JTOG Day 37: Goodbye Guatemala, Hello El Salvador!

Torch and I saying goodbye to La Reunion in the morning!

Torch and I saying goodbye to La Reunion in the morning!

Nobody, including myself ever wants to leave a place like La Reunion. My three nights there were incredibly inspiring. In fact all of my time in Guatemala inspired me—from meeting Florencia and Pepe, seeing Top Tee Cayala, to experiencing the Mayan Golf Club and being introduced to Madre Ivonne, to my visit to Antigua and searching for the Monastery of the Holy Trinity. Even before I left Guatemala I knew I wanted to return again sometime soon!

I was up early and ready for a full day of travel. From La Reunion to San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador it was 170 miles, a 4-1/2 hour trip according to Google Maps. But there was an international border in between and who knows what can happen there? I had the routine down pretty pat by know. Same procedure for me and Torch- immigration or inspection, temporary visa or vehicle permit and some paperwork and copying. Maybe throw in some fumigation—for Torch, not me—and who knows what else. Or where else for that matter every physical setup being different in one country versus another, one side of the border to the other. I left at 7:30 am and hoped to make it to the Intercontinental Real in San Salvador by late afternoon as I had a dinner date if I could get there in time.

CLICK here for Andy’s Recap Video: Capturing the Spirit of Golf in Guatemala

Beautiful countryside of Guatemala.

Beautiful countryside of Guatemala.

I took in all of La Reunion and Torch and I rolled down the volcanic rock roadways. Past the practice facility and Volcano Fuego, past the reception area at the resort central combination clubhouse, past the first tee up adjacent to the clubhouse, taking in the last glimpses of the green carpeted slopes of the volcanoes, and down past flowering trees with petals lining the road before me to the main gate and entrance onto Route 14.

I stopped to make a donation to the volunteer in the middle of the road soliciting money for the ambulance operation hoping I would never need their services. Route 14 took me down to Escuintla where I continued on CA-2 in the same direction as when I came from Mexico, this time heading to El Salvador, not Guatemala City. I was out for a Sunday ride on a Saturday as the topography was beautiful driving down a flat fertile valley with mountains on the left and the Pacific out-of-sight to the right. As in Mexico I did not see the ocean in El Salvador but finally did in Nicaragua.

CLICK here for Video Introducing Guatemalan Soccer Kids Alongside a Road to Golf

With kids in Guatemala... from kicking soccer balls to swinging clubs and hitting golf balls!

With kids in Guatemala… from kicking soccer balls to swinging clubs and hitting golf balls!

I came along a gang of kids playing soccer on the side of the road. Like in the old days looking for hickory trees with fallen nuts nearby on the ground with my father, I made a U-turn to have a closer look. I brought out my wedge and let them hit a few balls after a brief posture-grip-swing lesson and demonstration. There was pure excitement and enjoyment in their eyes as some hit the ball and some missed. I asked them and the name Tiger Woods did not mean anything to them. But they liked this stick-and-ball game as much as the foot-and-ball game they were playing when I arrived.

A little further down the road I was asked to pull over at a federal police checkpoint. We had a nice chat as best we could understand each and then took a picture before I resumed my rest day journey.

Jorge was a great help getting Torch and I into El Salvador!

Jorge was a great help getting Torch and I into El Salvador!

Like at the last border crossing a friendly tout came up alongside of me on a motorcycle and we made a deal on the run. This time his name was Jorge, not Isai, and he was even better as a tout. He had lived in the USA and nearly completed a golf course superintendent degree at UC Riverside before coming back home. He spoke good English and knew the unique Guatemala-El Salvador border routine down to every first name of every official in charge with determining if I could pass out of Guatemala and into El Salvador. I implemented a lesson-to-be-learned and with Jorge’s help I bought a cell phone in La Hachadura on the El Salvador side of the border. we drove a few miles to get some cash out of another ATM to pay for the phone. One implemented lesson-learned demands a new lesson-to-be-learned so for the next border crossing I reminded myself that it would be good to have some cash to exchange for the local currency. In El Salvador life of commerce was easy as they used the American dollar.

With my new friends on the federal police force in Guatemala.

With my new friends on the federal police force in Guatemala.

As expected the police stops along Highway 1 in El Salvador  were frequent and included requests for money. That part of El Salvador is a pass-through corridor of a little over 100 miles from Nicaragua to Guatemala. I got pulled over when I moved through the first stop thinking the guard had signaled me through. There was no doubt at the second stop 50 yards down the road that they wanted me to stop, pull over and contribute to their retirement fund. More likely their living fund and the officer was a nice likeable guy that reminded me of an uncle in a good way. He wanted 20 dollars, I offered 5, he agreed and I gave him a 10 because I had no 5s. Another lesson-learned, bring small denominations to pay off bribes, I mean tickets and tolls, at face value with both faces smiling afterwards.

My home for two nights at the Intercontinental Real in San Salvador, El Salvador.

My home for two nights at the Intercontinental Real in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Soon I was to San Julian and picked up Route 12S whcih turned into Route 8 and took me to my next bed in San Salvador. The road funneled me right into the downtown commercial area where I easily saw and made it to the Intercontinental Real San Salvador. Those can be two different things—seeing a place and being able to navigate my way to it. This was the first data point of an emerging pattern for Hotel Intercontinentals—in Central America they are located next to the Metro Mall right int he heart of the city.

The hotel was really nice with a beautiful lobby enhanced with artwork by local artists. I had a beautiful room with a beautiful view of the capital city. Best of all I had arrived as expected time wise and had time to get settled in and hop in a cab to the finest Italian restaurant in the country—Il Buon Gustaio.

With Perry Dye at II Buon Gustavio in San Salvador.

With Perry Dye at II Buon Gustavio in San Salvador.

Who was my dinner date? None other than Perry Dye and his entourage of house architect Miguel Rivera and GPS course layout expert Alejandro Lahrssen and his wife Antonella. For the record, as you can see clearly documented in the video interview, this was not an internet date! Just another fabulous surprise and incredible luck and timing of the ‘Journey to Olympic Golf’ to meet Perry Dye for the first time, not in the United States as I had met his father Pete Dye at French Lick, Indiana, but in San Salvador, El Salvador.

CLICK here for Part 1 of Perry Dye Video Interview: Dye Family History

CLICK here for Part 2 of Perry Dye Video Interview: His Passion & Mission in Life

CLICK here for Part 3 of Perry Dye Video Interview: The Future of Golf

As I fell asleep that night all I could think of was how blessed and fortunate I was to be a ‘golf voyager’ doing what I love and learning so much about the spirit of the game of golf and different parts of the world. In one day I had gone from the Dye designed best golf course and resort in Guatemala to meeting its designer in the capital city of El Salvador.

What could be next?

There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee… please make a donation today. Much appreciated.

I am looking for 100 new friends in the next 100 days to make a $100 donation (or any amount that you are able to make) to The First Tee. Each day I will be reliving the original “Journey to Olympic Golf” and hope to find a new friend in golf. Is that you? Please join me in giving back to the game we all love.

CLICK here to make a donation to The First Tee.

The First Tee has a positive impact on young kids in life and on the golf course.

The First Tee has a positive impact on young kids in life and on the golf course.

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Crossing bridge from Pedro de Alvarado, Guatemala to La Hachadura, El Salvador over the Rio Paz.

Crossing bridge from Pedro de Alvarado, Guatemala to La Hachadura, El Salvador over the Rio Paz.

In the lobby of the Intercontinental Real San Salvador with Bellhop Fernando in front of Fernando Llort's "The Story of My People."

In the lobby of the Intercontinental Real San Salvador with Bellhop Fernando in front of Fernando Llort’s “The Story of My People.”

At dinner with w Antonella & Alejandro Lahrssen (L), Perry Dye (C), and Miguel Rivera (R).

At dinner with w Antonella & Alejandro Lahrssen (L), Perry Dye (C), and Miguel Rivera (R).