San Salvador Visit

We are here in San Salvador, spending the night after getting some dental work done, running errands, and renewing our visas.  I sort of like coming here and doing errands and I sort of don't - it is nice to get away for a night, but I am now out of practice dealing with traffic and noise and city stuff like that.  We don't have to drive - our friend and driver Ernesto takes us whereevcer we need to go - but it is still a bit overwhelming.  San Salvador is about an hour's drive from where the boat is moored. We can easily do whatever we need to on a day trip and don't need to spend the night, but I thought I needed a change. 

We got to have Chinese food for lunch.  I used to eat Asian food at least three times a week when we were still in the US, and I really miss it.  So far I have eaten at this particular place three times and have never been disappointed.  We tried a Thai place once - it was good, but the food was more generally pan-asian than really Thai.  Still, it was good, and getting that many vegetables at one sitting is a real treat.

The other night several of us went to the "Ninth Day" event for our friends father. Salvadorans hold a party on the ninth day after someone dies.  They serve tamales and cake and sweet coffee.  The family stays up all night, and then goes to church, then it is all over.  There was a band singing religious songs, and some prayers and reminiscing.  It was nice, and we were all glad to be there to support our friend, Santos.

Otherwise, there is not a lot of news.  It rained last night, but not enough to fill our tanks.  According to one of the cruisers who monitors the weather regularly, it should rain hard on Saturday night, maybe as much as two inches.  I am hoping for it - I like the idea we are drinking collected rainwater.  Plus it is very nice to shower in.  We take cold showers - there is hot water but in this climate, the absolute last thing I want to do is to get into hot water.        

We have decided not to try and schedule ourselves too much - we just may stay in Central America for another year.  There is just so much to see and do here, and I was starting to stress out trying to schedule land trips and so on.  After all, this is a big reason why we are living this way - so we don't have to live on a schedule.

I have been really enjoying the boat lately - we have finally gotten things the way we want them to be.  We are able to work on quality of life issues rather than simply fixing things that get broken.  We are starting to think about new upholstery and a nice canvas cover for the dinghy.  Interestingly, Mike has started talking about selling Magda Jean and getting a different boat!  I think it is just talk.  It better be!  I have no desire to start all over again with a new boat.  I like Magda Jean.  We will see what happens.  Besides, this is not a good time to sell a boat, even a Valiant 40!

So - I am going to enjoy another perk of spending the night here at a hotel - TV!  CNN International!  A movie channel in English! 

“Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness. Know how to give without hesitation, how to lose without regret, how to acquire without meanness.”  (George Sand)