In order to show Leslie the real El Salvador I took her to our local market where I get all the produce and grains for the week.

The first time at the market we only drove through and bought a couple of things by screaming out of the window. I think Leslie was a little scared that we were going to run over a couple of people. To be honest it was a little hectic within the cars, the stands, people pushing carts with produce, and the hundreds of people walking betweens cars but everything is always in control.



The second time we parked the car and took her inside the big market to get our veggies, fruits, and of course my garbanzos, soybeans, and lentils!!!! I love vegan cooking and an affordable market!

Spices! (and dog food! haha)

My favorite: mangos, jocotes, and avocados!!

A typical stand with decorations and fruits

Mangos, tangerines, mamones, coyoles...

My mom and Leslie buying from the car

As soon as we got home Leslie and my mom decorated the cross in the backyard!



I am all about promoting El Salvadorian craftsmanship, and I truly believe that El Salvador is a land of artisans, of artists who create wonders with their imagination and their hands. In San Salvador we have a huge craft market so I took Leslie to go do some shopping:




Being a religious country of course you can always find crosses and nativities!

Crafts galore!

In the last decade there has been a stronger movement of artists in El Salvador promoting products made by people from El Salvador. I feel like the universities have "up their game", that graduates have put more effort to make sure that art becomes an important part of our identity, and that artists know that they are worthy of making art and being successful at it.

I have known about the store "hecho en casa" since my brother has some of his pieces there. This store is exclusively for Salvadorian artists, they sell clothes, decorative items, purses, jewellery, and pretty much anything done by El Salvadorian hands.



Here Leslie is checking out the merchandise from Uca Ruffatti, an artist who uses recycled materials to create purses.


Fun hats with typical El Salvadorian slang.
Chivo: Cool
Chero: Friend
Maje: Dude


My brother has some of his items in this store:



Another store that I absolutely loved was Lula Mena, an El Salvadorian designer who uses local artisans to produce beyond beautiful pieces! Literally her store is like Anthropology, everything is absolutely dreamy!

The best part of Lula Mena is the emphasis her business puts on empowering the artisans, making sure that they don't leave for the US, making sure that there are opportunities for them to work and get a decent salary to live in El Salvador. Everything is eco-driendly, and sustainable. She also makes sure that the children of her workers get an education, encouraging them to aim higher, to get a higher education. I can't even imagine how prosperous El Salvador would be if all employers had the vision that Lula Mena has for her employees... really inspiring!


 Here are some of her pieces (taken from her website):





Out with the shopping, in with the Little Prince.

Antoine de St. Exupery, the Little Prince's author, married an El Salvadorian women and actually is the name of my school. Not too long ago a park with the Little Prince was created:


The first time I visited the park  I went with my friend Guille, who I share my birthday with and I've known since I was 14! He was the one who actually told me there was such a park although is just 5 minutes away from my mom's house and I have driven past it like 50 times!


The park is very colourful and displays many of the planets that the little prince visited.

The Turkish astronomer

His loved Rose!

the king

The vain

The drunk

The little prince sitting on top of the wall, away from the snake!

Karlita & I

El Salvador, being a tropical country, has so many beautiful beaches so every time I visit we go to the beach.

Stopped for some watermelon along the road!

Mom buying me some empiñadas!!! (those pink things)

That's an empiñada!

We made it to the beach!



Most of the beach houses in El Salvador are privately owned and on the side of the beach sellers walk by trying to sell different products.
Here is the candy lady going from house to house to see if anybody wants to buy some traditional El Salvadorian candies.


My mom is her loyal customer!!


My favorite thing to do is lay on the hammock and read:


Leslie's favorite thing is to sleep



I even got to spend some time with Baby A!
Sunsets at the beach are totally dreamy !!!


More of El Salvador to come....