For all of you who are considering traveling down here to Salvador: There is no need to bring your own security guard!! Well, that's a statement that we thought we'd never make. All of the well-to-do people here have their own personal security guards and most business establishments have at least one armed security guard. Not that it's dangerous here but, people with money are occasionally kidnapped and a guard costs about $10 per day. Jean and I took an overnight trip to San Salvador with our friends Mike & Mary to celebrate our Jean's birthday. One morning we took a taxi down to the central open-air market located right in the center of San Salvador (hence the name). We were stopped by these two city policemen who told us that we should be careful of pick-pockets and that we should be careful where we go. We thanked them and continued to stroll the markets. 
A little later we met up with the same officers. They called two of their officers over and assigned them to watch over us while we shopped! They also told them to follow us at a discrete distance and not be obvious. There you go...when did that happen last in San Francisco? Anyway, the open market is quite an experience. Jean and I have been down there twice and always enjoyed the sights and sound of the vendors. Name a vegetable and you can find it somewhere in the market. Fresh vegies, housewares, box California wine ($10 for 5 liters of Franzia Burgundy), hardware items, you name it. Of course, there are many places and many kinds of food from which to choose. This fella here, in the video, managed to miss his fingers while frantically chopping his cabbage. He does, however, look pretty nonchalant about it.
A little later we met up with the same officers. They called two of their officers over and assigned them to watch over us while we shopped! They also told them to follow us at a discrete distance and not be obvious. There you go...when did that happen last in San Francisco? Anyway, the open market is quite an experience. Jean and I have been down there twice and always enjoyed the sights and sound of the vendors. Name a vegetable and you can find it somewhere in the market. Fresh vegies, housewares, box California wine ($10 for 5 liters of Franzia Burgundy), hardware items, you name it. Of course, there are many places and many kinds of food from which to choose. This fella here, in the video, managed to miss his fingers while frantically chopping his cabbage. He does, however, look pretty nonchalant about it.We had an interesting bus trip from Bahi del Sol to San Salvador. Here in Salvador, when it's time for the bus driver to get a drug and alcohol test they just pull the bus over to the side of the road and perform a breath and
urine test right there! Our bus was pulled over right at the entrance to the bus terminal. The poor driver was given a little cup and he stood behind a bush and peed right there! Apparently, bus costumers are used to this as they just got off the bus and walked to the terminal from there.We all stayed at a nice hotel near one of the large European-style malls and went to a nice steak house for Jean's birthday dinner. Four of us, four steaks, two bottles of wine, four top-of-the-line after-dinner drinks, and desert (plus included tip) $105. Ya gotta love it in El Salvador! No wonder we can't seem to get away from here.
No comments:
Post a Comment