Mayan Ruins in El Salvador

No visit to El Salvador would be complete
without a visit to one of the many Mayan Ruins.

Within just 30 minutes away from the capital, you will be enjoying a little bit of ancient history. By taking the  highway to Santa Ana, El Salvador is one of the most important archeological sites in Central America.Joya de Ceren is a unique site found in Mesoamerica; it was suddenly buried in ashes by a volcanic eruption

This unique and culturally significant site, Joya de Ceren ( the Jewel of Ceren), has given us an understanding of the day-to-day lives of the ancient Mayan cultures who lived here. Joya de Ceren is one of the most amazing sites to visit in El Salvador. Located in the Valley of Sapotitán, Joya de Ceren is one of the most fertile valleys in El Salvador. In Joya de Ceren, you will experience and learn to look back at ancient civilizations and the way of life was before.

                                      Extra Information:

Hotels usually offer to either get a taxi or arrange tours for their guests. But if you prefer to take public transit, it is available and with easy access there.

Hours of operation:

• Open Tuesday to Sunday 9am – 4pm
• Guided tours are given every 15 minutes
• Admission: $3.00 for tourists, $1.00 for locals and free for children under 8 years of age and for adults over 60
• Parking: $1.00

Moreover, El Salvador has another ancient Mayan Ruins 7 minutes away from Joya de Ceren, total of 37 minutes away from the capital San Salvador, called "The Ruins of San Andres." San Andres is one of the biggest pre-Hispanic centers in El Salvador. This ancient community covers around 200 acres or more, and consists of a ceremonial center surrounded by a wide residential area. It has been thought that San Andres dominated the Zapotitan Valley and Hammocks Valley, where the actual capital San Salvador lies.

Bahia Jiquilisco

Bahia Jiquilisco is situated in the Department of Usulutan. Within 2 hours away from the capital, on the same highway of the airport, the Jiquilisco Bay is the place for experiencing a different type of restaurant. In Jiquilisco Bay, you will find numerous options of eco-turism. One of the options are the tourist route that are offered by Tourist Development Association at  Jiquilisco. This route consist of taking you through passages and getting to know some island before getting to the biggest destination.

What is best in Bahia Jiquilisco is that you can enjoy delicious and fresh seafood in an unusual, strange, and different perspective of a restaurant. These restaurants are floating restaurants situated in the middle of the Bay. Furthermore for more information about this Bay and its restaurants, you can get more information and recommendation at "Puerto del Triunfo."







If you don't have a boat and make up an excuse for not going, well, there are boats offering transportation and their rates are from US$15 to US$45. Some restaurants that I would recommend are:

Cabo Tortuga Restaurant:
 located in the area of Tular Beach.



Playa Palmeras Restaurant: located between
 the Jobal Island and El Espiritu Santo Beach.

  What it is good about these two restaurants is that you can rent a fishing pole for just $5 an hour, and if you get lucky, you can get the people there to prepare it and for free. In addition, these restaurants offers a gastronomic specialities such as ceviches, seafood cocktails, breaded fish and seafood soup (Mariscada, best described in the Costa del Sol, Beach; post). 

Soccer

 "MUST EXPERIENCE" especially soccer fans



Whether my team or not is playing, I still go!




La Selecta 2011



  When it comes to sports, El Salvador is a country that plays a huge role in them. Sports are not just a matter of popularity in El Salvador, but rather a passion for citizens. Having soccer as the most popular sport in El Salvador, like most countries worldwide El Salvador has its own national soccer team, better known as “La Selecta”.  Whenever El Salvador National Team plays against any other country, people get crazy and in fact they treat that day as a day to celebrate and have a wonderful time regardless the final game score. El Salvador has the biggest and most complete (in regards to infrastructure) stadium in Central America, its name is “Estadio Cuscatlan”, A.K.A “El Coloso de Monserrat”.

Pablo Miguel (me), Gerardo Caceres "Jorra"

 El Salvador however, is not a country reach in football, even though it is its most played sport. La Selecta is not the best team out there. They have only qualified twice to the FIFA World Cup, better known as the most important tournament in soccer history. This occurred in the years 1970 in Mexico and 1982 in Spain. During these years and on, its song “Pajaro Picon Picon” became very popular and now every time La Selecta is going to play a game, the song is played over and over in many places around the country. The most popular soccer player in El Salvador is Jorge “Magico” Gonzalez, best know by his outstanding performance inside the soccer pitch and because of the exceptional journey he had in European soccer, scoring spectacular goals to teams of great magnitude such as FC Barcelona from Spain.

  


Pablo Miguel (me) "Pajomi", Gabriella Saravia "Cebolla", Jorge Zabaneh "Toño"

 

Today, El Salvador National Team is working on having a new developed team with a mixture of some old players but mostly with very talented young players. La Selecta is currently getting ready to participate in the next international soccer tournament called “Gold Cup”and it is to be held in the United States next summer 2011.



Right: Pablo Miguel "Pajomi" , Left: Jorge Bigit "tss tss ssnaake"



On the other hand,



Like most of countries have their own professional soccer league, El Salvador has one of its own called Liga Mayor de Futbol (LMF). In this league, 10 teams compete against each other playing all against all. At the end of the season, the top four teams qualify to semifinals where 1^st place plays against 4^th while 2^nd does the same against 3^rd place. The final is to be played at El Coloso de Monserrat.

The most popular and biggest team in Salvadorian soccer is Club Deportivo FAS, aka “FAS”. Its mascot is the tiger. FAS is from the famous department of Santa Ana where it has its stadium called “Oscar Alberto Quiteno” and the fans nickname is “Turba Roja”.



Jorge Magico Gonzales
Started playing in FAS FC, then
to Barcelona



Currently runners-up in the latest national tournament Clausura 2011, FAS has a total of 17 national trophies, more than any other team in the LMF. FAS’ most famous and historical player is Jorge “Magico” Gonzalez, who played for Antel, Independiente Nacional from El Salvador, Cadiz CF and Valladolid from Spain, and finally Club Deportivo FAS, and San Salvador FC both from El Salvador. FAS wanted to pay a big tribute to its best player and did so by not letting anyone in the team wear the #10 jersey, number worn by “Magico” Gonzalez.

FAS is currently getting ready to compete in the next national tournament Apertura 2011 beginning in August 2011.