TWO COUNTRIES: ONE ADVERTURE

Life changes abruptly, to the point that today we're in peace, tomorrow we could be in war. Similar to what happened in Ukrania. Families had to immigrate to different places in the world. They took only one piece of luggage, all their present and past were confined in a simple suitcase. They left their country not to travel for pleasure but because they were compelled to do so. We traveled to El Salvador and Guatemala, in a rush, but had the pleasure of sightseeing on the car ride. We got to see the lifestyle of people, the geography, especially the majestic mountains, got to see the volcanos' picks and the infinite sky, despite the tiredness and the drowsiness, we were awake for some time to see the beauty of the creation. 

Visiting the cities is to observe how people behave, taste their gastronomy, appreciate the architecture, take a quick look at the sculptures, which are vivid testimonies of events that had happed in specific periods in history. That is what we could see in El Salvador and Guatemala. One specific geography these two cities have in common is the splendorous mountains. In Honduras, the mountains have trees that are greenery, thriving, blossoming, and fruit-bearing. 

Staying at Royal Decameron is a pleasant experience because is an all-inclusive hotel. The Pacific Ocean is like a skirt for the complex. The rhythm of the waves and the wind blowing are a lullaby to the ears. The infinite view of the sky and the ocean water invites us to relax and deeply breathe the fresh air and exhale as a means to leave the turmoil situations to sink in the water.

Gastronomy is like a cultural experiment. Food talks about people’s tastes and distinguishes them culturally. El Salvador it is known for the “popusas.” They look like tortillas, but have beans, loroco, mozzarella cheese, and other ingredients that fill the dough, which is mixed together to make one delicious piece of food. The beans are of different colors in Central America, in Honduras, they are red, in El Salvador and Guatemala are black, having almost the same taste. In general, trying different food is getting a gist of the natives of a place. However, I stick with the food in Honduras, I love the “Catrachan” taste and the variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains that are harvested in the country.

Moving from one country to the other in two days is tiresome, but the sacrifice is worthy. The second country we visited was Guatemala. The landmarks, statutes, architecture, transportation, and the streets infrastructure are more modern when it comes to comparing Guatemala with other Central American countries. The hotel Holiday Inn is luxurious and neat; mainly I love the bedrooms, the beds are comfy and the beddings are soft. The room is tidy and the view is splendid. Visiting the museum is always a childlike experience. Seeing the animals interact in their captive habitat is a learning experience. Wow! It’s the expression that one utters when watching the penguins and the walrus swimming, the monkeys, who live in the community are all the time moving and scratching their heads. The aquarium’s tanks hold colorful and beautiful fish. One particular bird that called my attention was the flamingo because of the dark color of the feathers and the elegance of their legs and long neck. It is said that “flamingos ‘feather coloration comes from the food they eat. Males and females have the same coloration, which ranges in shade from pale pink to crimson depending on the species.”  The flamingo’s beak is long and black making a perfect combination with the feather’s color. Their legs are hidden in their body, and what’s visible are the knees. I love seeing the way they search for food in the pond, from which they get that attractive color.  

When it comes to talking about building relationships with people, I just loved the fact that I get to know more about those passengers that traveled together for three days. Holding small talks, sharing food, and getting to interact in different settings and situations. That’s the richness of the trip in itself.

Written by Irma R. Mendoza R. 

 

Museo Nacional de Antropologia Dr. David J. Guzmán

Historic Park at El Salvador

Royal Decameron, Salinitas

Pinky Flamingos

 

Guatemala City