Route of the Maya Day 2
Route of the Maya
DAY 2 - 11/25/05 - Tour Joya de Cerén archaeological site/Drive to Copán, Honduras
We set our alarm for 5:50 so that we would have plenty of time to get packed and explore the neighborhood and the hotel this sunny morning. We enjoyed our breakfast with our guide Judith Bautista. The fresh fruits of berries, melon, pineapple, papaya and oranges were delightful. I was adventurous and sampled the popusas, a typical dish of El Salvador (beans, beef and cheese stuffed into a thick corn tortilla and topped with salsa and garnished with coleslaw).
At 7:30 we met in the lobby where we had an orientation meeting to meet our fellow travelers and learn a few customs, ideas on safety, and our schedule for the day.
Eric, our local guide, helped Carlos load our luggage and at 8:30 we began our panoramic city tour of San Salvador, where we passed the second largest U.S. Embassy in the world, the National Palace, and stopped to visit the Cathedral Metropolitana in the city center. Eric told us many stories of the city and the countryside emphasizing the fact that there are 25 live volcanoes in El Salvador and the last earthquake was three days ago, a 6.5 on the Richter scale.
As we traveled out of the city, we noted the excellent roads. Eric had told us that 25 cents of each gallon goes for road improvements. We passed by many coffee plantations but Eric noted that because of the volcanic ash this year, the coffee production is down. It is important for us to remember that El Salvador suffered through a very long civil war and was finally at peace in 1992.
There are still many government concerns and political rivalries but now they try to solve their problems with words and not weapons. He also explained about the health system, schools and universities and the economy of this fledgling democracy. He also explained about the 100 Hours War with Honduras that is better known as the Soccer War where El Salvador beat Honduras 3-1. Now relations between Honduras and El Salvador are quite good. Soccer is the second religion in El Salvador.
Our next stop was the art gallery where we saw the art work of the Fernando Llort, the artist who designed the tiles on the Cathedral Metropolitana. We were all given a pendant with a copinol seed that was painted with a typical village scene by the same artist.
We drove to the Joya de Cerén (Jewel of Cerén) archaeological area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located about 30 minutes from San Salvador, Joya de Cerén is aptly nicknamed the "Pompeii of the Americas." This is a unique site that features dwellings once buried under 20 feet of volcanic ash. Dating from about 600 A.D., the ruins here were the homes of ordinary people-not, as at most other sites, the monumental temples of royalty. There were the adobe houses, communal baths, and public buildings of a Mayan farming village.
This site was discovered in 1976 and is still being excavated by a team of archaeologist from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Evidence suggests that the inhabitants were able to evacuate as the eruption destroyed their village, but they left utensils, textiles, and furniture behind that provide revealing glimpses of Mayan life.
As we went outside to walk through the ruins, we saw the national bird of El Salvador, a torogoz with its long iridescent paddle tail. Eric left us at the intersection of the Pan American Highway and it was another 45 minute drive to our stop for lunch.
We had a great lunch at the El Patio in Santa Ana, and we continued on crossing the border of El Salvador and Guatemala. There were three check points, one along the highway, the second at the border itself, and then the last one a few yards into the country. Each time our documents were check and we were waved on.
Our short drive in Guatemala was very rough, the roads not as good as we had experienced earlier in the day. Judith and Carlos had noted two pick-up trucks following us so they asked for security in Guatemala, but we did not see or have any problems.
We proceeded on to Copán, crossing the border into Honduras with only a short stop at the border station where Judith presented our paperwork to the guard. It was getting late and we saw many people dressed up for a Friday night in town as we headed into the small town of Copán. We arrived in time for an orientation drink, fruit juice and rum, the alcohol of choice here in Honduras!
We had an hour to get settled in and start the journal and sort our photos of the day. We had a very tasty typical dinner at our hotel - a charming, colonial-style property which is only steps from the Central Plaza and a short ride from the ruins.
Accommodations: Hotel Marina Copán - - - Meals: B, L, D
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