San Salvador: City of Barbed Wire

We´ve have spent a few days hanging out in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. In contrast to the gloomy warnings of gangs, theft, and violence we so often heard, our time here has been peaceful. We´ve found this to be quite a charming city. Granted, it´s not really a pretty place, and the air pollution is bad. But San Salvador does have a fun vibe to it. The people have been helpful, and unlike most metropolises in the developing world, it´s not difficult to get around with public transportation. It´s been fun to go out to some nice restaurants, museums, and (I confess) even modern malls. San Salvador is actually a very accessible place as long as you take care to stay out of the areas that face endemic problems of gangs and urban poverty.

That said, my first drive through San Salvador from the bus station to our hotel was somewhat startling. Having visited South Africa and other developing countries, I am used to heightened security measures. But everywhere you look here, on the top of homes and businesses, there is barbed wire. And these aren´t just thin little barbs; these are massive stay-out-or-you-will-bleed-to-death barbs. Every building has it, and the reason is understandable: In a city with one of the highest homicide rates in the world, swabbing your property in barbed wire as if it were patriotic bunting at a Fourth of July parade is only understandable. I wonder if any statistics on meters of barbed wire per capita are available, because I´m certain San Salvador, a city that at times resembles a maximum security prison, is among the top contenders.