The Most Amazing Experience!

I seriously just had the most amazing experience.  I had wanted to go on a horse ride while in Costa Rica and today I did it.  For $30, I got an incredible deal.  I was the only one on the tour (this off-season thing has worked well for me here).  Think how much a 2 1/2 hour private horse ride would cost in the US??

And the tour couldn't have better.  I have absolutely no complaints.  I was picked up at my hostel at 7.45 (very punctually) and driven about 30 minutes on unpaved, rocky roads to Finca Las Brisas (Breezes Farm).  My driver spoke little or no English so we conversed in my broken Spanish.  He put up with it and even complimented my Spanish (I've gained a tiny bit of confidence recently).

I arrived at the farm and was immediately welcomed.  I was given a helmet and led to my horse after I signed a waiver.  The guide (the man who owned the farm) immediately asked if I wanted a photo taken of me.  He was excellent about asking me at various stops if I wanted a photo of myself.

Yes, I know I look funny, but I don't care.  

I didn't have to know much or do much.  The horse knew exactly what to do.  Talia (not sure of spelling) followed the guide's horse.  I was told she was very tranquila (calm) and she was.  More than once she stopped altogether and decided to rest or have a snack.  She was also the gassiest horse!

At the very beginning of the journey, I saw a toucan fly overhead.  I knew then that the tour would be more than worth the $30.  And how often can a person see a toucan on a farm??  Farm may even be a misnomer in this case.  There were crops, of course, but most of the land appeared natural (although I really have no idea what they have to do to maintain the grassy fields and beautiful groves of trees.  

I saw some amazing views from the farm.  At the highest point (none of the land was flat, it was all rolling), I was able to see Puntarenas and Montezuma and the Pacific Ocean.  If if hadn't been cloudy, I could have even seen 3 volcanoes, including Arenal.

It's difficult to describe my experience in a way that explains just how incredible it was.  The horses hiked (it was more than just a walk) through mud and muck and a couple of streams, uphill and downhill, on grasses and on rocks.  At times, I was slightly nervous that I would fall off - the path was steep enough.  

Like the bus driver, the guide knew very little English.  So we spoke in Spanish as well as I possibly could.  He was really good about speaking slowly for me and using the same words to describe various things.  We managed to understand each other (although there were times that even after he repeated a sentence, I still had no idea what he was talking about, especially if he said it too fast).  (He told me my Spanish is good too!)

Grinding coffee and trying to think of a word in Spanish.
I believe the word was "heavy" because the pestle I'm holding
is very heavy.

This language barrier added to the value of the experience, believe it or not.  I am usually nervous and overwhelmed with the prospect of speaking only in Spanish for 3 hours, but I was okay with the guide.  Surely, he has had experiences with people who spoke no Spanish at all.  At least I was able to answer his questions about where I live and about my trip.  

After the ride was over, I was led back into the reception area to have a cup of organic coffee grown on the farm (it was rather tasty!).  They even had a plate of galletas (cookies) set out for the bus driver and me to share! AND they made the driver and me fried egg with tortilla (double yay).  I couldn't have been more impressed.  

When I finished, there was another surprise in store for me.  The guide showed up again (he had been taking care of the horses) and showed me some of the crops they grow on the farm.  I saw the beginning of pineapple trees, some banana trees, coffee plants, corn, and more.  

I was finally shown to the minivan that would take me back to my hostel.  

I am now relaxing at the hostel.  In a couple of hours, I head back to San Jose.  I have to be on the 2.30pm bus.  I am ready to go; I get to go home tomorrow!

Night Walk

Tonight I went on a night walk at the Ecological Reserve.  I have to admit I am a little disappointed - I don't feel like we saw all that many animals and most disappointing of all, I didn't see a sloth.  I did, however, see some other animals (including a couple of porcupines that were too far away and too darkly colored to photograph).

An agouti.  These rodents are active during the day, so we
caught them shortly before they went to sleep.

Orange banded tarantula.  I didn't actually realize that there was
more than one kind of tarantula, but there are dozens. 

Frog.  Not sure what kind.  I think someone asked, but I don't
remember what the guide said.

Cool-looking bird.  Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of it.
Trust me when I say this bird is more beautiful in real life.

Jeep-Boat-Jeep

Or more accurately, Shuttle Bus-Boat-Minivan.

Lake Arenal.  This lake is actually man-made.  This photograph
was taken from a viewpoint at the Observatory Lodge in La Fortuna.

 This morning, I took the 8am jeep-boat-jeep tour from La Fortuna to Monteverde.  This really is the only way to transport yourself between these 2 cities, the other options border on ridiculous.  The roads in this area (particularly near Monteverde) are inferior (to say the least).  (I am now wishing I had a picture of one of the roads to show, but I don't).  The distance between the 2 cities is not great, but there is a lake in the way and as stated, enormously bad roads to contend with.  There is a local bus, but I think the journey takes somewhere around 6 hours (maybe even more, as my journey took about 4 including a "rest" stop at a large tour operator).

Walking to the boat.

It actually rained quite a bit this morning, so I was more than a little concerned that it would start pouring on my journey.  While it wouldn't be the end of the world (I have no more flights with a 15 pound luggage limit), I still didn't want to be stuck with a bag full of wet, mildewy smelling clothes.

Fortunately, I didn't see any crocodiles.

Loading onto the boat.

I rather enjoyed the journey; it was scenic and relaxing, at least until getting off the boat on the Monteverde side.  At that point, the last couple of hours (I think it was only about 50 km) wasn't enjoyable and was actually kind of sickening (I don't do well with rocking motion and bumpiness).

Finally, I am in Santa Elena (Monteverde) and am on solid, non-bumpy ground.

I wasn't really going to do anything tonight other than explore the city, but I've already done that (there's nothing much to the town of Santa Elena) and there isn't even a park to relax and read in.  (I should probably explain that Santa Elena is the town I'm staying in which is next to Monteverde and the Monteverde Cloud Forest.)  Like in La Fortuna, every single business advertises their tours.  So tonight, I am going on a nature night walk at the Ecological Reserve (booked through my hostel).  I'm excited and hoping to see a sloth.

Later!