Salvadoran Culture, Travel, Photos and Fun Facts!
El Salvador - The most beautiful Secret of the Americas! |
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El Salvador is a land of amazing contrasts, accented by a
long
string of
cone-shaped volcanoes and tranquil mountain lakes.
In addition, the country's Maya ruins are considered some of the most interesting in all of Central America.
El Salvador is a beautiful country nestled in between Guatemala, Honduras and the Pacific Ocean.
It is the smallest country in Central America and is truly its best kept secret - there are no crowds!
There are over 6.5 million people living in an area about the size of Massachusetts.
They produce coffee, sugar and other ag products, and lots of brand name clothes.
The variety of landscapes (tropical forests, volcanoes, beaches, mountains, rivers, lakes, and the Pacific Ocean), blended with the biological diversity that estimates 500 species of birds, 1,000 species of butterflies, 400 species of orchids, 800 species of trees, and 800 species of marine fish)
combined
with the kindness of the Salvadoran people make El Salvador a very special place to visit.
El Salvador is also home to
some of the most delicious traditional foods in all of Latin America!
> Click here to visit our Salvadoran Food page!
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"Culture in all its forms is the expression of the soul,
of the deepest feelings, and thus, the most authentic expression of the human being:
the universal language.
We always admire the transcendence of culture throughout the years and the centuries. Now we continue to marvel from the art works that we created in the past and that have reached our times. We get the same feelings from the current art, which we are sure will endure and will be our legacy to the future generations."
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"La Cultura en todas sus formas es la expresión del alma, de los sentimientos más profundos, por ende, la expresión más auténtica del ser humano: el idioma universal.
Siempre nos admiramos de la trascendencia de la cultura a través de los años y siglos. Ahora nos seguimos maravillando de las obras de arte que se hicieron en el pasado y que han llegado a nuestro tiempo. También nos causa esta misma sensación el arte de nuestro tiempo, que estamos seguros perdurara y será nuestro legado a las futuras generaciones." |
- Alfonso Quiñónez Meza |
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Photos of the True Soul of El Salvador! |
Photography from El Salvador - The photographer at this link is Miguel Angel Servellon.
He is a lawyer and photographer from San Salvador. His work captures some of the true soul of El Salvador.
Make sure and check out.
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A r tS
The cultural art of El Salvador has been preserved by generations through the folklore, the crafts and other expressions of art. Many native crafts are still elaborated in the original sites. The European influences are emphasized in the architecture of the colonial churches, museums and theaters. |
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If you like Srt, look for works made by Benjamín Cañas, Rosa Mena Valenzuela, Carlos Cañas, Fernando Llort, Negra Alvarez (well-known for ecological art), Julia Díaz, Antonio García Ponce, Armando Solís, Roberto Huezo, Roberto Galicia, César Menéndez, and Antonio Bonilla.
Fernando Llort is an internationally acclaimed painter known for his inspiration in "folk art". The village of La Palma has become famous for a school of art started by Fernando Llort. His childlike, almost cartoony, images of mountain villages, campesinos and Christ are painted in bright colors on objects ranging from seeds to church walls. The town of Ilobasco is known for its ceramics, while San Sebastián is recognized for its textile arts.
Llort has created unique designs reminiscent of sketches by Picasso which are vibrant in color, beautifully arranged and almost childlike in their joyful versatility. He continues to dedicate much of his time and efforts to encouraging artwork in El Salvador. |
Literature
Salvadorans are fond of stories and poetry. Poets, playwrights and writers have always played a significant role in expressing important issues in El Salvador.
Claudia Lars has written plays about 20th century Salvadoran life. Manilo Argueta is the country’s most noted contemporary novelist. Contemporary poets include Lilian Jiménez and José Roberto Cea,
who produce works that describe and reflect the struggle of Salvadoran people today.
Among the contemporary writers are David Escobar Galindo, Francisco Escobar, Rolando Elías, Roberto Cea, and Ricardo Lindo, and children's author, Jorge Argueta.
Probably the most famous modern poet is the revolutionary Roque Dalton, who developed a distinctive Salvadoran style. Best known for his biting political poems, Dalton also wrote intense poems on love, nature, poetry, and death. For the first time in English, Small Hours of the Night is a collection that reveals the full range of his poetic talent. “One of the greatest poets of Latin America. And one of the most original.” - Ernesto Cardenal. “This is a book for all the Americas, South and North, and one of the most important to be published this year.” And of his book, Clandestine Poems/Poemas Clandestinos, “For those who aren't sure where El Salvador is, this book will locate it for them...in the heart of blood and bravery.” - Lawrence Ferlinghetti
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Como Tú (1975)
Por Roque Dalton
Yo como tú
amo el amor,
la vida,
el dulce encanto de las cosas
el paisaje celeste de los días de enero.
También mi sangre bulle
y río por los ojos
que han conocido el brote de las lágrimas.
Creo que el mundo es bello,
que la poesía es como el pan,
de todos.
Y que mis venas no terminan en mí,
sino en la sangre unánime
de los que luchan por la vida,
el amor,
las cosas,
el paisaje y el pan,
la poesía de todos. |
Like You
By Roque Dalton
(Translated by Jack Hirschman)
Like you
I
love love, life,
the sweet smell
of things,
the sky-blue
landscape of January days.
And my blood boils up
and I laugh through eyes
that have known the buds of tears.
I believe the world is beautiful
and that poetry, like bread, is for everyone.
And that my veins don’t end in me,
but in the unanimous blood
of those who struggle for life,
love, little things,
landscape and bread,
the poetry of everyone.
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Music
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Salvadoran popular music has incorporated indigenous and African instruments, principally in small percussion, scrapers, gourds, and so on, and flutes
and wood drums. The roots of El Salvador’s music are largely Hispanic, with later influences from Cuba and Mexico, the latter especially in the form of rancheras, whose name denotes the country origins of the genre.
Salvadoran music has not reached far outside the Latin American community, and even among Latin Americans it is hardly as well known as the widespread Salvadoran cuisine. Most Saladoran traditional music is similar to that found throughout Central America. Common instruments are the pito,
a type of flute, the marimba, a wooden xylophone, and drums such as the tambor and tun. In the cities, people enjoy contemporary pop and techno music. Radio stations play salsa, merengue and Mexican ranchero music, and the cumbia style of dancing is very popular because of its intense beat. Popular at festivals, folk music features guitar, flutes and drums and offers personal commentary about Salvadoran politics and people. |
Salvadoran popular music has incorporated indigenous and African instruments, principally in small percussion, scrapers, gourds, and so on, and flutes and wood drums. The roots of El Salvador’s music are largely Hispanic, with later influences from Cuba and Mexico, the latter especially in the form of rancheras, whose name denotes the country origins of the genre.
Beginning in the 1960s, rock music from the U.S. invaded the media, and now dominates the urban youth market together with rock en español, relegating rancheras to rural and semi- urban areas. In the 1980s, during the war, politically progressive bands took up New Song and Latin American styles, adding them to Salvadoran traditions in creating their own compositions, and bringing new life to Salvadoran music. Salvadorans have also taken up enthusiastically the Dominican merengue and, more recently, bachata.
Salvadoran bands frequently play a style called cumbia, distantly derived from the Colombian original, with a bouncy and repetitive 1-and-2, rest, bass line.
Traditional Salvadoran genres, as in other Latin American countries, include religious music and songs for Christmas and the feast days of the saints, and songs with motifs characteristic of rural life. They also show a satirical bent, having lampooned the rich and the politicians since the time of the Spanish dons. An example of this tradition is El torito Pinto, now a popular children’s song. |
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Visit this link to hear some traditional music from El Salvador |
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Salvadoran Dance
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For the most comprehensive collection of information on traditional Salvadoran folk dance, dance groups, music, and more,
please visit this wonderful, unique website dedicated to Salvadoran folklore. Click here to visit Folklore de El Salvador! |
Handicrafts
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Traditional Salvadoran handicrafts use natural materials to make wicker furniture, ceramics and pottery, weavings, masks, textiles and basketry. The village of Ilobasco is well known for producing ceramic figures, which are often used in nativity scenes during Christmas. The town of La Palma is known for its beautiful ceramic and wooden handicrafts. The La Palma style of art, which is named
after artists living near the village of La Palma, has spread throughout El Salvador. The artists paint bright-colored scenes on wooden crosses or plaques. The art often portrays things that are important to them: homes, flowers, birds, plants, animals, and people. |
The most widely known archeological site in El Salvador is the ruins of El Tazumal, located near Santa Ana in western El Salvador. Featuring a central pyramid,
Tozumal was first settled by the Mayans in 5000 BC, and the current ruins were built in stages from 500 to 900 AD by the Pipil people. The main pyramid is 23
metres high. The on-site museum showcases artifacts from the Pipil culture (the builders of Tazumal), as well as paintings that illustrate life in pre-Hispanic
El Salvador. Souvenir hunters will want to forego the stands at the entrance and travel some 20 minutes more to San Juan el Espino, where you can meet the
artisans and buy from them directly.
Another highlight of El Salvador is the Mayan archaeological site of Joya de Cerén, which has also been called the Pompeii of the Americas. Due to a
large volcanic ash fall 1300 years ago, you will have a unique glimpse into the daily life of the Mayan people. Joya de Cerén is a Mayan community that suffered
a fate equal to that of ancient Pompeii. The ruins were bereft of human remains, as apparently the population fled before it was too late, leaving behind their
possessions and foodstuffs. The adobe homes were perfectly perserved, as was a community center and a steam bath—evidence, according to the archeologists,
of
a fairly high standard of living. An on-site museum presents exhibits of the excavations and possible scenarios of village life. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
Think South, Central and North — there are many Americans!
This tiny country
has the
largest
surfing waves in Central America!
One of the best kept secrets of the International Surfing Community, is
El Salvador's spectacular Black Sand Beaches and unspoiled Beauty.
After two earthquakes and twelve years of civil war, El Salvador is shaking off its rough image and remerging as a world-class surfing spot.
In La Libertad, the main surfing area, the waves are so rough you have to wait until a set is finished before it's safe to paddle out past the breaks.
If you enter the water too soon, you risk the chance of getting knocked down and exhausted before you even get close to riding a wave.
The surfing scene in California can be so crowded that sometimes people have to wait for hours for their turn to ride a wave.
To buck that line, a lot of Americans head south to surf. A lot of surfers watch the weather reports and coordindinate their travel plans around the best swells.
In El Salvador, new surfboards are so expensive that there are surfboard shops, like the Hospital de Tables in La Libertad, that fix up broken boards
and then resell them. A lot of surfing tourists bring along old boards to sell or donate to these shops.
Unique Travel Destinations in El Salvador! |
There are really only 2 seasons, Rainy and Dry. The rainy season lasts from around May to November, and during this time, it rains at least once per day,
heavily, but for only a few hours, and normally in the evening.
Visits would be better in the dry months, but try to avoid the Christmas week, and the week of Easter (Semana Santa).
In these periods prices rocket for hotels and flights, and the beaches are crowded.
Capricho's Beach House - Located just 3 km. from the sleepy fishing village, La Barra de Santiago, in the western part of El Salvador,
the beach house “Capricho” is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy nature. Visit their website and see for yourself!
Santa Leticia Mountain Resort - This Magical place is located in a town called “Apaneca”, which in Nahuatl language of the Pipil Indians
means “Rivers of Wind”, this town is in the province of Ahuachapan, El Salvador; just 1:15 minutes away from the city of San Salvador.
Imposible Tours! - Enjoy Imposible National Park, the largest ecoregion and the highest diversity of wildlife in El Salvador!
La Escondida Bed & Breakfast - If you feel like spending a night or two up on the mountain, you can visit "La Escondida" B&B located in the heart
of "El Portezuelo Farm" at 4500 ft.
Hotel Pacific Paradise
Cabañas Campo Bello - Visit this site for a unique travel experience.
Cabañas Bello Atardecer - In La Libertad.
| Beautiful Places to Stay in Chalatenango |
Hotel Miramundo, La Palma, San Ignacio
La Montaña Cabañas-EcoTurismo
Finca y Cabañas El Pinabete El Pital
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From the Natural Waterfalls to the many Volcanoes and Lush Jungle Wildlife Reserves, El Salvador offers the Ultimate in Outdoor Adventure. Along the Pacific coast stretch mile after mile of beaches--some with full service resorts, and others that are more remote with as much solitude as you wish. The coast also boasts spectacular cliffs of volcanic rock and pristine estuaries where you can go canoeing and bird watching.
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La Palma
Located 52 miles north of San Salvador, La Palma is small town high on the mountain of El Macotal. Off the beaten path, La Palma revels in its pristine
natural beauty and the crystal waters of its river. The town is known for its beautiful ceramic and wooden handicrafts and its population of blue-eyed,
blonde inhabitants in the higher elevations. Hiking and camping are popular activities here.
Suchitoto
This colonial village lies east of San Salvador and gives visitors the thrill of stepping back in time. There are hotels and restaurants serving home-cooked
Salvadoran meals you can enjoy while looking at the stunning views. This beautiful city offers visitors the opportunity to get to know a part of El Salvador’s
culture through its permanent festival of art and culture that began in 1991.
Cerro Verde
This national park with its temperate climate lies close to the Santa Ana and Izalco volcanoes, giving visitors a great view of both cones plus a picture
postcard vista of the Coatepeque Lake on the slopes of the former. A cloud forest reserve, Cerro Verde is home to nearly 127 species of birds, including
17 species of hummingbirds. The lush vegetation is dotted with orchids and bromeliads, which grow in the emerald green canopy.
There are at least 19 documented volcanoes
in El Salvador!
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Tiny El Salvador has the highest population density and the smallest amount of primary rain forest remaining (about 2%) in all of Latin America. The majority of El Salvador's forests has been cleared to grow food or build homes, in part, due to the tremendous population pressures that El Salvador faces.
Because of its size and biological diversity, El Imposible National Park is considered the most important natural area of El Salvador. This is the largest national park in El Salvador. It is located in the western part of the country, in the department of Ahuachapán, and has an area of 3,606 hectares. El Imposible contains a highly threatened dry tropical forest that forms part of the coastal mountain range Apaneca-Ilmatepec. The relatively new park of El Imposibile boasts excellent bird watching and many clear views of forested canyons and the pacific coastline.
The magnificent Montecristo Cloud Forest is located in the Montecristo-El Trifinio National Park, about a 4 hour drive from San Salvador. The area marks the point where the borders of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras meet. At an altitude of about 7000 feet, with plenty of rain, the forest has a number of micro-climates and a great diversity of flora and wildlife, including ferns, orchids, walkways of Spanish moss, spider monkeys, anteaters, toucans, striped owls and more. It is said by locals in and around Montecristo, that if one "steals" a piece of the nature there, that it will disappear by the time the forest is exited. Montecristo is known to some of the natives as lovely and enchanted.
The National Parks are stunning. |
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| Did you know about El Salvador's Biological Diversity? |
Despite it's small size it has a rich biological diversity!
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There are over 800 species of trees - more species of trees there than in all of Western Europe!! |
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It also has more butterfly species than the 48 contiguous states of the United States.
There are almost 1,000 species of butterflies in El Salvador! |
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There are over 500 species of birds, over 400 species of orchids, and over 800 species of marine fish. |
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Among the many habitats found in the country are mangrove forests, swamp forests, tropical dry forests, freshwater lagoons, pine and oak-pine forests, and cloud forests. Today natural forest cover has been drastically reduced. Some habitats, such as mangrove forests, are still fairly well represented, with about 40% of the original cover still remaining. Other types of habitat have been practically wiped out.
El Salvador's biodiversity is currently threatened by many factors. It is often assumed that because the country's forests have been drastically reduced its biological diversity has also disappeared. However, recent findings suggest the country still has a very rich biodiversity. Oliver Komar, a biologist who has done extensive field work in El Salvador, has reported a list of 508 birds for the country. Although only about 18% of the country is still covered by forests, this level of bird diversity is comparable to Belize, which has a bird list of 543 species.
El Salvador's beauty
and biodiversity is spectacular!
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Catalnicas - threatened in El Salvador by habitat loss and the pet trade.
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Recent conservation efforts provide hope for the future of the country's biological diversity. In 1997 the government established the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources. A general environmental framework law was approved by the National Assembly in 1999. Specific legislation to protect wildlife is still pending.
In addition, a number of non-governmental organizations are doing important work to safeguard some of the country's most important forested areas. Foremost among these is SalvaNatura which manages El Imposible, the country's largest national park, under an agreement with El Salvador's environmental authorities.
Despite these efforts much remains to be done. |
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The government, in cooperation with the University of El Salvador, recently established a school devoted to the preservation of the indigenous languages.
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El Salvador's highest peak, the Santa Ana (Ilamatepec) Volcano, erupted in 2005. Fortunately, there were few fatalities - though floods of molten rock and boiling mud wreaked significant destruction.
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Santa Ana is a beautiful Salvadoran city from which most of the country's wealth originated. Most of the country's coffee
growing families come from Santa Ana. Its beautiful town square is surrounded by an astonishing gothic cathedral, a beautiful city
hall, and an amazing colonial theater. Be sure to try the "Sorbetes Sin Rival" ice-creams on the streets.
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DID YOU KNOW THAT…
- El Salvador hosted the 2002 Central American and Caribbean Sports Games. More than 2 million tickets were available for the 2002 Central American and Caribbean Games.
- El Salvador´s flag was adopted in the 1910s. The blue stripes represent unity. The white one symbolizes peace.
- Rosemary “Rosie” Casals, who was one of the best tennis players in the 1960s, has Salvadoran ancestry…
- Different from Cuba, Venezuela, and North Korea, El Salvador is currently a democracy. Like South Africa, Botswana, Costa Rica, South Korea and Taiwan, El Salvador has one of the best democracies in the Third World.
- El Salvador qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Championship. Surprisingly, El Salvador beat Mexico in the World Cup qualifiers.
- The Joya de Ceren is one of the most important archaeological sites in Latin America.It was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993.Like Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan (Mexico) and Great Zimbabwe National Monument (Zimbabwe), Joya de Ceren is considered among the wonders of the world.
- Miss El Salvador 1955, Maria Isabel Arrieta Galvez, best known as Maribel, is considered by experts as one of the most beautiful misses of all times. Miss El Salvador , Maribel Arrieta, was the 1st runner-up at the Miss Universe 1955.However, she was crowned Miss Amity 1955.She was a big favourite last minute.Maribel looked like Marilyn Monroe, one of the most beautiful actresses in the history of Hollywood.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
- Maureen Kaila Vergara was one of the best cyclist in the Third World. She won many international tournaments. Maureen Kaila Vergara is an Salvadoran icon.
- San Salvador, El Salvador´s capital, hosted the Miss Universe 1975. El Salvador became the second Latin American country to host the Miss Universe pageant. The winner was Miss Finland, Anne Pohtamo. The judges were: Leon Uris (writer), Ernest Borgnine (actor), Jean Claude Killy (sportsman), Peter Lawford (actor), Maribel Arrieta (baronesa de Thuret), Aline Griffith (countess), Sarah Vaugan (singer), Luz Marina Zuluaga (former Miss Universe), Susan Strasberg (actress), Max Lerner (journalist), and Kiyoshi Hara (businessman).
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| Did you know... Famous Salvadorans ? |
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Check out this link for a list of famous or notable people born in El Salvador or of Salvadoran descent.
Included in this list are those who are in the Arts, who are Scholars, Authors, and Educators, Entertainment, Heroes and Martyrs, Fashion Designers and
Models, Athletes, and even Past and Current Political Figures. Christy Turlington (Half Salvadoran), born in California, is an American supermodel best
known for representing Calvin Klein fragrances since 1987. She grew up in California, with a British commercial pilot father and Salvadoran flight attendant
mother, from Santa Ana, El Salvador.
El Salvador has many famous people:Claribel Alegria (writer), Alvaro Torres (singer), Muriel Hasbun (photographer), Carmencita Rios (actress), Maria Cristina Vilanova Arbenz (former first lady of Guatemala), Oscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdamez (priest), Adam Oliver (sportsman), Maureen Kaila Vergara (sportswoman), and Paulina Margarita Galvez Piñeda (Miss International 1999).
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: Alejandro, best known as “Alex”, is a freelance writer. Different from other freelance writers, Alejandro is a versatile writer, who has written articles about biographies, culture, ecology, tourism, and international relations.
He admires Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA), Maria Felix (Mexican actress), Mario Vargas Llosa (writer from Peru), and Osmel Sousa (currently President of Miss Venezuela Organization).
His favorite writer is V.S.Naipaul. His hobbies and interests are writing essays, going to the gym, browsing the Internet, Foreign Politics, learning about cultures, reading , cooking Peruvian food, listening to American and British Music...
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| Did you know? ...That El Salvador has 14 regions or "Departments" |
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- Ahuachapán
- Cabañas (Sensuntepeque)
- Chalatenango
- Cuscatlán (Cojutepeque)
- La Libertad (Santa Tecla)
- La Paz (Zacatecoluca)
- La Unión
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8. Morazán
9. San Miguel
10. San Salvador
11. San Vicente
12. Santa Ana
13. Sonsonate
14. Usulután
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Click here for a brief history of El Salvador |
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