Wednesday, February 5, 2014

This was another great day.  We got up early to see the sunrise.  After breakfast, we got a tour from Daily (a worker at Casa de Mar) to see the newest rooms here at Casa de Mar. Then we went back out to the ocean one last time, and then it was time to go.  Before we left we got some photos with our friends Jamie and Shane.

6:13 a.m.

7:18 a.m.

Marcia, Laura, Jamie, Shane

Marcia, Laura

Laura, Daily

One last time at the ocean

Seems so natural, doesn't it?

The upstairs over the pool bar

Jamie in her favorite spot

Leaving our room at Casa de Mar, gradas, gradas, gradas (stairs, stairs, stairs)

Mas gradas

Omar, Magdalena, and Samuel picked us up around 1:00 p.m.  It was sad to leave this beautiful place where the people were so very kind and the accommodations were perfecto.  But we always enjoy being with Omar and Magdalena, and we were off to San Salvador, where we would stay for the next few nights.

Omar had given us an extensive plan, and on the plan it said we were going to go to Los Planes de Renderos for pupusas.  However, when they picked us up, they said, "Where would you like to go to lunch?"  We said, "We thought for pupusas." He said "Oh that's for later, we need to each lunch now."  So we told him on the beach one more time would be great.  He took us to the Punta Roca Cafe, owned by an American, Robert Rotherham.  Mr. Rotherham was there and came and talked to us.  He says he has been there so long, they call him a Grindio (Gringo + Indio).

When I was still in the states and was in the process of investigating where to stay at the beach, I had found a place on VRBO that we thought about reserving.  Omar had actually come and checked it out for us, but in the end we chose the hotel which had security and we all felt safe about.  The Punta Roca is actually right next door to the house we looked at.  We didn´t get to see inside of the house but one of the young men who was staying there this week was eating at the restaurant and said it was very nice. Turns out he was a U of M alum, as is my son-in-law Karl, and now lives in Grand Rapids, very close to where Mona and Karl live in Kalamazoo.  (Several folks we met are escaping the Snowmageddon in the Estados Unidos.  God bless all of you! ) Anyway, this house could house a big group and you would just  walk out your back door to the beach.  Would be more of a do it yourself vacation than a luxury resort, but its a possibility.  http://www.vrbo.com/402393;  http://youtu.be/kaDc2-KhAHk   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBm1PN6uUSo

The birds at Punta Roca Cafe

The bathrooms at Punta Roca   Sharks, men

Mermaids, Women

Punta Roca cafe menu

After another long leisurely lunch at Punta Roca (where Marcia and I ate pasta and got a little sleepy), we came to our next lodging, the Hotel Alicante, in San Salvador.  We got settled in and then we were off to Los Planes de Renderos, another town, to eat pupusas (Salvadorean typical food).. This town has an outlook where you can see the whole city.  Because of the elevation, it is cooler up here.  The days have been in the 90s, but it is comfortable because of the breezes. At the restaurant we ate very economically and had fun listening to stories of how Omar and Magdalena grew up, their families, their country.  We´ve learned a lot from our rides in the car, long lunches, and fellowship.

The restaurant we ate at in Planes de Renderos. I took this picture for Abby

The viewpoint area in Planes de Rendero

Looking out over San Salvador

My bean and cheese pupusa and a quesadilla, one dollar each

Tomorrow we´re off to Ataco, coffee plantations, and thermal waters.  The believers from San Miguel will be joining us, so Omar hired a little minibus and driver to take us so we can all go together.  It turned out to be easier than renting a van and driving ourselves.  So we´ll see how that goes.  Another grand adventure.