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Leaving Santa Ana, CA-12 heads north through agricultural plains and badly deforested hills, becoming wilder after it passes through the dusty town of Texistepeque . Sixteen kilometres further on, at the hamlet of Desague, a dirt road leads 2km or so to serene Lago de Guija , surrounded by low hills; Rio Ostua, flowing through the lake, forms the border with Guatemala. On the Las Figuras arm of land - accessible on foot during the dry season - stretching out on the left side of the lake shore are a number of faint pre-Columbian rock carvings; the area around the lakeshore was populated exclusively by indigenous groups until well into the seventeenth century. You can rent boats from here to the small island of La Tipa in the lake. Ten kilometres beyond the lake the small, friendly town of METAPAN is scenically situated on the edge of the mountains of the Cordillera Metapan-Alotepeque, which run east along the border with Honduras. Having survived a number of setbacks, including two devastating fires which nearly destroyed the town, Metapan was one of only four communities which supported Delgado's first call for independence in 1811, when rioting citizens opened the jail and attacked representatives of the Spanish crown. The Iglesia de la Parroquia , completed in 1743, is one of El Salvador's finest colonial churches, with a beautifully preserved facade. Inside, the main altar is flanked by small pieces worked in silver from a local mine while the ornately decorated cupola features paintings of San Gregorio, San Augustin, San Ambrosio and San Jeronimo.
Correction about Hotel ChristinaChristina says "I have been going to Metapan my whole life and my family owns Hotel Christina. On this website the information regarding said hotel is incorrect, ALL the rooms have bathrooms and hot water. Just thought I'd let you all know.... Have fun, I love Metapan."
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