How did I celebrate my traveling birthdays?

My El Salvadorian friends.

One year on the road, one year traveling, one year without schedule, not knowing what will happen, who I will meet, where I will sleep. How to celebrate it?

An easy thing was to dress two different socks in the morning. After breakfast from one of the street stalls I went shortly to Internet cafe. But it was a traveling birthday, so I knew that I had to move on and celebrate this anniversary traveling. I decided to go in the direction of Pacific. How? Of course hitchhiking. The most unplanned mode of the travel. You never know where one will end up, you never now when one will get the ride, and you never know who you will meet on the road.
I started to walk out from the city. The first car that was passing stooped and the driver told me that he was very sorry that he could not give me the lift, but he was going just around the corner. Wow.

I jumped on the second pick up and we drove together for an hour. With two other lifts I got around Sant Miguel city. I had chosen to go to the pacific coast on a small road. The first vehicle that came this road was a big truck caring coffee plants. I jumped in and met Gorge, Daniel and Jorge.

Gorge, Daniel and Jorge and their truck.

Daniel lived for 10 years in New York and Gorge stayed also in USA. Both got deported from there finally. Gorge managed to save some money and he was an owner of car workshop and few lorries. Daniel was his employee. They needed to stop on one farm for one hour to unload the coffee from the lorry and afterwards they planned to go on further in my direction. I decided to join them and visit the farm. There were many young guys on the farm that in 10 minutes unloaded the whole truck of coffee. Afterwards everyone, including me was offered delicious meal.

Jorge climbing the tree,
searching for Iguana.

Gorge with Iguana.

Iguana

We left the farm, but Jorge stayed at the back of the truck. Suddenly, he shouted something from the back. Gorge stopped the truck and together with Daniel run out from the truck. There was Iguana sitting high on the tree. Gorge took his hand catapult and small stone. He missed with the first shot but the second one he managed to hit Iguana! All guys had their own catapults and apparently Daniel was using it for self defence on the streets of New York. But coming back to our hunt. The animal fall down to a small hole inside the tree. One of my friends immediately climbed this tree and managed to catch Iguana in his hand. Iguana bit him, but he managed to catch it properly and tide it up. This was a huge Iguana and all mu friends were happy that they managed to catch it. They told me that the Iguana meat is very delicacies. We went off and in one hour we reached Gorge workshop. It was a bit late, so I was happy when they proposed me to stay there on the hammock for the night. In the evening I joined Gorge and we went to see his wife house.

Iguana.

I have a feeling that the El Salvadorian concept of family is very much different from Polish one. Gorge had some children in the USA. He also had some children in El Salvador with at least two women. He was living with his girlfriend and they new born child. His other daughter was living together with his mother.... and six other daughters of Gorge sisters and brothers. Gorge sisters were living in USA but they daughters were living in El Salvador. I guess it takes a new PhD to understand all the relationship. But they also could not understand how come I do not have children at the age of 31.

I also asked Gorge and Daniel if the neighborhood is anyhow dangerous. They told me that it is very safe here, and the only people that I should be afraid were they both. They lough after this. They were joking. Although sometimes they somehow help El Salvadorians to get to USA. Nowadays it is very dangerous and expensive. Apparently it cost 4500$ for two chances.

Daniel and his family.

Daniel was a great, good hearted guy. He almost cried when I was leaving. When he was in States he had to fight for survival. Afterwards he also spent some time in the prison. Now he was trying to set his life in El Salvador, but he also dreamed to emigrate somewhere where he could work hard and managed to save some money. From most of the jobs in El Salvador it is possible to earn for food and other daily needs but it was almost impossible to save anything else.

Initially I planned to move on the next day, but both Daniel and George convinced me stay with them one day longer. Moreover the next day George was picking up his sister from the airport, which was in my directions. So I enjoyed their company for one day more.

During that day the Daniel's girlfriend prepared the fried Iguana and I can confirm that the iguana meat is very delicious and delicate. Muy rico!

Gorge and Daniel are great people. It was a great pleasure to meet them and to get know a bit their point of views, their proprieties. Meeting different people, is the main reason for my travel.