The next morning, we joined several other cruisers for a panga ride to Isla Montecristo. This place is inhabited by the panga operator's family members and is quite remote. As everyone else took a tour and walked around the island, Jordan (what a sweetie!) stayed behind with me as I suddenly wasn't feeling well. We had both picked up a "bug" during our land travels and Jordan had already been sick during our bus ride back to El Salvador! (A day later, we were both back to normal.)
Jordan looking at freshly carved dugouts
Back in the panga, we pulled over to a small open-air restaurant on stilts where everyone ordered freshly caught, whole, barbecued fish (except sickly me). Jordan said it was the best fish he has ever tasted. After thanking our gracious hosts, we continued back to Bahia del Sol.
As we were leaving restaurant
For a change, we dinghied a short distance on Tuesday to Restaurant Acajulta which has a swimming pool. This is where everyone met for the 16:00 Cruisers Net and happy hour with dinner ordered afterward. Of course everything was outdoors and convivial.
Thursday kept us entertained with a blind wine tasting at Bahia del Sol Marina. Several cruisers brought a bottle of wine, its label was covered then designated with a number, and then we would all sample and grade each of the 15 bottles. The owner of the bottle with the highest score received a free bottle of wine. By the end of the evening, I don't think there was any leftover wine and a few were feeling headaches the next morning.
15 bottles is a lot of sampling...
On Saturday the 16th, we caught the chicken bus to go to San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, so we could do some provisioning. We stayed overnight at a great inexpensive hotel, Villa Serena, for $30 which included a $10 discount as part of the El Salvador Rally group. The room provided purified water and apple juice in the refrigerator, cable TV, and also included a continental breakfast the next morning of eggs, French toast, cereal, or pupusas with coffee or tea.
We had an interesting cab ride around the city to see the huge mercado, the central cathedral, etc., and then walked to the Centro Mall where we were able to find everything we needed. Supper ordered in later back at the hotel was only $6 total for 4 pupusas and a Coca Cola.
The week of April 17th through the 24th, hundreds of locals and vacationers were celebrating "Semana Santa" (Easter) at the Hotel/Marina Bahia del Sol, so needless to say, it was very busy there and most cruisers stayed away from the swimming pool. They aren't used to not having the pool all to themselves. But 1 night, we partook of the buffet which was delicious, as usual. And on another night, we attended Italian night which was served indoors and consisted of delicious Italian appies and main meal accompanied by canned Italian songs and/or singers.
To keep occupied during this busy Semana Santa time, we've both been busy sewing. Jordan created a pattern for dinghy chaps which he then sewed by the pool...
What an excellent job - and a novice too!!!
I made our next flag - Costa Rica - and then I copied a pattern and made each of us a "water noodle chair" - a mesh chair that floats in the water with the aid of the noodle so we can comfortably relax in the ocean (or pool) and cool off. Haven't yet had the opportunity to try them out.
We decided we would leave tomorrow for Costa Rica. This meant we would miss the last upcoming events sponsored by the El Salvador Rally group (i.e. blind dinghy race, beach bonfire, dinghy raft-up with free beer, and the final windup party and prize giveaways which include $750, a free night's stay at the hotel, plus many others that I can't remember right now). But we've been here 28 days now and we are both feeling the desire to be at sea where we are at one with nature again and see new and different surroundings...
1 comment:
Safe journey to Costa Rica! Glad you're both doing well - I can understand needing to get away and back to nature... Cheers from S.V. Nyon!
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