5th May 2011
I got an idea to cross the border into El Salvador though the Mountains so we could stop off at all the tiny villages and towns on the way and see the Lenca people.
We first stopped in La Esperanza where we pretty much had to build our own bedroom as we spent the first half an hour moving beds etc only to find that the rooms didn’t have locks on them. This town was a slightly disappointing first start as wasn't as pretty or busy as I thought it would be. We got up really early the next morning and took the chicken bus to Marcala which is where the journey got interesting. The bus basically went along a potholed, cratered dirt track for 3 hours, how the bus hadn’t fallen apart was
seriously beyond me, It was such a beautiful ride with the communities we passed along the way getting smaller and smaller. Lenca people climbed on the bus bringing the fruit and vegetables they had grown on their land and the bus filled with the smell of strawberries and green peppers. I was really wonderful- to have the chatter of the people so well known to each other and the magnificent view of the cloud forest. I really liked Marcala. We met the policeman straight away who wanted to show us where the mayor lived and how proud he was of this little market town.
We located the bus for the border and looked around as a demonstration kicked off about returning private companies back to public services. The bus to the border was jammed packed with el Salvadorians and hondurenos. The bus driver told us to tell the army that we wanted to visit a town near the other side of the border that was known for its revolutionary museum and that pride and interest in their country might just sway them to let us cross. I felt sure we could cross; we have already travelled for a few days! The bus rattled and rolled long another dirt track right up into th
e mountains past tiny farms and communities and then we reached the army post at the border. A soldier got on and asked all the men to leave the bus and he began checking everyone’s ID. I saw that some of the women didn't have the correct ID but he just waived them past
so I felt good. I tried to look cool (like they wouldn't notice the only white blonde person on the bus with the British passport). The soldier looked at my passport and asked me to get off the bus as he needed to confer with his boss. I saw Ray outside who seemed to have been let through (yet another example of even though the doesn’t speak much Spanish and his passport doesn’t say he is from Central America, his skin colour makes them sure he is!!!) so I said 'He is with me' hahaha and he was pulled from the men’s line too. The b
oss was called who explained to us that this wasn't actually an immigration post and it was for the CA4 countries only. The soldier said, but they only want to go see Perkin and then they have promised to come right back...right?' (!) 'Si si' I nodded enthusiastically. Boss wasn't having it and the next we knew the bus had thrown our luggage off the top of the bus and given us our 40 limperas back and they were off whilst we were detained by the army and politely questioned, photos taken of us and our passport (on his i phone as they didn’t have a camera or photocopier hahaha. We were made to wait in this remote mountain army post for a returning bus 3 hours back to the nearest town. The entire journey to cross this dam border took 3 days and the next bus cost $40 not 20 limperas but it was hilarious!!!!
9th May
So we are in El Salvador. On my last trip to central America there was no way I was going to El Salvador having heard it was too dangerous but I was liking it here. The first stop was San Miguel which had been described as 'San Salvador’s ugly step sister'. First thing I noticed was all the strip clubs about. Later found out that selling sex here is legal. Then you notice all the 'auto hotels' basically drive in sex joints but they get used for wives and girlfriends as well as for girls from the clubs The final thing you notice in this quite seedy ghetto town is the endless display of American chain restaurants smiling at you from every corner. An interesting mix...I like these kind of places. San Miguel was too dangerous to go out at night apparently. Actually the country El Salvador turned out to be such a safe and friendly place, not disturbed by tourism yet and the people were really cool. We headed out to the pacific coast (through a town where apparently even Popeye would look over his shoulder) to meet a friend who I had met the Dalai Lama with all those years ago in India. He was doing a photography project and offered us a chance to hang out with the clowns of El Salvador
Los Payasos
There was the manager, a serious guy who ran the show and a couple of young guys who were clowns. There was a whole family, the father the clown, the 14 year old daughter the dancer and the youngest occasionally appearing though they wished she would attend the schools they placed her in in each town. I loved this family and I developed a real shine for the 2 daughters one of which didn't seem to leave my side for most of the day. The eldest daughter went from being a real teenager playing football and cuddling her puppy to a busty spangly bra'd fish netted hit with the men in the evening. There was another dancer with 2 children. Mum spent time breastfeeding a chubby bubby and then insisted on having photos taken of her tits- 'chi chis for el Salvador' as she put it! Her other son was about 3 years old and spent the day amusing himself. Whether by nature or nurture this kid had spent his first few years surrounded by clowns and was an absolute natural. Whenever I saw him he was either tying his body and hands up with rope (assuming that’s the escape artist in him), climbing up high trees doing cartwheels or demanding a painted clown face and sought to be in front of the camera at any opportunity. He was incredible!
Throughout the day the circus attracted curious local people who would stop by to meet them. A local drunk came by several times to ask for a job and the local tranny became a regular who had a weird fixation with putting her bum in my face to show me her G- string (which by the way I notice she changed several times in the day). Later in the day another dancer appeared and another transvestite who put on a sexy outfit, mouthed popular songs and went into the audience to terrify (and turn on) the boys in the evening.
My friend got some incredible shots of them for his work. I found these circus people to be incredible people; so open, accepting, smutty, funny and really respectful of each other and the people they met including us. They opened their world to us for a day and I felt really honoured to have met them.
