Last Friday, Tio Ricardo took me to his friend's stable over in Barva, about a half hour's walk from my house. It turned into quite a photo shoot since Ricardo has such a fancy camera and if I'd had known this before I left I would have dressed the part a little better! Needless to say, the barn had so much character (and so did the horses!) I've refrained from posting the 60-something shots and stuck with a couple cute ones.
I just took this about 3 hours ago, from my front door looking out onto the busy street. No matter how loud and obnoxious the streets get, the sky is always beautiful in the evenings.
Found this little guy scampering through my shelf that holds my underwear and socks...I've named him Conrad.
Sunday the 22nd, we went to the village of Puente Salas (a little further past Barva) to watch the Tope, a horse parade/festival that brings in horses and riders from the region. It's basically like a huge street party, but on horseback. Anyway, we got to the town and wandered about the roads helplessly for about 2 1/2 hours without seeing a single horse (or sign of one). Upon our return home, we discovered the the Tope was actually the following weekend. Our failed Tope trip did yield some nice photos on the walk back home.
Leaving Puente Salas...
Sunset walking back to Santa Lucia from Barva
The following weekend, we went back to Puente Salas for the Tope, and this time we didn't have to look very far to realize that we were in the right place. Horses were being unloaded off of "trailers" (AKA pickup truck beds with makeshift wooden frames that the horses are tied to) on just about every corner. If I wasn't there that day I'd never have known Costa Rica was host to so many sombrero-waving cabelleros. Basically everyone hangs out on the sides of the street until the horses are rode through it. The riders have reins in one hand and a beer in the other, while keeping one eye out for friends in the crowd to run over to and the other one out for their horses' legs as they come dangerously close to dancing sideways into the shrieking crowd. It's quite the sight, and I can see how it can be a little risky to go to the larger Topes in San Jose that house literally thousands of horses in the streets at once. But of course I was in love with it all and have promised myself to ride in one with the guys from Tio Ricardo's friend's stable before I leave.
His beer is in the right hand, in case you missed it. Costa Rica's drinking and driving law (for cars) was only just passed a short time ago, and if nobody has yet to obey it in their cars, they're definitely not going to apply it to riding horses!
After I took this picture, the rider of this beautiful grey stallion thought it was funny when his horse got a little too worked up walking behind another mare, and it turned into quite the spectacle, if you know what I mean...
Took this on the walk back into Barva from Puente Salas, just as the sun was starting to set.
Well, hopefully those pictures make up for my lack of posting!!! It's been really windy here recently and internet connections in my area were down for a little under a week. In other news, I turned 21 on Friday! My host family threw me a fiesta and invited all sorts of extended family and friends. I have to say that I initally was nervous because I felt like an outsider at my own party, especially since I knew maybe 20% of all the guests. But after the first 1/2 hour of introductions it turned into a really great time! Unfortunately, in all my celebrations I did not think of turning on my camera, so I have nothing to show for that except a couple of bags under my eyes the next morning and some extra inches around my waist from finishing off the leftover birthday cake for the past week! Classwork has been picking up, so this week has been pretty buys with lots of reading and projects and I have a feeling it'll stay this busy for a while. That's actually fine by me, I get restless with too much downtime anyway. Well, that's all for now folks! I hope the snow at home is treating you well ;)
I just took this about 3 hours ago, from my front door looking out onto the busy street. No matter how loud and obnoxious the streets get, the sky is always beautiful in the evenings.
Found this little guy scampering through my shelf that holds my underwear and socks...I've named him Conrad.
Sunday the 22nd, we went to the village of Puente Salas (a little further past Barva) to watch the Tope, a horse parade/festival that brings in horses and riders from the region. It's basically like a huge street party, but on horseback. Anyway, we got to the town and wandered about the roads helplessly for about 2 1/2 hours without seeing a single horse (or sign of one). Upon our return home, we discovered the the Tope was actually the following weekend. Our failed Tope trip did yield some nice photos on the walk back home.
Leaving Puente Salas...
Sunset walking back to Santa Lucia from Barva
The following weekend, we went back to Puente Salas for the Tope, and this time we didn't have to look very far to realize that we were in the right place. Horses were being unloaded off of "trailers" (AKA pickup truck beds with makeshift wooden frames that the horses are tied to) on just about every corner. If I wasn't there that day I'd never have known Costa Rica was host to so many sombrero-waving cabelleros. Basically everyone hangs out on the sides of the street until the horses are rode through it. The riders have reins in one hand and a beer in the other, while keeping one eye out for friends in the crowd to run over to and the other one out for their horses' legs as they come dangerously close to dancing sideways into the shrieking crowd. It's quite the sight, and I can see how it can be a little risky to go to the larger Topes in San Jose that house literally thousands of horses in the streets at once. But of course I was in love with it all and have promised myself to ride in one with the guys from Tio Ricardo's friend's stable before I leave. 
His beer is in the right hand, in case you missed it. Costa Rica's drinking and driving law (for cars) was only just passed a short time ago, and if nobody has yet to obey it in their cars, they're definitely not going to apply it to riding horses!
After I took this picture, the rider of this beautiful grey stallion thought it was funny when his horse got a little too worked up walking behind another mare, and it turned into quite the spectacle, if you know what I mean...
Took this on the walk back into Barva from Puente Salas, just as the sun was starting to set.
Well, hopefully those pictures make up for my lack of posting!!! It's been really windy here recently and internet connections in my area were down for a little under a week. In other news, I turned 21 on Friday! My host family threw me a fiesta and invited all sorts of extended family and friends. I have to say that I initally was nervous because I felt like an outsider at my own party, especially since I knew maybe 20% of all the guests. But after the first 1/2 hour of introductions it turned into a really great time! Unfortunately, in all my celebrations I did not think of turning on my camera, so I have nothing to show for that except a couple of bags under my eyes the next morning and some extra inches around my waist from finishing off the leftover birthday cake for the past week! Classwork has been picking up, so this week has been pretty buys with lots of reading and projects and I have a feeling it'll stay this busy for a while. That's actually fine by me, I get restless with too much downtime anyway. Well, that's all for now folks! I hope the snow at home is treating you well ;)
I really like the pictures, not going to lie, Costa Rica looks much prettier than Honduras in some ways. Now I have to work on a new post myself! Miss You. Happy Ghana Independence Day!
ReplyDeleteThose are some sweet horse pics!!
ReplyDeleteConrad is SO cute! take more pictures of hime if you can! love the pictures of you and the horses! looks like your having fun!
ReplyDelete