San Salvador , General info:
7/10

San Salvador is the capital city of the nation of El Salvador. The valley where it is located was earlier known as "El Valle de las Hamacas" because of its high seismic activity. San Salvador is the second largest city in Central America.

San Salvador is a powerhouse - the cultural and cosmopolitan heart of the country.it abounds with museums, cultural centers, bars and cafes. Six-lane avenues and glittery malls keep the city buzzing. What San Salvador lacks in colonial grandeur, it makes up for in class and personality. Wander through the Teatro Nacional, with its red velvet opulence and sensuous mural, or around one of the city's five markets; the interesting Mercado Ex-Cuartel has handicrafts, hand-woven textiles and ceramics.

San Salvador , Cheap stuff:
8/10

San Salvador is pretty cheap city, everything is affordable. Hotels and restaurants are cheap.

San Salvador , Different stuff:
10/10

Pollution remains one of the city's biggest problems. Located in a valley, San Salvador is a perfect pollution trap. Fueling this, the city struggles with an increasing traffic problem. New highways and arterial roads offer some relief. According to a study by the United Nations, El Salvador was ranked as the second worst polluter of carbon dioxide emissions in Central America.

San Salvador , Don't miss:
9/10

The national fiesta patronal (patron saint festival) is celebrated during the first week of August. Schools, government offices and most businesses close (as they do for all public holidays), and everyone goes on vacation. Religious processions, street fairs and colorful parades are held throughout the country, the celebration in San Salvador is the largest and the best.

San Salvador , Food:
10/10

The restaurant scene in San Salvador is influenced by many different cultures. food options include Italian, Korean, Japanese, French, Chilean, American, Peruvian, Mexican, Spanish, Middle Eastern, German, Chinese, Argentinian and others. Local food options include Tipicos Margot where one can purchase the famous Salvadoran Pupusas. Perhaps the biggest indictment against the quality of the San Salvador restaurant scene however is the sheer number of chain restaurants.

San Salvador , Hotels:
8/10

There are four main zones for accommodations: the city center (cheap, but a bit sketchy at night), Parque Cuscatlán (reasonably priced and much safer), Boulevard de los Héroes (the only place for hostels) and the area around Colonía Escalón and Zona Rosa (top-end, high-rise).

San Salvador , Safety:
9/10

San Salvador has had a history of violence. San Salvador was considered the most dangerous city in the world in 1992. Since the end of the civil war in 1992 San Salvador has not seen a reduction in crime rates. Today San Salvador, and El Salvador in general, experience some of the highest homicide rates in the world, it is also considered an epicenter of the gang crisis. Don't walk on streets that look abandoned and dark. Use only licensed taxis or rent a car. Walk in tourist areas.

Stafford, Staffordshire , Cheap stuff:
1/10

The local market survives - just, given the competition it faces (see above). In the markey one may buy artfully camouflaged poor-quality fruit and veg (that's produce), dodgy electrical goods, replacement hoses for old washing machines and, an exciting addition to the local retail experience, Polish foodstuffs.

Stafford, Staffordshire , Different stuff:
5/10

Stafford has in recent years become home to a large number of mostly young people from eastern Europe. They are quiet, polite, hardworking, healthy and attractive, and perform sterling service in local shops and farms. This failure to blend in with the locals has caused some comment. Mostly appreciative.

Stafford, Staffordshire , Don't miss:
6/10

Um. The open-air Shakespeare at the castle at the end of June is fun. Unless it rains. The park alongside the river has been replanted and developed and is rather pretty in the summer. Unless it's flooded.

Stafford, Staffordshire , Food:
2/10

Don't ask. There are no decent restaurants in Stafford. Although the cafe in Marks is OK.

Stafford, Staffordshire , Hotels:
3/10

The Swan, an old coaching inn, on the main street. There are others, but none that I'd consider. There's a more upmarket one in the village of Acton Trussel, a few miles out of town.

Stafford, Staffordshire , Safety:
7/10

If you're in any way vulnerable (ie. aged, young, drunk or drugged, lost), best to avoid walking around the small areas of suburban low-income housing on the outskirts of town. Gangs of amateurishly unpleasant children and youths might well give you a hard time, in between smashing the glass in bus shelters and gobbing on the few remaining public telephones. Also, the town centre after 8pm on a weekend evening is the rightful domain of the drunken British young adult. There are drunken assaults, there is vomit, there are loud and ugly voices. It's not pleasant. Other then that, no probs.