The Pasarela
Many times there is just no choice. You just have to suck it up, be brave, make eye-contact, and cross to the middle. From there you just have to suck it in, steady your nerves, and wait for a break. I'll confess, I am not too proud to play the "helpless gringa" card if I am caught in a particularly snarly street-crossing situation. With a smile and a wave I can usually still stop traffic. Sometimes, there is a better choice: use the pasarela . "What is a pasarela ?" you ask. Well, if you google translate this term you might call it a "runway" or "catwalk." "Catwalk" is a pretty good description. In El Salvador, a pasarela is the walkway which pedestrians use to get across busy streets. Typically, pasarelas require the user to ascend 2 or 3 flights of stairs, walk across the catwalk and then descend 2 or 3 flights of stairs on the opposite side of the road. Now, as you might imagine, climbing up a bunch of stairs