San Salvador, EL SALVADOR

At 11:37 am on 13th January 2001, a series of earthquakes rumbled through San Salvador which caused major destruction and killed at least 1,246 people in the San Salvador area and left more than 8000 people injured. Some of these quakes also caused destruction in nearby Guatemala City and around Nicaragua.

The 12-year long civil war which raged in El Salvador from 1980 to 1992 was fueled by U.S. aid to the Salvadoran military with the aim of crushing the local opposition. The government harshly repressed dissents, and at least 70,000 people lost their lives in killings and bombing raids waged against civilians throughout the countryside.

The impact of the earthquakes and civil war in El Salvador is evident around the city and its infrastructure is still crumbled after all these years.

Nevertheless....San Salvador is an interesting mesh of buyers and sellers and hawkers and stalkers! I don't particularly feel safe in most areas but its great to experience the Salvadorian vibe. Very few tourists (or any Westerners) around - at least in the "el centro" area.

Tomorrow I am heading north to the village of Sochitoto and hope to find some mountain tranquility!