Dunson Adventures

Yesterday, we visited Jardín Botánico Plan de la Laguna, a hidden gem in Antiguo Cuscatlán, just outside San Salvador.  Nestled in the crater of an extinct volcano, this lush botanical garden is home to over 3,500 species of plants, towering trees, vibrant flowers, and even some curious little animals.   We wandered through winding trails, crossed wooden bridges, and found peaceful ponds filled with turtles and koi fish.  It was the perfect escape from the city—cool, quiet, and absolutely breathtaking. Instead of telling you more about it, I’ll let a few more pictures speak for themselves! If you ever find yourself in San Salvador, this place is a fun visit!

Last month, on Feb. 22,  we took our first "easy" hike here in El Salvador at El Peñón de Comasagua. I say "easy" with a bit of humor because, well, let’s just say I’m not exactly in peak hiking shape. But considering that I had neck surgery less than a year ago, I’m incredibly proud of my progress! The hike itself was both exhilarating and challenging. The views were breathtaking—literally and figuratively. As we made our way up, I had to take several breaks, and that’s when I remembered something important about myself: I’m actually pretty scared of heights. Whenever I paused to catch my breath, I’d start shaking a bit, a mix of exhaustion and sheer nerves. Still, I powered through, step by step. The weather was hot but absolutely beautiful, with the sun casting a golden glow over the landscape. We were also given a unique experience—police escorts through the village and throughout the hike, which added a sense of security and made the journey even more memorable...

One of the first Spanish phrases I learned was "¡Vamos a la playa!" which means "Let's go to the beach!" I have always loved the beach, and recently, we took our beach adventures to a new level by joining a beach club, Club Joya del Pacífico. This was my first time visiting a Central American beach, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. First Impressions When we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised by how clean and peaceful the beach was. There were hardly any other visitors, making it feel like our own private paradise. The water was pretty clear, and the shoreline was covered with beautiful shells, little crabs, and live sand dollars. We had the beach mostly to ourselves on a random Monday, which made the experience even more relaxing. The Beach Experience Unlike some beaches where I love to sit with my feet in the water, I found myself keeping more of a distance here due to the abundance of marine life. However, the experience was still incredible. The wav...

Settling into life in San Salvador has been an adventure. Everyday life can feel overwhelming, and we are still figuring things out. On weekends, we rent a car to do our shopping and try to carve out some family time. One of the most beautiful things about our new routine is that when we go to church on Sundays, the San Salvador LDS Temple is right there, just across the parking lot. I often wish I could take the feeling of the temple with me wherever I go.                                     One particular Saturday, I had just had enough. I had slipped in the shower three times, the boys were rowdy, the news was filled with worry, and my heart felt heavy. I needed peace. I turned to Mike and asked if we could drive by the temple, just to find out how attending worked here. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for—just some reassurance, some grounding. When we arrived, we walked into a building where p...

 College spring break brought us our very first visitor—David! His trip was a bit of a surprise, with plans coming together at the last minute, but we were thrilled to have him. Our home still wasn’t fully set up, as we were waiting on our shipment, but the embassy graciously provided an extra bed, making sure we had a comfortable spot for him. At 19, David is very much a "baby-adult", living life on his own schedule. He’s not exactly an early riser, so most of his visit was spent enjoying slow mornings (or, let’s be honest, afternoons) and late nights. More than anything, he just wanted to hang out with his siblings, which was really sweet to see. We did venture out for dinner one night, but in all the fun, we completely forgot to take a family photo. In fact, we almost made it through the entire visit without a single picture! Thankfully, Mike managed to snap a couple of airport photos, and I grabbed one just before David left. Not exactly a full album, but at least we ha...