting to enjoy Brazil and adjust to the high prices here.

My Top Ten Tips For Central America

It is my last day in Central America and I will be making my way to Juan Santamaria Airport in the next few hours to start a 19 hour flight to Salvador, Brazil via Bogata, Columbia and Rio De Janinero. I spent last night walking around San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica picking up some roated chicken from a Chinese take out and chatting with a taxi driver who was trying to convince me to come back, explaining the ratio of women to men was seven to one !!! San Jose is a working class city, sprinkled with 57 private universities with plenty of parks and squares around to break the monotomy of the concrete buildings and congested traffic though it gets quiet at night and feels safe to wander around.

Before I leave Central America, here are some tips (that I have done or should have done) if you come to this part of the world. So in no particular order....

1) Learn some Spanish either before come or when you get here. English is not spoken fluently, especially in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua and some basic Spanish will make your trip a lot smoothly. The locals are generally open to your attempts and will patiently correct your incorrect pronounciations.

There are plenty of inexpensive Spanish schools plus home stays throughout Central America, with the least expensive being in Guatemala in such cities Xella, Antigua and San Pedro running about $165 to $250 a week for 25 hours of one of one instruction and food/ lodging.

2) Bring American Dollars, especially one dollar bills but make sure they in good condition so you don't get that immigration guard who throws your crinkled dollar back at you. The dollar bills are handy for those annoying border entry or exit fees for who knows what, and often no change is provided. Unfortunately, Canadian dollars is useless outside of Mexico and Cuba. The American dinero is king here.

3) Bring a smart phone or buy a cheap one here. There is plenty of WIFI here though the internet connection can be spotty in places but it is handy to do your banking, book flights and rooms, check currency rates and emails, and many other things.

4) Have more than one bank account. Have a back up bank account/ card as the not all the banks here accept certain cards (For example, the 5B ATMs in Guatemela) and worse yet, if the ATM swallows your card.

5) Scan all your important documents (passport, credit cards, drivers license, etc.) and either save it on your email or I-Cloud just in case it gets lost or stolen.

6) When you bring money, hide it in different places. Pick pockets, muggings and "grab and runs" are realities here and I am amazed that people keep everything in one place or bag. There was a medical student I helped out in San Juan De Sur who lost about 3000-4000 euros in money, camera, laptop and documents as he had his bag snatched at the beach and he had no money, bank or credit card, or anything to tie him over.

7) Heed the warnings from the guide books, locals and travellers. This advice is likely the result of some unfortunate personal mishap that has happened. Spend a few shekels and take a taxi at night in some of the cities as you are pretty big target and stick out with your backpack. Mimic locals and just observe your surroundings. If there's there women and children around at the shops are open and it looks normal, it's safe but ask people if you are not sure. In some ways, this reminds me of some African cities I visited. Don't walk around with a camera, phone or bag out unless you see the locals doing it.

8) Eat Meat. My apologies to you vegetarians but the vegetarian options are often limited (beans, rice and friend plantans). I have been nuturing a fried chicken addiction from Guatemela. Sit and eat at the public markets to get a feel of the city and people and eat some wonderful and cheap food there which usually consists of some cooked meat in a stew or soup, grilled or lovingly deep fried.

9) Bring sun screen. Locals do not use sunscreen so there are no domestic brands. Only tourists use it so that translates to expensive.

10) Accept the fact that you can not do everything here but bring your swim trunks and hikers. Mix up your activities... climb a volcano then go kayaking on a lake or visit a colonial city then go surfing on the Pacific side or diving / snorkeling in the Carribean side. I do regret not knowing how to swim though so I had to be content with relaxing on the beach.       

Let the Games Begin...

With the kick off of the Brazil and Croatia game last Thursday, the World Cup has begun. Eight years ago I was watching the World Cup in Bulgaria, Albania and Italy. There is something to watching this event with other people from around the world. In this case, the local Ticos cheering on their Costa Rican team or other travelers from Germany, France, Argentina, or Ireland glued to the TV. The groans of missed goals or bad turn overs to controversial calls to the shot that puts the ball in the net and the announcer yelling "gggggoooooaaaaaallllll!" I will be flying to Brazil in a couple of days and can not believe how quickly a month and half have gone by.

I am enjoying the cool air, wild life and beautiful rainforest of Monteverde in Costa Rica. This morning I went ziplining, Tarzan swinging and 'superman' lining (essentially going over a 1km or so over a valley on your belly as you are garnished on a line. The outfit like many other zipline companies runs hundreds of tourists through every week and is a popular thing to do. I also recommend taking the guided night hike as the nocturnal animals are out and we saw plenty of pit viper snakes, sloths, porcupine, a sleeping tucan and other animals. The day hike you will lucky to spot any animals but the green foilage is pleasant and the insects are minimal.

Monte Verde-Santa Elena is a town centered purely around eco-tourism with English restaurant menus, plenty of accomdations and hostals, two supermarkets and lots of tours and ads for them. It is the rainy season so business is slow but I can imagine it keeps packed. There are plenty of American tourists and you can hike here in the bush knowing there are no bandits who are going to clean you out. With that, it is more expensive for food and accomdation.

I stayed a few days in Liberia with a Japanese friend's dad and it was nice to unpack and settle for a time. To be honest, there not too much to see in this town itself though there is a beach and park nearby. It was kind of him to let me stay in his town house and I was impressed that at 71, he would volunteer (through the Japanese government) in a foreign country for two years to teach the locals about food processing and learn the language and way of life here. He was also quite self sufficient and would make bake his own bread, grow his own beans and cook Japanese food.

One Last Beach in Nicaragua

I am spending my last night in Nicaragua by the Pacific Ocean in the town of San Juan de Sur and surprisingly good Italian pasta, coffee and gelato. I previously spent two days on the island of Ometepe on Lake Nicaragua. The largest lake in Central America with a deep trench running south of the island where bull sharks have been found. Very relaxing on island time, bike riding along the beaches and watching the fire flies dance across finca fields like Christmas lights and whole communities gather around a baseball or soccer pitch on Sunday afternoons to cheer their local teams. Baseball, a remnant of the past  American presence in the 1930's remains Nicaragua's favorite sport. San Domingo beach between the two island volcanoes is particularly beautiful at sunset.

I have been impressed that the people in Central America have not held any animosity towards the United States with all the American meddling and influence into their countries. Whether it was a CIA funded coup or the powerful influence of the United Fruit company in Guatemala, or the funding of a corrupt government dictatorship in El Salvador or early American attempts to annex Nicaragua in an attempt to make a passage between the west and east coast during the Californian gold rush (prior to the panama canal) to the Iran-Contra scandal where the CIA was secretly selling arms to Iran and diverting the profits to arm the Contras fighting the leftist goverment. American travelers and tourist groups come and go and there is not a bit of animosity and many locals I have spoken to have lived and worked (legally or illegally) in the US and are fond of their times there. Perhaps it is the American Dream, where one can make a fortune through hard work. Given that the average income for a Nicaraguan teacher is about $155 US a month and 40-45% of the population live below the poverty line, this remains true if they send the money home. Maybe the locals here are like the people in Iran, where they differentiate the US government from the people or it could just be a lack of education.

In fact, it is said that one possible origin of the word "Gringo" comes from the Mexican and Guatemalan peasants in 1850's telling the American army and presence to "green go!" in reference to their uniform and/ or money.

Speaking of an alternative canal to the one in panama, there is one controversial proposal made by a rich Chinese business man to made across Nicaragua and mostly using the deep waters in Lake Nicaragua to increase traffic and cargo capacity, and have a lower canal fee. How history repeats but there is a lot of public opposition to this new canal and there is talk the indigenous people have armed themselves in anticipation of a struggle.

I will be in Costa Rica tomorrow and in Brasil for the world cup in a few days. Kick off for the tournament starts in two days and I will be wearing my Brasilian t=shirt (sorry, Croatia).

Nicaragua... Land of the Hammocks, Rocking Chairs and the Sandinistas !

I have been in Nicaragua for about five days visiting the twin colonial towns of Leon and Granada. Leon has it´s revoluntionary roots and history of active student movement and radical clerics while more conservative Granada in in the south was more aligned with the previous Somoza government. Leon is close to the Pacific Ocean while Granada is hemmed in between the largest lake in Central America, Lake Nicargagua and Laguna de Apoyo. Both cities  have cobbled-stoned roads, crumbling churches, and much like their European origin, an pargue central (square) where the catherdral is located and the rest of the city is built around. The air in both cities have been hot, humid and sticky and by early afternoon, my t-shirt is soaked through and I am constantly drinking the blended juices.

Leon has an impressive art museum with plenty of modern art from Latin and Central America on an expansive site and inner court yards, a church roof top you can walk around for views and to catch a cool breeze, a nearby beach with strong Pacfic Ocean waves and volcano sliding. A very touristy thing to do, I being a tourist did it. Essentially, you pay $30 US to get a truck ride to Volcano Cerro Negro, hike up 45 minutes, sit on a modified tobogan and hang on for the steep ride down the rocky volcano. I went down a modest 36 km/ hour and shy of of the 95 km/ hr record. With pebbles flying, your board sliding left and right on the steep run and your speed gaining, it´s actually quite fun with the steaming volcano behind you. The things tourist do. One tour company offered to bring tourists to see a cock-fight (only on Sundays) or cook up a live Igunana from the market in a local home or maybe you want to shoot a modified bazooka from the revolution. That can be arranged.    

I actually preferred Granada and felt more comfortable and things just seemed to fall into place easier here. I didn´t even mind walking around the city at night when I arrived from one hostal to the next to the next as they were was full. I met up with two French travellers from El Salvador and they were very lively and spirited. We visited the craft fair in nearby Masaya, the panoramic views of Laguna de Apoyo and swim in the warm waters of the Laguana. Then off to eat some sushi (so so for Vancouver, good for Nicaragua), listen to a Mexcian band (one member playing the smallest guitar I have ever seen, about the size of a large hand) and dancing after.

Nicaragua seems much safer and more relaxed and propserous than Guatemala and El Salvador (though I am very fond of these countries). The guards with the machine guns and shotguns have been replaced with guards with handguns and night sticks (though there are no gaurds in pastry shops as there were in El Salvador), people openly use their phones on the street, there are mini-casinos with slot machines dotted around and it is common for people to travel on night buses.   

With all the rice eaten in Central America (or more precisely, rice and beans) and second only to the

mighty tortilla, I had mistakenly assumed the rice was imported from Asia. Not so, all the rice in Nicaragua comes from Nicaragua as I was informed by a grain merchant at the city mercado (market). In fact, Nicaragua is the rice bowl for all of Central America and supplies rice from Guatemla to Panama. I have yet to see any rice paddy fields or terraced farm lands though but I have grown to enjoy rice and refried beans or Gallo Pinto (beans mixed into the rice). Off to Isla de Ometepe on Lake Nicaragua.   

To Eat or Not To Eat

I have been pleasantly surprised by how "foodie" this little country is. El Salvadorian towns seem to come alive on weekends as the food and market stalls are set up around the plazas from late morning to early evening. I particularly enjoyed the weekly food festival at the highland town of Juayua along the Ruta De Las Flores (flower route). I stayed an extra day just so I could partake in the food festival and eat at a local steak house.

The food festival is a series of grill and food stands. Simply walk by and small sample of delicious meat morsels will be offered to you. Be strong, and don't commit right away.  Waste not your stomach space. A plate of Argentinian beef, grilled frog or fish, or Bbq chicken on tortillas with rice, salad and maybe some shrimp will set you back $5. I settled on some delicious grilled rabbit, cheese tortillas, rice and salad and happily ate under a red yawning while the constant flow of street vendors offering nuts, toothpaste or cotton candy went by, the occasional dog scurried by for scraps and 2 musicians played on the marimba in the background (a traditional wooden music instrument made up of long panels that are struck and makes a particularly light and cheerful sound).

As for the steak house (R & R restaurant), if you fancy a good piece of meat with a local twist, I can say your search is over.  A subtle coffee or particularly rose flower sauce over a perfectly grilled steak. The almost caramelized crispy refried beans and rice was a nice touch. The chef is physically quite big and ogre-like and can hardly fit through the door but he takes his cooking very seriously and with care.

One charming practice here by Salvadorians is the afternoon coffee and cake/ pastry at the Panaderias. Whether you are a businessman taking his eldery mother out, a couple sharing a moment together or workers riding ontop  of a  dump truck and taking a break, a coffee and cake will be had.

I spent today in San Salvador, walking around the historical centre. The guerilla fighter organization turned to left wing political party, FMLN won another four year term and the party was having a celebration on the main square. Plenty of Che, assignated arch-bishop Romero, and FMLN shirts for sale, red flags flying and revolutionary songs sang. Normally, I would be hesistant to bring out a camera in the main square but with plenty of police, it was safe.

I make it a practice to listen to what locals say and mimic what they do. Say they tell you not to walk down that street, I probably recommend you don't do that. I check to see if the locals walk around with bags or use their cell phones on the street or if there are plenty of kids and families around, then it's likely safe. El Salvador, along with most Central American countries have issues with the Maras (gangs) or MS-13 / MS-18 or in this case the Salvatrucha (salva 'clever trout). There are apparently 100 000 members and originally were organized as a response to the Mexican gangs. The situation seems much worse in Honduras and I have yet to meet a traveller who has gone through the mainland, as they prefer to avoid it by going to the Bay Islands.

One place I would recommend visiting if you find yourself in San Salvador is the area called Santa Tecula, about 20 minutes from the city center by public bus and past multiple shopping malls and the exhust clogged traffic. There is a pleasant square and a street called Paseo El Carmen full of bars, eateries and bakeries, where San Salvadorans can drop their guard and leisurely walk down the street, families can share a meal together or sing a song that the mirabim group are playing. It's very relaxing and you get a glimpse of what this city could be without the crime and gangs. I have an early start tomorrow to Leon, Nicaragua so off to sleep.