Wandering the streets!

The name El Salvador means "the savior". I didn´t realize that this country was named that. It is a pretty interesting concept. Also, that Jesus Christ is the patron saint of the city/country. Celebrations take place for the country and city in August.

Wandering around the city yesterday was great. I was at first a little worried after reading warnings about not taking pictures in the City Center, in fact, many people say to skip the city center all together. I have to say that I am glad that I threw caution to the wind and went with my own instincts. It was really an amazing day. The sun was shining, the walk was great. In fact, like in many cities, set up all along the sidewalks are little shops, etc. Well in continued all the way to the city center, but as you got closer, the shops branched off the sidewalks and into the road. Further into the center, these in road shops were more permanent with tile floors being built into the roads. The roads became so narrow, they were almost a pedestrian walkway, but with big smoke belching buses running by and almost running you down.

The Center was nice, it has some great little plazas as well as some churches (of course), and the National Palace, which was being remodeled, but has a great new museum that just opened up! I loved it. In fact I spent more time there then i had anticipated. In fact, it felt very safe to me!

I wandered from there to a nice quiet park, I had lunch from a vender and then saw art exhibit and a monument of Memory and Truth. Much like th Vietnam Memorial in Washington, this exhibit was names (25,000) carved into black granite (or marble) of the people who were killed or disappeared during the civil war. Pretty impressive.

I am heading off to the Anthropolgy museum today and then to the Zona Rosa. Should be a good day and then tomorrow to the airport for my 1:00 flight!