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The (not quite) Surfing Trip to Playa El Tunco in El Salvador. Eight of us - all from the Spanish Academy Sevilla in Antigua, headed down to El Salvador for some sun, sea and surf. Shortly after having a near-fist fight with the agent on pricing of our "air-condition included" trip (a point repeatedly emphasised by el senor), we piled into the shuttle immediately after classes on Friday, and headed south to the El Salvador border. It turns out the aircondition - although often a deal breaker between travelers in terms of having it on or not on during the night - came in pretty handy and the $10 extra a steal in that respect. As soon as we left the highlands around Antigua, the heat became palpable, and I wrapped myself in the humidity and heat of El Tunco with abandon - of course with cold beer in hand to balance things. It was my first swim in the Pacific ocean, and a very warm one at that, easily putting Ballito in summer in the "beaches with cold water" category. The body surfing was good (a sign of things to come?) and Friday night dinner at Restaurant Erica was excellent - very good ceviche for a starter, and a paella-type rice and assorted sea food dish for main - including Margeritas all for the princely sum of about R70. Not bad. Friday night was predictably a big night, but this did not discourage us - after a hearty breakfast on Saturday - renting surfboards and taking to the waves - with the help of El Professor Nico, my French mate who now lives (and surfs) in Mexico. Could it be that the waves were just not that great that day?? Well, I got up once, arms aloft victoriously, on a 1 and 1/2 foot wave, in the white surf, more or less where the four year old kids normally booggie-board. Not exactly Kelly Slater, and I was exhausted, with a surfboard rash on my stomach to remind me of my efforts and the road that remains ahead (look out Costa Rica - here I come). I remain determined! The rest of Saturday saw us chilling at Hotel and Bar La Guitarra (which I very much liked), playing pool, table tennis, chess, chatting (of course all of the aforesaid accompanied by Cuba Libres or cold cerveza), with dinner taking the form of a braai - partially in a torrential downpour, but just managing to get our timing right. The evening was topped of with Tequilas - courtesy of Tejs at $4 a pop (have not quite figured that one out yet - in a place where beers cost $1 or less) and your's truly providing some entertainment (and of course instruction) in the finer arts of Zulu dancing to Salsa music. Sunday was spent clearing our heads, and the surfboards were quietly and modestly handed back to the rental store.
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