Quezaltepeque

Riding back out of the lake was super difficult. There were two roads out and apparently the other was also gravel so we took the same steep road out as we did in. And I guess it was too early because there were no trucks to pick us up and carry us up the horrible road. So we rode it...and it took forever. A good 2km it was, and almost an hour. Finally at the top we got back on the paved road and it was a lovely downhill for pretty much the rest of the day. Yay!!

We thought it was time we saw some ruins on our trip so we made time for two. The first was San Andreas and the second Joyas de Ceren. San Andreas was a hub for administration and was believed to be inhabited multiple times despite numerous eruptions. First by an agrarian group, possibly the Mayans, then a volcanic eruption buried it and it went through a period of abandonment until Mayans from the west settled there and it was an administrative hub connected to Tikal and Palenque. It was then abandoned until the Spaniards came and built an indigo factory beside the Sucio River and abandoned pyramids. Then in 1658 the volcano erupted and buried the factory and pyramids again until their discovery in the late 19th century. Much of it has been excavated but there is still plenty more to go.

Pyramid at San Andreas, El Salvador. Covered by ash multiple times and recolonized.

Joyas de Ceren was a little more exciting and a little more complete than San Andres. It was a Mayan village that was buried by volcanic ash about 1300 years ago. The town was buried so quickly that many of the townsfolk left their household items behind and the layout of the town is clear to see, including the 3-room homes and the presence of a temezcal like the one we enjoyed in Oaxaca. A 1300 year old practice at least! All the sites are very well groomed and have large roofs over head. Many of the items found were well preserved but unfortunately we forgot to walk through the museum so we didn't seem them.

Excavated village at Joyas de Ceren

Since it was getting close to sunset we started back on the rode hoping to make it to Quezaltepec. Arriving just around dark, and after getting answers like 'I don't know where (or what) a hotel is' from locals we went back to the auto hotel we saw on the way in..The rubber sheets covering the matress under the normal sheets and complimentary condom told the tale of the usual clientelle of those establishments. But the room was spacious, had an air conditioner and a fan! It was a nice change to the sweat boxes we have been staying in.

Imitating the enjoyment of heat in the imitation Temezcal at Joyas de Ceren ruins