Not many opportunities for photos yesterday. We spent a large part of the day in training, where FMLN activists gave us a 15 minute survey (in 2 languages at once!) of Salvadoran history as well as teaching us all about the intricacies of the country's electoral process. In the evening our group of International Observers was invited to attend the opening of a cultural center not far from our hostel called "Nuestra America".
FMLN Vice Presidential candidate (and former guerilla) Salvador Sanchez Ceren delivered the opening words.



Our hosts unveiled a painting by Salvadoran artist Camilo Minero


Nidia Diaz, Deputy to the Central American Parliament (and former freedom fighter) also spoke


Purty flowers...







Your humble correspondent became a bit bored after about the 5th speech in Spanish citing the "transcendental nature of current events". (The FMLN folks really seem to talk about winning the election not in terms of "if" but of "when". I'm sure this is good form positive thinking, but I hate to think about what they'll do if they lose. So I won't.)




The celing fan!



In one of the niceties of Central American architechture that makes a trip here so refreshing the cultural center has no back wall! (The walls it does have are lovely exposed red brick, as you can see.) The city, tropical flora and volcano (and, unfortunately, as you can see, signs of another, less desired culture!) serve as a backdrop to those speaking. And in this photo, unfortunately, cultural imperialism is winning.



Salvadoran writer Lorena Pena (in white)