El Salvador

as the country prepares for grand parades and fiestas celebrating it´s day of independence the general population also braces itself for continued problems that threaten to halt the buses, hinder their work and possibly result in more violence. it is unfortunate on so many levels that the people of this country continue to struggle as they could not be any more resilient, compassionate or friendly. and the country itself is incredibly beautiful with many wonderful places to see and things to do.

i am saddened by my decision to cut my time here short and am hopeful that in the future things will stabilize and i and many other travelers will be able to visit and explore this wonderful country. the decision to leave is based on safety, and really is a preventitive measure as there has not yet been a moment i felt unsafe. still i am in Suchitoto because the day before i left Perquin as i researched hostels in Santa Ana, my next stop, i learned that there was violence in Santa Ana and buses were stopped after a bus driver was killed. the following day, while in San Salvador i asked around and while buses were running intermittently the military and police presence in the city and on the bus route was increased and it was then that i decided to explore another area of the country.

Suchitoto is a lovely little town and i am quite happy with my decision. but that was not the only decision i made. i also decided this morning that while there are many other places i would love to visit in El Salvador the probability of continued trouble, be it transportation stoppages or worse, continue to grow day by day. and so, tomorrow i will leave this happy little town and go to the capital, San Salvador to purchase my international bus ticket, visit a few museums in the city and prepare for my return to Mexico. yes the plan now is to be in Mexico by the end of the week.

as for Guatemala....it will only be a country to cross. i will not be stopping except for food and the bathroom as the rains have done significant damage and many of the roads are slow to traverse.

two countries with so much beauty and so much heart battling demons and mother nature...welcome to central america.