Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to El Salvador (country #90), where we were able to experience San Salvador, as well as a beach on the Pacific Coast. Below, you will find information and photos from our trip. Please note that, while there will be references to prominent individuals and events in El Salvador’s history, the information in this blogpost is for informational purposes, only, and should neither be considered a political stance nor promotion of the associated politics of the individuals or parties discussed.
El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America, and is surrounded by Guatemala (to the north), Honduras (to the east), and the Pacific Ocean (to the west). It is also the most densely populated country in Central America (6.3 million people; 316,000 people live in the capital of San Salvador). El Salvador is lined from east to west with active volcanoes, which are separated by basins, the soil of which produces some very rich crops (e.g., coffee).
The Climate
The weather in El Salvador is mostly moderate, with temperatures in the low-lying areas averaging between the 70s F (around 21C) and the 90s F (around 32C) throughout the year, with temperatures in the higher areas (such as the volcanic areas) trending about ten degrees cooler. El Salvador has a rainy and dry season, with the former lasting from May to October, and the latter lasting from November to April. This has contributed to their ability to grow coffee plants, which has led to coffee being a primary export for the country’s economy. Crops were significantly impacted by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, and then by a devastating earthquake in 2001.
The People
As was the case with many other lands, El Salvador was inhabited by Lencas (indigenous people who were related to the Mayans). When the Spaniards came to the land, they intermarried with the indigenous people, resulting in a population that is 90% mestizo (mess-tee-so; “mixed”). While it has historically had indigenous dialects, the primary language spoken in El Salvador is Spanish. The majority of the inhabitants of the country have historically practiced Catholicism, though we were told that the number of actively-practicing Catholics has decreased. There are several other religions that are represented in El Salvador, including Protestant, Jehovah’s Witness, Seventh Day Adventist, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Children are expected to attend school through the end of secondary school and, as a result, the literacy rate within El Salvador is very high.
Prominent Figures in El Salvador History
El Salvador’s history is rife with conflict and corruption, which has made the country unsafe and virtually inaccessible to foreigners for many years. Business owners were expected to pay daily taxes (la Renta) to gang members in order to run their businesses, and even tour guides had to “negotiate” a fee with gang members in order to do tours without “interference” for the brave souls who visited the area. While this has drastically changed in the past year due to the government cracking down on gang activity (67,000 gang members have been imprisoned in the past year, and the daily death toll [which was 40 per day, making it the most dangerous place in Central America for several years] has been zero for the past 8 months), there are several prominent figures who continue to be relevant within the history of this country. Below is information about two individuals that we learned about during our visit.
Francisco Morazán
Central America was one country at one point, with the entire nation led by Francisco Morazán. At the time of his presidency, the Catholic Church was in charge of schools, and Morazán made several suggestions to the Church (e.g., allowing teachers to come from other countries; folding government into church) and the Church supported these ideas. However, when Morazán suggested that parishioners not give money to the church, this was not supported. The Catholic Church was reportedly unhappy about this request, and Morazán had to leave the country. He eventually came back to become president of Costa Rica, yet had the same ideas. He was eventually killed by firing squad and is buried in San Salvador.
Bishop Óscar Romero
Bishop Romero (for whom the El Salvador International Airport was named) was bishop during the El Salvador civil war (1980-1992). He worked to get both sides (government and guerillas) to stop fighting, and his efforts garnered international attention, resulting in him being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Neither side liked his attempts, and Bishop Romero was subsequently killed by a sniper on March 24, 1980, while conducting a religious service (mass), as they wanted to stop him from influencing the upcoming election. Bishop Romero was targeted in death, as well, as during his funeral, the military rolled through and started shooting those who were in attendance. The parishioners gathered up his body and placed him in a tomb inside of the cathedral (photo above) as his first resting place. He was eventually moved to his current resting place within the same cathedral in 1983, when Pope John Paul II came to visit El Salvador. Bishop Romero was given the designation of “Saint” in 2018. The war eventually stopped when both sides – in a peace agreement facilitated by Mexico – agreed to stop, and each side (government and guerillas) would get something from the other. Of note – the former president of El Salvador currently lives in Nicaragua in political asylum, which is reportedly paid for by the guerillas.
Tazumal Ruins
El Tazumal (tah-zoo-mahl) is an archaeological museum about 75km from San Salvador, and is a compilation of Mayan Ruins and Toltec Ruins. The Mayan Temple was built 100 years after Christ, and is the third oldest site of ruins in El Salvador, with the older sites having been built in 1200BC and 400 AD, respectively. The ruins were originally built of adobe, and were reinforced with concrete by an American archaeologist to save the ruins due to the weakness of adobe material. The Toltecs came after the Mayans (around 900 AD) and began to build on top of the structures that were already there. They used volcanic/lava rock, and tried to hide the Mayan temples. In 2001, the structure of Tazumal was damaged by an earthquake, and portions of it fell in 2005. Repairs are still being made.
Cerro Verde
Cerro (seh-rro) Verde (bayr-day), which means “Green Hill,” is a popular national park in a rainforest of El Salvador that is home to three volcanoes: Cerro Verde, Izalco (ee-sahl-coh), and Santa Ana (sahn-tah ah-nah). Approximately 60,000 years ago, Santa Ana erupted and left a caldera, which has become Lake Coatepeque (coh-ah-tay-pay-kay). Because it is a caldera, the water is not potable, and there are no rivers or other tributaries around the lake. It is also the reason why the lake changes colors, and can be variations of green and blue. The park was built so people could see the volcano erupt, as it erupted daily for many years, and was called the “Pacific Lighthouse” because the eruptions could be seen from the sea. However, in 1950, a few weeks before the inauguration of the park, the volcano stopped erupting. A few years later, it had a “half eruption,” but has not erupted since then.
This is a beautiful country with very kind people and incredible food! It has become a safe place to visit, and I would encourage anyone who is able to take the time to explore this part of the world. Until next time, take care and be well…