Wednesday, October 27

Up to another delightfully beautiful morning of quietude, beachcombers strolling slowly along the water's edge, sleepy boats and pelicans starting to stir. Met a friend and we drove up a ways to Northern Delights San Salvador 171 HZ Colonia 5 de Diciembre between Peru and Avenida Mexico near Hotel Buenaventura. 222-4424 11am-8pm, closed Saturday, where owner/chef James Myers has established a fine restaurant/cafe serving such north of the border faves as French onion soup or macaroni and cheese 25p/45p, meatloaf dinner, with soup or salad, potato or mac and cheese, and veggie 70p, meatloaf sandwich 30p, burger or BLT 35p. Filet Mignon 105p [high season only]. Lasagna 70p. He says: homemade "killer brownies" are a popular item 15p, 25p with ice cream as is all you can drink brewed iced tea 15p. Home baked cinnamon raisin bread served. A/C. Fearless board member Angela served the meal left-handed and filled us in on many of the latest upcoming PV events. I headed south to the Internet cafe and caught up a little, then back to BTM. After only a short breather, It was way up the hills to Casa Isabel in Alta Vista where hostess extraordinaire Brenda hosted a large group of us for an afternoon fiesta. The panorama up there is spectacular as are the facilities. One can kick up the heels and zone out for a week. After her special salsa fresca, tricolor chips and cool drinks, I thought it would be time to head back down to the town, but out she comes with huge platters of food she had been preparing all day! Brochettes and salads from our fine lady chef and hostess. Yum! No one could agree on the exact time of the total lunar eclipse so we watched from our birds eye view as it slowly turned black, leaving a huge circle or orange. Very fun time with everyone comparing notes on their favorite meals so far and what places were still on the agenda and how high up the list. Just not enough time...another trip is being planned as the current one speeds along! Bunch of us headed slowly down the hills on and off the cobblestone to Basilio Badillo, really not that rough an experience. There we were right back in the pulsing heart of the area. One can feel day-by-day, night-by-night, that the town is awakening with new visitors with each passing hour. Before you know it, November will arrive with the new season changing from a chug-a-lug to a boom.

Thursday, October 28

Early am…up, readied myself for another day of super activity. Kat had set up a boat trip with Alfredo and a few people, though 4 were sadly no shows. We slowly meandered south hugging the coastline and as we passed each village, he told us the name and a little info about the spot. After the Southside of town, we passed lovely Conchas Chinas with casa after villa, all quite suitable for me to inhabit. Hint, hint. Then, the large village of Mismaloya and its famed hotel La Jolla and the remains of the sets of Night of the Iguana, a movie with Richard Burton and Ava Gardner which did much to put this once sleepy community on the map for tourism. The presence of lady friend Elizabeth Taylor sure did not hurt the international news and photogs, let alone the publicity for the movie! On we glided past Boca de Tomatlan, Colomitos, Las Animas [looks clean and peaceful, must stop another trip], Quimixto, Las Caletas, Majahuita and just south of Punta La Boca we turned in and Carefully alit in Yelapa. Headed straight to a long table shaded under palapas and ordered refrescos, cold and needed! Sighed deeply and watched the beach activity, boats coming in and out, even a Corona cervesa delivery boat. Wow, there arrived the Yelapa Pie Lady of world fame, assisted on shore with trays of warm fresh pies from her ovens. Slices were 20p and huge. I forced myself to sample for later...lemon [lime] meringue, pecan, banana and coconut, supporting the local economy, of course. Later we ordered simple lunch at Tino's Oasis, mine chicken enchiladas verde. No one felt like exerting the energy to hike up the hills to the waterfall, so we 'vegged' out, feet in sand, quietly chatting. Regretfully, we embarked and headed on the speedy return farther to sea, back to Los Muertos Pier. We agreed it was a wonderfully relaxing day and paid our fine captain and bid adios and gracias to Kat for arranging such a memorable trip south.