For Jake’s Sunday Post sunrise challenge, this is the Gulf of Fonseca, near La Union, El Salvador, taken in late June 1992. I have cholera to thank for rousing me out of bed that morning at a few minutes past four.
No, it wasn’t me –that body-bending bout of diarrhea wouldn’t bludgeon me until the following day. It was my friend Breyer’s stomach problems that forced her out of bed and onto this canvas of orange and gold. I will forever remain thankful that she woke me and made me come outside.
El Salvador in the 1980s was violent and tragic, the inspiration behind Rocket Launcher. That morning was peaceful and alive, with the slightest drizzle falling on the fishermen setting off into the bay. Like tears of cleansing rain. I haven’t experienced such a collision of color and emotion since.
More about the photo: this is a scan of a 4×6 (10x15cm) print. The negative is trashed but I still have it. I’ve got perhaps a dozen 4×6 prints and two 8x10s (20x30cm) stored away.
Glorious, expectant day. You’re lucky you ran off some prints back then. Sad to imagine your not having some record of such a scene.
And unlike the negative, I’ve actually taken pretty good care of the prints.
That’s terrific! It was a memorable shot, thanks for sharing it with us.
Great entry for this week theme Bob thanks for sharing this beautiful scene of sunrise
The light is magical! So is the scene
Have never seen a sky like that…thanks
A beautiful shot!
Lovely photo. I didn’t get to El Salvador during my 4 months in Central America. I kept getting conflicting reports in safety but now I kind of regret it.
This was 20 years ago, soon after the region’s civil and proxy wars were winding down. There were LOTS of people with guns and a very heavy military presence. I didn’t feel to be in any danger. I’ll be returning sometime next year. I haven’t been in Cent America since 1999 so am REALLY looking forward to it.
It is a wonderful image…so happy you didn’t lose the image as well as the negative.
Stunning! Going to have to spend some time wandering around your blog.
Thanks, please do. Welcome anytime!
A great photo and a great story; El Salvador is a beautiful country, though I’ only spent a few days while in transit from Gua to Costa Rica. I’d like to return one of these days, but most say it’s unsafe. z
Thanks! The majority of the violence these days is gang-related and doesn’t really affect visitors so the general rules of common sense apply. Crime stats are very similar in Guatemala and Honduras.
Si; La Libertad struck a chord that still rings as if I were there,though there were many areas I wished I’d had time to explore One of these days I’ll find my way back. Z