This past week we were able to spend the day at the beach on one of our free days. We drove to La Playa El Tunco and had the most beautiful weather and spent the entire day relaxing at the waters edge. I was raised on the coast and I have always been awed by the ocean but this day was so much better than any day I have ever had at the beach before.
This was the surfing lodge we spent the day at
We arrived at the beach and began walking down the rocky/black sand. It was much different than any beach I have ever been to and the best part was that it was the Pacific and not the Atlantic. I was so stoked to get the chance to go swimming but what I was most looking forward to was the fact that I was going to be able to go surfing…..yup I got the chance to go surfing for the first time. OH MY GOSH!!!!! I am pretty sure that I have found a new love. Ok so for those of you who know me and my love for horseback riding, brace yourself….. I am going to say something that may shock you:) Surfing=Horseback Riding. Yup I said it, I may have only done it once but it is far from my last.
So for $1 day we spent the day at this surfing lodge that was just a couple feet from the beach. We had access to hammocks, showers, shade, and a bathroom. It was a pretty sweet hook up. We also found out that for $10 a night you can rent a room at the same place. So anyway after a quick dip in the water I decided to take a surf lesson from one of the surfer dudes. OMG!!!!! It was EPIC!!!! For $10 I got a 2 hour lesson and I rented the board for the day for only $10. My instructor (Manuel) got me a long board and and thus began my lesson. In Manuel’s limited English, these are the instructions I got: ~Hold tight ~4 seconds after catching the way, stand up ~20 Meters from the beach exit the board and ~Exit the board if a wave is coming towards you. That was about it, then we took to the water. Words can not express the way it felt to be out there. It was one of the most EPIC, thrilling, peaceful, relaxing, and amazing things I have ever done. Just in case you were curious, I did stand up, on the second try none the less.
Thats me way out there
I really had no desire to get out of the water but it was getting dark
In my ever increasing Spanish and his limited English, Manuel and I had a cool conversation out there on the waves. He is 21 and his birthday was on November 12th, he has lived on this beach his entire life, and has been surfing for 7 years since he was 13. He said there were no sharks in the water but instead there were “cerviches” (which I later found out were crabs). He said the best months to surf in the El Salvador are November and December. (so I will be returning next November just to spend the month on the waves learning to surf, and I am DEAD serious when I say that) He was quite a cutie, and I had no problems listening to him talk.
Anyway I am not going to go on any longer, I don’t want to bore you. So I spent the entire day on the water except for a break for lunch at this grill run by the Kayu Surf Team ( Yup El Salvador has a surf team, I mean I guess it makes sense since they are on the coast and all). I felt such a peace being on the water. The fury of the ocean and the knowledge that follows when you know the full strength of the ocean is just an amazing feeling. So as i sat there, the sun was setting on the horizon all I could feel was this amazing sense of peace and wonder at the splendor of the creation of my God. It was absolutely stunning.
Thats my room when I return to spend the month down here lol
Needless to say, I fell in love with this place. I know I will come back, this whole country has stolen my heart, the people, the culture, all of it. I LOVE it!
Until Next Time
AV
