El Salvador

This is part of my travels with Elmo. Probably one of the most beautiful black sand beaches that I have ever seen. Make sure to bring sandals because that sand is hot!

The fire breather! This poor fellow has gasoline all over him. He was walking from car to car trying to elicit donations from people with limited success.

La Puerta del Diablo "The Devil's Door" Despite the disturbing name, a very beautiful place but with an equally disturbing history. During the war the government troops would bring people here for execution. They would dispose of the bodies by simply pushing them over the side.

These folks had just brought in the catch of the day. My favorite part of this photo is "the little dog who could" he was trying so hard in his own way to help out.

Whew! That was heavy. (funny little dog) The fisherman and his family after bringing in the catch of the day.

The falls (Cascadas) at Juayua. Had I had any idea how bad the roads were to this place I would never have asked to visit. (Thanks again Aleph and Elmo)However, the falls were absolutely beautiful.

Another angle on the falls at Juayua. And believe that just out of frame there were several ladies doing laundry! For those of you who have never been to Central America, if there is water there are people washing. It is just the way that things are done.

Cipitio. In a nutshell Cipitio is a crafty, supernatural being that attempts to lure young women into ilicit relations. You can see it in his eyes!

The studio of the Maestro. El Aleph.

This is at the top of the mountain and in former days it was used as a sort of coffee elevator to move the hundred pound bags from the fields to the trucks. It's use was discontinued as people kept riding on it, falling off and dying. Talnique, La Libertad, El Salvador.

She refused to fall. Talnique, El Salvador.

This was taken on my first day In El Salvador. I stood here for a long time. Talnique, El Salvador.

A beautiful victim of one of the many earthquakes.

It is all about the texture.

A Salvadoran 7-11

Boys and trees, it is the same everywhere.

The family coffee farm Ramirez at Talnique.

Also the family coffee farm, Ramirez, Talnique. Best coffee in the world! I hand carried 20 lbs. home myself. (Thanks again Dona Yolanda)

Flowers in Talnique.

A local little old lady. She was very nice!

I see you. What a cutie!

If I had to name this photo, I would call it "finally". I was trying so hard to get a nice photo of this little girl and she was so shy, but once she made eye contact with the camera she no longer seemed that shy. One of my favorite photos from the trip.

I don't know what to say about this image but I love it. The way that his cane parallels his arm, his shoes and socks and the way his key hangs from his belt. He has character to spare!

The home of Alejandro Coto in Suchitoto. http://alejandrocoto.com/ Suchitoto, Cuscatlan, El Salvador

This was also taken at the home of Alejandro Coto. The green circles that you see under the water are recycled glass bottles. It is an absolutely beautiful place.

The lawn mower! He is a handsome man and he knows it! FYI, he really is mowing the lawn.

This was taken at Carlitos farm. This tree just amazed me. I took a hundred photos of this tree.

Loved that little Jeep. I wish I could have seen what I looked like hanging on for dear life in the back of it going up and down the mountains!

This photo just makes me want to picnic. Did I mention, I love this tree!

A Salvadoran funeral procession. The casket is placed in the back of a special pick up truck and surrounded with flowers and music is played. They were a litlle worried as it rained so hard and for so long that they wouldn't be able to bury her. After taking these photos I joined the procession.

El Aleph's studio.

A mask from the collection of Cecil. It is a very powerful eye.

A whole lot of reasons to not learn how to surf on this beach! El Tunco, El Salvador.

The beach in El Tunco, El Salvador.

I was absolutely captivated by the way the sand, the rocks and the sun all worked together and as such I took about a hundred photos of these rocks and sand. I will only share a few with you. But I have more! El Tunco, El Salvador.

It was late afternoon and as such you can see the storm coming. If you have never been to Central America in July, it rains like clockwork almost every afternoon. El Tunco, EL Salvador.

You can almost feel the power of the water in this photo. El Tunco, El Salvador.

Look at the size of that wave! El Tunco, El Salvador.

Can you see the face? El Tunco, El Salvador.

I like the roots at the bottom of the frame. El Tunco, El Salvador.

Looks like a musical note! El Tunco, El Salvador.

An impressionistic beach at night. El Tunco, El Salvador.

An impressionistic beach at night. El Tunco, El Salvador.

Impressionistic beach. El Tunco, El Salvador.

Impressionistic beach. El Tunco, El Salvador.

El Tunco at dawn. El Tunco, El Salvador.

El Tunco at dawn. El Tunco, El Salvador.

El Tunco at dawn. El Tunco, El Salvador.