El Salvador - We Meet a Guerrilla and Climb a Mountain

 About 30 kilometres from the town of Sutchitoto is the Ecological Park of Cinquera, close to the small town of Cinquera.  We were heading there to meet with the Chief Park Ranger and former guerrilla from the El  Salvador civil war, Rafael Hernandez, and then hike through the bush to the look out tower at the top of the mountain

Former guerrilla, Rafael Hernandez
on the left

Before we started the hike Rafael gave us a talk on the reasons for the civil war, and the methods the guerrillas used to avoid detection. It is not surprising there was a revolution and when you learn how things were for the general population it is clear it was highly justified.  Up until that time the whole of El Salvador was owned by just 14 families who used all the other citizens as slave labour.  Farmers were unable to buy land and had to work for the land owners six days a week for a salary of 11US cents  a day. 

Guide, Renee, at the remnants of a guerrilla camp
explaining how they hid from government forces

Memorial to the guerrillas
on the mountain

As a teenager Rafael supported the citizens uprising and joined a protest march ending up being severely beaten by a government guard.  This spurred him on to become a guerrilla and join the fight.  He went to Cuba to train and returned to live in guerrilla camps on the mountain we were about to hike. Unfortunately the United States sided with the El Salvador government and helped train their soldiers, also providing enormous financial and military support. The US feared the spread of communism but that was not what the people of El Salvador were after, they simply wanted justice and freedom from poverty. The news the rest of the world received about the war was always from the US's point of view. There were several massacres of innocent people who the government deemed to be hiding guerrillas, in one day over 1000 were killed. After 12 years of relentless fighting both sides were exhausted and a peace accord was signed in Mexico in 1992.  Life eventually improved for the ordinary citizens and many who had left during the war returned to buy land and start farming.                                                                                                                                                      The mountain we were  climbing had been the hideout for many of the guerrillas. It was tough going up steep paths and stairs in 34 degree heat and humidity.  Fortunately another guide, Renee, came with us to show us the remnants of the guerrillas camps, their trenchs and the very interesting way they learnt to cook over fires without smoke being detected, a skill they learnt from the Vietnamese. It was fascinating. When we stopped at various sites for his explanations it gave us time to catch our breath.

View of Lake Suchitlan from the look out tower Photo by Thomas Bauer

At the top of the mountain there is a look out tower which we climbed to get a stunning view over the forest and Lake Suchitlan. A group of three armed soldiers arrived not far behind us.  They were very cheerful and friendly and happily posed for photos with us.

It was much easier to descend the mountain and a couple from our group took the opportunity to swim at the base of the waterfall to cool off.

On our way back to Sutchitoto we stopped at the village of Cinquera where a festival was in progress.  We strolled around the square and inspected the remnants of the civil war on display, part of a downed US helicopter and two missiles which were used as the church bells when the actual bell was removed after the church was bombed. There were large murals of Monsignor Romero, now Saint Oscar Romero, who was a champion of the poor and believed their fight against the government was justified.  In a shocking act he was assassinated by government forces in a packed church while saying Mass

The church in Cinquera. Saint Monsignor Romero on the left,
 Padre Marcial Serrano on the right
Both priests assassinated by govt forces for their support of the poor.

It had been quite a morning!  We had learnt a lot, exercised a lot and sweltered in the heat. Time for a swim at the hotel before heading out to an indigo dyeing demonstration.   The indigo dyeing workshop we visited is run by a women's collective which fits in with Intrepid Tours philosophy of trips not only benefiting the traveller but also the communities they visit.  Indigo is extremely expensive and has lost out to artificial dyes over the years but this collective is continuing the ancient craft. Profits from their sales go back into helping the community. I particularly love the deep rich blue it produces and was fascinated by the whole process of dyeing which was demonstrated for us. I couldn't help myself and bought one of their indigo dyed tops.  A perfect souvenir.

Our day was completed with another wander through Suchitoto's lovely town square, drinks at a pleasantly cool bar and dinner at an outdoor restaurant overlooking the lake as the day turned to dusk. It had been a full and interesting day.  I was going to be sorry to leave Suchitoto.

El Salvador and the Lovely Town of Suchitoto

 

A warm welcome
Photo: Amanda Schofield

I loved El Salvador right from the start. Maybe it was the warm welcome we received at their shiny new border crossing which included free coffee and snacks, or perhaps it was the myriad of interesting activities we enjoyed or maybe it was simply the people who were friendly, cheerful and inclusive. Thomas, one of my fellow travellers, was amused by me because I had said I enjoyed everywhere and everything we had done to that point so I had to assure him that, yes, I really did love El Salvador.

The town square

El Salvador had suffered from a civil war for 12 years ending in 1992 with a peace accord. However the United States then deported thousands of El Salvadorian gang members back to the country who quickly took control  due to weak governments and immense poverty. The country was effectively ruled by gangs, drug dealers and other criminals who made life hell  for the residents keeping them in a constant state of fear and anxiety.  Murders were prolific, on one weekend in 2019 there were 87 gang related murders, and extortion and stand over tactics were common place. When current President Nayib Bukele was elected he vowed to clean up the gangs which he has done mainly by incacerating any gang members in an enormous jail.  As of now there are over 100,000 people in jail in El Salvador.  Human rights activists are not happy about this but the people of the country are delighted and Bukele is greatly admired for his stance throughout central and south America.  Life now is safe and harmonious and the President has an approval rating of 88%.  Although, as with everywhere in the world, there is still crime it has now dropped to historic levels. It certainly felt a very safe place to be.

We checked into our hotel at Suchitoto and had a refreshing swim in the pool before walking down to the town square.  It's a really lovely place overlooked by a huge Catholic Church, Iglesia Santa Lucia, which at the time was packed with worshippers.  Families and children were enjoying time together in the square, just a really lovely atmosphere. The town is considered  to be the cultural  capital of El Salvador with cobble stone streets and bursting with colonial charm.

Left and right Cooking class at Grandma's House

Photos by our guide:

Guillermo de Leon 

Later in the day we went to a restaurant named, Casa de la Abuela, or Grandma's House, where we were to have a cooking lesson making the staple dish of Central America, Pupusa. This is a type of flatbread which you stuff with various fillings and then fry.  Firstly we had a talk from the owner telling us  the history of the building and that it really was his grandma's house, next we watched a demonstration on how to make pupusa and then we all made some for our dinner which we enjoyed eating together.  It was a great activity.

With the happy bride.  Such a special night!
Photo from Marina Weidner

Back at the hotel a few of us decided to have some drinks out on the terrace.  There was a wedding reception taking place in the restaurant on the lower level.  Everyone at the reception was dancing to the music so we did too.  After a while a man from the wedding party came up and invited us to join the wedding down stairs.  We were warmly welcomed and joined in dancing with the wedding guests to a mix of Spanish and English songs. Brilliant fun.  The last song of the night was Abba's Dancing Queen.  The bride stood in the middle of the floor and everyone, including us, danced around her.  It was a privilege to share in this special occasion.

The Mayan Ruins of Copan, Honduras

Pyramid tomb of Rulers

Close to the border of Guatemala lies the small Honduran town of Copan and we were there to visit the nearby ruins of a Mayan city dating back as far as the 4th century. Although the valley of Copan has been populated for at least four thousand years the Mayan dynastic civilisation there is recorded as beginning in the year 426 AD and running until 822 AD when it gradually declined.  

The decline was largely due to a brutal defeat by the army of a neighbouring state which captured and beheaded the last dynastic ruler of Copan, however other factors included overcrowding, drought, depleted crops and continuing military conflicts. Most of the residents moved out into the surrounding valleys to continue a life of farming.

 Copan Ruins is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and provides an amazing insight into a long gone culture.

A stone altar decorated with images of Mayan rulers

Scarlet Macaw
( Photo by Thomas Bauer)

Entry to the ruins was along a very pretty forested walk where the bright red flashes of Honduras' national bird, the Scarlet Macaw, lit up the foliage. This was my first time visiting a Mayan site so I was keen to learn as much as I could.  We were led by a knowledgeable and articulate guide who explained the heirarchical structure of Mayan society and explained the intricate details in many of the altars and stelae (upright stone slabs depicting the rulers of Copan). Scholars, historians and anthropologists have been able to piece together much of the social construct of the Mayan society, painstakingly deciphering heiroglyphics and the many ornate carvings which are still in remarkable condition after 1200 years of weather and neglect.  In all there were 16 dynastic rulers of Copan, the 17th was in line but by then the society had collapsed so he never made it.  There is a poignant stelae which was meant to hold his depiction but was left uncarved.

Our guide gave excellent explanations of who and what the carvings represented

We spent three hours walking through the 54 acre site looking at the tombs of rulers, the carvings, the impressive heiroglyphic staircase and even a ball court where some sort of sport was played. I found it all very interesting and was impressed with how the site is being cared for and maintained but the heat of the day was blistering and by the end of the tour we were lurching from tree to tree for shade.  It was time for a respite.

No, I didn't drive it!

Back in the village we piled into small tuk tuks and went on a somewhat hair raising trip at full speed over potholed and gravelly roads to the San Lucas Hacienda.  I was hanging on for dear life! There we had cool drinks and lunch under shady trees while overlooking the lush valley and river below.

  

Our hotel was at the top of a very steep hill so every time we walked down to the delightful village of Copan we had a stiff hike back up again.  As we were walking up the hill in the late afternoon we heard a band practising drumming so we went to investigate. It was a school group led by a very enthusiastic teacher.  We were welcomed in and It was fun and entertaining to watch them. The next evening as we were leaving dinner in town we came across the reason for their practise.  Their school was celebrating an anniversary and the band, dressed very smartly in band uniforms, was performing.  We stood and watched them and other performances, enjoying the feeling of being part of the local crowd.

I can't end this post without mentioning the lovely San Rafael Cafe near the town square.  We went there twice and spent a very pleasant time getting to know each other and talking about travel. My group's various adventures were inspiring!

NOTE: I am using photos taken by my fellow travellers in some of these posts with their permission.

Antigua, The Prettiest Town in Guatemala

 I arrived at Guatemala City airport tired and jaded after approx 28 hours of travel however that wasn't enough to dull my excitement and the anticipation of traveling to five countries of Central America on an Intrepid Tours trip.

Guatemala city was an eye opener.  At 5am the traffic was already gridlocked, my driver telling me gridlock starts as early as 4.30am and some people spend up to 5 hours a day stuck in traffic. Imagine that? The buses, lit up with flashing lights and decorations making them look for all the world like mobile Christmas trees, made a cheerful sight against the rather drab city scape.

But I wasn't there to spend time in Guatemala City, I was heading 25 miles out of town to the UNESCO World Heritage city, and former capital, Antigua. My tour wasn't to start for a couple of days so I had plenty of time to explore this lovely city on my own.

Antigua

Located in the mountains of Guatemala and surrounded by three volcanoes Antigua was founded by the Spanish in 1543 so has many fine examples of buildings of Spanish Baroque design.  It is also peppered with ruins from severe earthquakes from the 18th century, which caused the capital to be moved to Guatemala City. It is widely recognised as one of the most beautiful small cities of Central America. The streets are cobble stoned, lined with colourful casas and laid out in a grid pattern making it very easy to find your way around. I couldn't wait to explore.

Santa Catalina Arch, the famous Antigua landmark

Heading off on my walk I came to the most famous symbol of Antigua, the Santa Catalina Arch which was built as a covered walkway for cloistered nuns to give them privacy from prying eyes.  Beyond the arch the 12,000ft volcano, Vulcan Awa, towers above the city.  The buttercup yellow of the arch is duplicated on the facade of the beautiful church of La Merced.  The pretty white detailing on the exterior a unique feature.

The pretty church of La Merced

Next I came to the former Jesuit monastery of Compania de Jesus. Badly damaged by earthquakes and now restored as an art gallery, events centre and conference hall it is really beautiful and in my opinion a must see. I visited the art gallery and lingered for a while in the cloisters and garden enjoying the tranquility.

The Compania de Jesus

The day was moving on so I returned to my hotel, Posadita Casa Maria Jose, to check in and then found one of the many lovely cafes nearby for lunch and coffee. Despite all that I still wanted to see I just had to rest as I was exhausted and grateful to have the next day to continue exploring the city.

My Hotel, Casa Maria Jose

My breakfast at Fernando's Kaffee ( highly recommended)

After a delicious breakfast in the pretty courtyard at Fernando's Kaffee the following morning I visited the ruins of the convent of Santa Clara.  Although there are many ruins dotted around the city this is said to be the best one to visit.  There is a modest entry fee but it is well worth it.  Despite suffering damage in earthquakes of 1717 and 1773 there is still plenty to see.  The shell of the chapel is almost complete and you can walk among the damaged cloisters and galleries. There is also a peaceful garden complete with working fountain to sit, relax and meditate in.

The ruins of Santa Clara

For people watching you can't go past the vibrant and colourful Central Plaza, a hive of activity with hawkers, traders, tourists and people simply enjoying time relaxing on benches near the fountain. Unlike other places I have visited the hawkers and traders were not pushy in fact I found all the people I met in Antigua to be friendly and polite.

  Bucket on her head, both arms full and a toddler asleep on her back.

On one side of the square are the ruins of the ornate San Jose Cathedral, its facade unspoilt. It can be visited but was closed when I was there. On another side is the arcaded City Hall Palace where the city's administration offices are housed.  I visited the Real (Royal) Palace (1743) on a third side of the square which now houses the National Museum of Art enjoying the art and artifacts on display and the lovely view across Central Plaza.

Later in the day I met my fellow travellers  and guide who would be my companions for the next 17 days as we continued on our Intrepid journey. They were an excellent group of 7 - 6 women, 1 man plus our Guatemalan guide. I could see fun times ahead. We enjoyed a meal together at a nearby restaurant and went to bed early for a 6am start the next day.

At 2am we had an authentic Antigua experience. An earthquake shook our hotel violently, a pretty scary experience as the heavy rafters above my bed creaked and moaned. Our guide told us later that these earthquakes are a regular occurrence  in Antigua. All part of the adventure  I guess.

Bruny Island, Tasmania - A Relaxing, laid back delight

 I really loved Bruny Island.  Just a short 20 minute by sea from the bottom of Tasmania, it is a small island off the big island. The ferry trip is scenic and pleasant and the moment you arrive on Bruny Island you get those laid back, relaxing island vibes.  It reminded me of arriving on Waiheke Island in Auckland, one of my favourite places in the world.

Our first stop on the island was at Truganini Lookout, named to honour a famous aboriginal woman who was a prominent leader of the Palawa tribe of the island.  There are 297 steps from the road to the lookout so it's not for the faint hearted but well worth the effort if your lungs and heart can take it.  The views are stunning giving a panoramic view of both sides of the narrow neck of land.

There's an awful lot of stairs to the lookout

One of the charming things about islands that is not quite so common on the mainland, and never seen in cities,  is the good old honesty box.  On Bruny we stopped at 3 shabby disused fridges by the side of the road.  Inside them was the most delicious freshly baked bread so, of course, we bought some and shared it around our mini bus as we travelled on. 

Note the coin box for purchases between two of the fridges

Next, to my great delight, we went to the Bruny Island lighthouse.  Frequent readers of this blog will know I have a real love of lighthouses.  It was a long steep climb up  but definitely worth it for the spectacular views in all directions.  The disused keeper's cottage below is now a small museum so I took the time to look at the history of the lighthouse on display there.  I really enjoyed this stop and my wander around the grounds surrounding the cottage.

Below: A view from the lighthouse

After a very tasty and generous seafood chowder for lunch at the Bruny Hotel we visited the tiny Bligh Museum at Adventure Bay. This is a private museum built from 26,000 convict made bricks. Inside is a rare collection of paintings, photos and documents related to the landings of explorers, William Bligh (of Bounty fame), James Cook and Matthew Flinders.  This was a short stop for us so we gave the museum a 'once over lightly'.  I'm sure with time to spare it would be absorbing. The museum is set in a lovely garden, opposite a beautiful beach.  A very pleasant place to stop.

The rest of our afternoon was spent visiting the Bruny Island Cheese company for cheese tastings and wine and at the Get Shucked (bit of Aussie humour there) oyster farm to devour the freshest of fresh oysters. 

Late afternoon we returned to mainland Tasmania by ferry. It's a good sign when you are reluctant to leave a place and I was reluctant to leave Bruny Island. This had been a fantastic day combining so many of the things I enjoy.   It is only 76 kms or 47 miles from Hobart so would make an ideal day trip for visitors to the city, I recommend it.

Anzac Day in Tasmania - Commemorating a special day for both Australia and New Zealand

 Anzac Day is a very important day for Australians and New Zealanders, probably one of the most important days in our calendar.  ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and is a day of remembrance for the soldiers of both countries lost in war. It is a solemn day starting with either dawn or morning ceremonies in most towns of New Zealand and Australia.  It is also a day where citizens of both countries feel united and patriotic, coming together as brothers and sisters to remember those who sacrificed their lives for their homelands. I attend an ANZAC ceremony every year with my family in New Zealand.

Most of our tour group were either New Zealanders or Australians and we were very keen to commemorate Anzac Day somehow, despite being far from home  in a remote part of Australia. We were even discussing ways to hold our own ceremony.  As luck would have it the Hotel Lufra, at Eaglehawk Neck where we were spending the night was hosting an Anzac dawn ceremony the next morning.  Excellent, problem solved.

The flag flying in commemoration ( note: most of the people were behind me)

At 6.30am about 60 people gathered on the hotel lawn, some wearing military medals.  The ceremony was simple and very moving. An ex military man gave a short speech, there was a minute's silence for personal reflection, the Australian flag was raised up the flag pole and the Last Post was played as the dawning sky turned the sea a soft pink.  Then, as is also traditional, everyone proceeded to breakfast and I did spot a few hardy souls enjoying early liquid refreshments while sharing memories of lost relatives and the special camaraderie of their past military sevice.

For me and my fellow New Zealanders this was a very special celebration of Anzac Day. It was such a good feeling to feel so close to, and in tune with, our nearest neighbours in Australia.

Cradle Mountain, the Jewel in Tasmania's Crown

 Every time I mentioned I was going to Tasmania people asked "Are you going to Cradle Mountain?"  It was clear it's one of the state's most treasured locations so all of my tour group were looking forward to going there. You can't  drive right into Cradle Mountain National Park, you must board a shuttle bus which takes you right in. It is a scenic alpine trip but what really made it for us was the bus driver, a true blue Aussie who kept up a very amusing, joke filled commentary all the way.

We left the bus at Dove Lake but unfortunately the mountain was cloaked in thick fog making it impossible to get even a glimpse of it so we took a short walk beside the lake to the boat house.  It was really beautiful, quite atmospheric in the fog, and with pretty reflections on the glass like water.

After a short break, we set off for a very long walk across the alpine terrain.  For quite a while it was difficult, clambering over rocks and stones and through muddy patches but eventually we came to a board walk which made it a lot easier, apart from the fact that we had to avoid the prolific wombat droppings across the path.  Nevertheless we were delighted to see wombats and echidnas just living their lives in the wild.

Wombat

Echidna

This is a great area for hikers there are many different trails

At the top of a slope is an exact replica of the cottage of Gustav and  Kate Weindorfer, lodge keepers and botanists, who lived in and loved the area in the early 1900s and worked hard to achieve Protected Status for the region.  We sat and rested inside the cottage before making our way back to the shuttle bus. 

Inside the Weindorfer's cottage

Before heading to our hotel we visited a tasmanian devil and quoll sanctuary.   Tasmania devils are ugly little things with a horrible screech, hence their name, but the quolls are cute enough and we were pleased to have seen so much of Australia's interesting and diverse wild life in one day.

Tasmanian Devil

Quoll

We spent the night at the lovely Cradle Mountain Hotel, enjoying drinks and conversation beside a roaring fire before dinner. We hadn't seen the mountain but we had still had an enjoyable and satisfying day. And then our wonderful guide came up with an idea, she moved our itinerary around a bit so we could try and see the mountain again the next day. In the morning we took two short walks, one to Pencil Pine Falls, very peaceful, before heading right into the park and what a joy it was to see the mountain clearly with just a bit of fog swirling around.  

Cradle Mountain

Very impressive.  We were delighted, contented and happy to continue on our travels which took us past a spectacular mountain range and into the pretty little town of Sheffield.

Sheffield is known as the mural town for its colourful murals everywhere and for a well known identity who sits outside a cafe every day with his tame, pet llama named Pedro. 

A man and his llama.  Note part of the mural depicting them on the right. 

After a good long coffee break we went to an arboretum where we strolled among vibrantly coloured autumn leafed trees and saw platypus making brief appearances above the water, too fast to photograph.

Our stop for the night was back at the Grand Chancellor Hotel, Launceston and in the morning we were heading south.