The Artist Trail

Many small towns in the north of El Salvador are artist communities, with each seeming to specialise in a particular form. Usually this is because of an artist who established himself in that town and that craft then flourished. In Alegria, there were a number of painters (including those dedicated to painting telegraph poles). In fact where I stayed was an artists studio with a couple of rooms rented out above - a very cool space. (Telegraph poles, I have since learned, are painted in different styles and designs all over the country.)

After leaving Alegria I popped into Ilobasco, which specialises in ceramics. It was a nice little town with the main street dominated by shops of various artists. Some of the work was beautiful but unfortunately too big to carry around which was a real shame as the cost of a beautiful large ceramic vase was $5-$10.

I then ended up in Suchitoto, a colonial town with cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings with terracotta-tiled roofs. Set by the stunning Lago Suchitlan, Suchitoto is one of the most beautiful towns in El Salvador. Again, there are many artists here, including the two brothers who ran the hotel where I stayed.

Day and night the Parque Central was full of people going about their business, catching up, hanging out and just watching the day go by. A group of old men in their cowboy hats occupied one corner, while women, children and young men occupied other parts. Market stalls were set up at the weekend and a couple of nice restaurants lined the square, making it a great spot to have breakfast or an evening beer and watch the goings on.