Tyler Cowen notes from trip to El Salvador

Here are a few observations from the trip: 1. El Salvador does truly seem safe, arguably “Canada safe” or maybe safer yet.

2. Hardly ever have I had quicker and more convenient airport and entry procedures.

3. Hardly any tourists are there, unless you count returning El Salvadorans from the United States.

4. For a small country, always visit the #2 city, in this case Santa Ana. There is nothing to do there, but that is part of the point. You can stroll through the local Walmart.

5. Mostly you should eat pupusas in less formal settings. The basic corn, beans, and cheese products of the country are excellent, though they get worse the nicer the restaurant.

6. There is one exception to #5: go eat at El XoLo, it is one of the best meals I have had in years. The squash dishes and the cochinita were best, and you get a fun look at the El Salvadoran elite.

7. You can go to lovely ocean spots and no one will be there.

8. I visited the colonial city of Suchitoto again, after a nine (?) year absence. It had perhaps 10x the amount of commerce as last time.

9. El Rosario, the brutalist church, is one of the great landmarks of the New World.

10. The gifted Chinese library in San Salvador is hilarious, here is some photos.

11. Measured gdp growth in El Salvador is a disappointment. But consumption seems to be growing rapidly, both in the numbers and what one sees on the ground. Which series matters more? This is a common paradox in development economics.

12. Taking 3-4 day trips in groups of five or six is very much underrated. Hope you can organize your own outings!

13. People love it when you tell them you are from Virginia.

14. I may consider “future of safety” issues in more detail in a later post.

15. Overall, I would encourage you to go, go, go. From Washington, D.C. it is a simple, direct four hour flight — isn’t that closer than Denver? What are you waiting for?