Anchored....

OK, this is going to sound weird - We are far from pulling up the anchor.
Michel has begun to install some of the big stuff we brought down ie: the watermaker et al.
This involved tearing up the boat floorboards, beds, and all. This was no smooth exersize. I have found out the a "Cruisers wife" sole occupation is packing and repacking boat lockers. Perhaps this is why we seem to be the only ones capable of finding things on the boat.
We were getting in the way and getting on each others nerves. Michel was getting totally frustrated trying to install the watermaker. ( I was told it would take a couple of days - it took 2 weeks) We had a little family chat as I began to want to bail. The resolve was to rent a house nearby for a couple months while the boat gets worked on. Then I rented a truck to haul boat parts around. We have a really nice house with a pool and a beautiful garden. We are getting spoiled. If anyone cares to visit plane fares run around 650 bucks from Seattle and we have lots of room for company. We are landlocked our property is across from the beach.
Here's the girls enjoying the pool....are we going to get any work done?

Josee plays with fish

Beaching it

Returning to our boat after a hard day of surfing. Our boat is parked on Costa del Sol along peninsula. The marina spans both the Pacific side and the River "estaro"
where we keep our boat it is about a 10 minute walk.

Window shopping

Michel starts to enjoy shopping through the window buying eggs and Cantaloupes.
I can't believe that he is comfortable driving through the maze of vendors.
Holding the eggs here is Giovani.

voodoo section

Dave and I purchased enough fruit and veggies to last well over a week for just under 5 bucks we literally could not carry anymore. Everything is sold in units of quarters or dollars. A bag of limes 12 for a quarter 3 cantaloupes for 1 dollar.
Here is the voodoo section offering dried animals for all you ailments

El Salvadorian drive through shopping

We are in San Salvador trying to get access to our "crates" the container ship arrived last night and they should be unloaded today. To kill time, the girls went to the mall which is like any mall in America with extravagant prices that go with it. At these malls you can get your car "detailed" and washed while you shop.
I chose to shop where the locals shop "down town". Our translator thought I was nuts. I had a blast wandering through the labyrinth of amazing shops filled with fresh produce. It's really an odd experience I would not stretching the truth to say that I believe that there were over a hundred booths selling the same thing. Thousands of booths that extended for miles. Michel waited in the car with our El Salvadorian friend "Giovani" and I explored a corner of the market with a tall Canadian friend "Dave" who towered over all the vendors. We got a little lost- I was beginning to get a little freaked out - thinking we will never get out - lucky enough we had our cheap cell phones. Michel called us and we were literally a half a block away...it was strange.
Cell phones here are easier to buy than propane we drove for hours trying to find the one propane shop that will fill a barbeque tank.
You can purchase a phone for 16 dollars it comes with 10 dollars worth of minutes and a 10 dollar coupon for "Super Selecto" the equivalent to Super Store.

Trieste at anchor