Santa Ana – Day 1: First Impressions
SANTA ANA
Day 1: First Impressions
October 21, 2022
El Salvador would be my fourth country in Central America, meaning I was quite literally halfway there. Time seemed to be flying by, leaving me spinning in its trail. Man, I couldn’t believe I had finally made it there.
You see, back when I was planning this trip, I had stumbled across tons of articles and blogs dubbing this place the Murder Capital of the World. “Don’t go unless absolutely necessary!” warned many of these. My friends, equally perturbed that I’d be going to such dangerous places, tried their best to talk me out of it. One of them even handed me her mum on the phone, telling me not to go! They had told me the same about Colombia – and how that turned out! Also, there was this one blog that emphasised one thing – “Do not skip El Salvador!” I didn’t even think twice about it, and to be completely frank, I would’ve done it anyway. How could I ever say I wanted to see all of Central America and then skip out on an entire country? That’s 12.5% of the entire region! I knew practically nothing about the country, but there was one thing I was certain of – I’d go, come hell or high water.
Plus, people always exaggerate and, more importantly, some people are idiots. I’m not saying this applies to every single case, but more often than not, the ones who get into trouble are the ones searching for it. From my experience, practising basic safety precautions decreases the chances of bad things happening exponentially. You know – like not flaunting your Gucci bag or your shiny new gold-plated iPhone in the middle of a dark alley at night. Of course, there’s always petty crime, which you can find anywhere and everywhere (especially Malta), and at times, it’s just a matter of luck. Also, the political turmoil and civil conflict of countries like El Salvador hardly ever affect tourists.
So yeah, the point I’m trying to make is that crap happens no matter what. That said, knowing more crap may happen in a certain place does make a difference. I can’t say I wasn’t the least bit apprehensive when stepping into the country… I guess I’d just have to see, huh?
So Close, Yet So Far...
On the bus from Guatemala City, I had the most pleasant conversation with Father John – a missionary from NYC who’s been living in El Salvador for the past thirty years.
He seemed to know anything and everything about the country, answering all my questions and pointing out all kinds of things on the way. When we got to my stop, he immediately told me how to go about getting to my hotel. The bus stop closest to my destination, Santa Ana, was a few kilometres away at a gas station. Still victualled with my unnecessarily enormous bags, I opted to get a taxi or a bus to reach my hotel in the centre. Only none seemed to be passing by.
“Should I really hitchhike here, of all places?” I asked myself, unafraid but still cautious of all the warnings I had read. Come to think of it, none of the backpackers and travellers I’d met along the way who had visited the country ever complained about El Salvador being unsafe – though most of them had skipped it for one reason or another. The only person I know who went and didn’t quite enjoy it was Rebecca – the awesome chick from the Caye Caulker crew. She was attacked by two stray dogs on her very first day, spending fourteen hours at the ER just to get her tetanus and rabies vaccines and a shot of antibiotics. Perhaps there was another element to safety I had to consider after all.
As I figured, that can happen anywhere. As can murders! And so, empowered by my own inner monologue, I approached the shotgun-wielding security guard standing in front of the gas station convenience shop. Overlooking the giant thing pointing at my feet, I asked him how best to proceed. Not a second later, with a warm smile on his face, he was on his phone searching for his friend’s number – a reliable taxi driver who’d allegedly give me the best price of all the city’s chauffeurs.
As it turns out, this was my first impression of the entire country – one that would persist! This is one of the many reasons I wanted to visit El Salvador. To see for myself how it really is.
Santa Ana
Finally, I was in Santa Ana – a colonial city surrounded by hills, mountains and volcanoes, mostly known for its coffee production – SCORE! I’d be spending almost a week here, with plenty of time to explore the city and its surroundings, with the latter including a myriad of things to do and see.
With that in mind, I sped to the hotel I’d be staying in to check in and leave my bags, finally free to roam again! The streets of Santa Ana were what I had come to expect from other colonial cities – colourful buildings and street art everywhere you look. What struck me the most, I would say, were the barred shop windows and security guards outside every establishment. Perhaps security is still an issue, huh? Buying chewing gum suddenly felt like going through security at the airport.
In an attempt to find a tour agency through which I could do everything I had planned, I ended up circling the centre of the city twice, visiting at least ten agencies who all offered excursions to other cities or countries, but none around Santa Ana itself. Despite my multiple failed attempts, at least I succeeded in roaming around the city’s gorgeous streets and markets for a few hours. However, I can say with full confidence that what stole my heart was the city centre – with the bright, vivid colours of the town buildings turning to soft pastels, making it more charming than most cities I had previously visited. With a giant park and a gazebo at its centre, the plaza is flanked by impressive buildings such as the Teatro de Santa Ana, the Alcaldía (the city’s municipal hall) and the beautiful white cathedral.
I spent my afternoon just sitting there on a bench, enjoying an artisanal ice cream (or two) and appreciating the city’s idyllic people going on with their lives – with the occasional mariachi band showing up for a couple of songs. There was also a Pink October flash mob at one point!