Horses on Parade! San Jose, Costa Rica

Ready for the Tope

The day after Christmas is the date of a major event here in Costa Rica. That's the day hundreds of horses and their riders converge on the capital city of San Jose for the huge annual tope or horse parade down Paseo Colon, the broad boulevard that runs through the middle of the city. This year the day was a little cloudy and cool for what is, after all, summer here in Central America but I'm sure the horses liked it. With silver-concho'd saddles on their backs and fancy bridles on their heads, their silky manes and tails flowing, the handsome steeds were ready to prance down the main street to receive the adoration of the Tico masses.

Reading the headlines in A.M. Costa Rica that morning, I learned that the tope was being held that day and, according to the report, would start at 10:00 a.m. Being the inveterate horse lover that I am, I decided Layne and I should bus into San Jose and join in the excitement of watching all those horses do their thing. Taking the 9:00 a.m. San Jose bus would get us into the town right at 10:00 a.m., which should be time enough, given how these sort of things tend to run on "Tico time," i.e., as much as an hour late.

Female policia patrol the street

Ha! Little did we know the news report was wrong. After exiting the bus, we discovered the parade was not actually scheduled to begin until 12:30 p.m. So with some time to kill, we wandered down Paseo Colon where people were already beginning to reserve spots along the street. Ticos love to party and this kind of event is a great excuse to bring out the lawn chairs, a cooler full of drinks and settle down for a festive day of socializing with friends and family.

Large elevated platforms filled with chairs were located in front of some businesses along the street. We stopped at one such place to ask if the chairs could be rented. Yes, indeed, we were told. Only $50 per person for the seating -- but that included alcohol! We said no, thanks, and walked on, thinking, "that's a lot of alcohol!"

Enterprising salesmen were hawking plastic chairs or folding stools up and down the street, while others carried big stacks of cowboy hats for sale, the de rigueur wardrobe for the day. We passed on the sombreros but decided a couple of plastic stools might be a good investment: it was going to be a longer day than we had expected. We parked ourselves in a shady spot right by the retaining rope along the boulevard, bought a sandwich and a few beers and proceeded to people-watch for a couple of hours.

As the crowd grew it became clear that this is a popular event, one Ticos plan for carefully. Some pickup trucks were parked on the sidewalks end-to-end, tailgates almost touching and young people spilling out laughing and flirting and taking pictures of one another. Music blared from boom boxes or car stereos, each musical offering loud enough to drown out the next one a half a block away. Entire families settled down on blankets spread out on the avenue, toddlers crawling into the street, young couples dancing impromptu and moms offering food to all.

Abrazos Gratis!

A group of young women dressed in t-shirts with the words "Abrazos Gratis" emblazoned across the back created quite a stir as they generously offered free hugs then sprayed a hand sanitizer on the lucky recipient. Later a group of handsome and studly young men came along with the same routine: a hug or a photo with one of them and you got a quick spray of the hand cleanser. A clever marketing technique for the sanitizer company.

Just as the policia had cleared the roadway and it seemed the parade might be imminent, an single older gentleman dressed in Mexican garb and toting his guitar came boogieing down the middle of the street, offering the crowd some low-energy Latin dance, apparently hoping for donations to his basket.

Eventually the parade began and the street soon filled with horse clubs and other organized groups of riders. Many different breeds were represented. Large and small, paints, greys, sorrels, bays and chestnuts, with high-stepping Paso Finos making up the largest group.

There were singing cowboys who slowly urged their horses along while they serenaded the crowd, followed closely by vans carrying their sound equipment. As they were well received by the audience, we guessed they might be famous singers here in Costa Rica.

But for whatever reason, there were huge gaps between the groups of horses, long empty spaces with nothing going on. With our bottoms getting tired of the hard plastic seats, we wondered just how long this parade might take. By now it was nearing 2:30 in the afternoon and we were hoping to catch the 3:00 p.m. bus back to Atenas. So even through there was more parade to come, we picked up our chairs and slowly made our way through the throng of people toward the big bus station known as Coca Cola, where the Atenas bus departs.

Next year we'll plan to spend the day. We already have our stools!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

(PS - As a holiday gift to my readers, Layne's novel MORAL TURPITUDE is available for FREE through January 31st. (NC-17 but not erotica.) To download it, click HERE to go directly to the book page; then click Add to Cart. You will have to register but it's very simple and you will get no spam. At the Cart page, enter Coupon Code QN77G, then click Update. The price will change to $0.00. Enjoy!)

Turkey and Tequila with The 10:27 Club

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is having a joyful observance of whatever you celebrate during this season with family, friends, pets and any others near and dear to you. After a party-filled weekend, Layne and I have chosen to spend today muy tranquilo. We took a nice walk this morning but otherwise, it's all quiet on the home front.

Our big celebration was Friday night when we hosted a holiday dinner with turkey, cornbread dressing and all the trimmings. And just to be sure we had enough food for the crowd of 14 or so that we expected, Marc and Eroca added a ham and sweet potatoes, plus gift cookies for all. 

Marc strings lights with "supervision" from Layne 

Merry Christmas to the Santa Eulalia "gang"

"Very successful!"

With the holiday lights up in our mandarin orange tree, the back patio was quite festive. We can't get the wonderful free-range turkeys here as we did in California, but the Butterball we had bought (actually, for Thanksgiving, but that's another story) turned out quite good. As our good friend Joel might have said, "Very successful."

After the pumpkin pie and eggnog, the last of us sat around and listened as Daniel serenaded us on Layne's Martin backpacker guitar. It was so wonderful to hear such magical sounds coming out of that miniature guitar with the full-size quality. Daniel has been taking lessons and it showed as he strummed some beautiful classical songs. He has improved so much, it was truly a joy to listen to him.

Enjoying the music and the festive lights 

Daniel serenades

 After a recuperative day on Saturday, we were back to our old tricks on Sunday morning with a hike down to the small rushing stream that runs below the ridge we all live on, then a strenuous climb back up on the other side. It was a beautiful setting but a bit treacherous as Bonnie took a fall while crossing the slippery rocks. But her skill in falling "correctly" (tuck and roll) is phenomenal and she hopped back up with no damage done. Marcial showed his bravado by standing on the edge of the waterfall, Stephen and I cringing at the danger.

A beautiful day for a hike!

Seidy ready to cross the creek

Marcial gives us a heart attack!

With Marcial leading the way, we proceeded along side roads then cut through a sugarcane field, exiting on the other side at a hillside simply bursting with stunning yellow flowers. 

Our Tico guides pointed out Vanilla trees, which also sported yellow blossoms and for which the small Calle Vanilla (Vanilla Road) is named. Although not what vanilla flavoring is made from, the long seedpod is reminiscent of that plant and thus the name.

Vanilla Tree

As a little energy boost, Marcial cut down a stalk of sugarcane, stripped the skin with his machete and gave us each a piece of the sweet, juicy fibrous cane to chew on. Boy, was it delicious! 

"Costa Rica Dundee" and his machete

And as it turned out, we soon needed the extra energy when we realized we were a tad lost. We climbed through a barbed wire fence and while Seidy reconnoitered ahead, Marcial located some cherry tomatoes as another treat. 

A long trek up through the grasses

Seidy's report: dead-end. So it was back through the fence, then through another one at which point Stephen boldly struck out leading the way up a steep hill across a thick cushiony layer of tall grasses. At the top we could see there was a road, but no houses. Where are we? Who knows? It's an adventure!

Undaunted by our momentary confusion and Pura Vida being our motto (plus Marcial and Seidy coming well prepared with a whole pineapple), we stopped for a picnic and the machete again came into play. That thing sure is handy. In fact, we christened Marcial "Costa Rica Dundee," the hero always ready with the right weapon to turn a "crocodile crisis" into a pineapple picnic!

Soon we "found" ourselves again - there was never any doubt! -- and hiked our way on up the main road to Marcial's favorite hangout, Yeyo's Bar, where we arrived at exactly 10:27 a.m. Perfect timing! Well, almost. Cantinas here technically don't open until 11:00 a.m. but Yeyo was willing to make an exception for us, keeping the doors closed and the bottles open. You may recall it was 10:27 a.m. on a Sunday some weeks back when we had our first tequila shots on our trip to Zarcero, thus launching "The 10:27 Club." 

Bonnie & her "new best friend" Tomas

So in keeping with tradition, a few shots of tequila had us dancing behind the bar and laughing with local Ticos as they joined in our antics. Everyone here becomes your friend -- indeed family! -- at the slightest provocation.

Just another fabulous fun day in Pura Vida-land! We count ourselves enormously lucky to have such friends, to be healthy enough to take such hikes and fortunate to be able to enjoy this life in Costa Rica. On this Christmas Day, I feel blessed indeed.

(PS - As a holiday gift to my readers, Layne's novel MORAL TURPITUDE is available for FREE through January 31st. (NC-17 but not erotica.) To download it, click HERE to go directly to the book page; then click Add to Cart. You will have to register but it's very simple and you will get no spam. At the Cart page, enter Coupon Code QN77G, then click Update. The price will change to $0.00. Enjoy!)

Dominical Dreamin' - Part II

Main St., Dominical

In my last post we took a trip to Playa Dominical, down the Pacific Coast past Quepos, with our friends Marc and Eroca in celebration of Layne's birthday. The first two days were filled with sun and surf, laughter and good cheer, the evenings with leisurely dinners of fresh fish and wine. But the third morning Layne and I got up early, enjoyed the great breakfast buffet at Villas Rio Mar where we were staying, then headed down the highway to play a round of golf.

Affordable public golf courses  are few and far between in Costa Rica so we were delighted when we discovered a 9-hole course located just a 40-minute drive south from Dominical. As a travel writer, I had been fortunate to score a free round of golf so Layne and I managed to bring our bag of clubs along, even though it crowded our Toyota Yaris rental car.

Yours Truly tees up

And what a beautiful course it is! Nestled deep in the jungles of the Southern Pacific zone, San Buenas Golf Resort is part of a planned condominium and residential community still in the early stages of construction. Only the first 9 holes of the 18-hole course are completed so far but that was enough for Layne and me to get our "golf fix." With not another soul on the fairways, other than a few maintenance workers, we literally had the place to ourselves. Riding along the tidy gravel golf paths, we delighted in gorgeous views all around, from misty mountain vistas to the unexpected sight of a tall white bird - a heron, perhaps? - standing just off the green on the fifth hole.

 

It had been a while since Layne had had his hands on a club and it showed in his game: I came within one stroke of beating him! We usually play what he calls "match play" golf, where we only keep track of who wins hole by hole, not the overall score. On the match play scorecard, I won four holes, he won four holes and we tied one. Of course, neither of us would brag about our overall scores.

Layne takes his best shot

The course is as green and lush as one expects a golf course to be but we were pleased to learn that San Buenas is committed to the ecology of the local area and employs sustainable practices in the golf course as well as the residential area. For example, the course uses a particular kind of grass on the fairways which is saltwater tolerant. So when weeds appear, they simply water the course with saltwater, killing the weeds but not the grasses. The management of San Buenas is also providing "green" leadership in the local town of San Buenaventura, helping set up a plastic, glass and aluminum can recycling program using their trucks, employees and volunteers. To protect the town from flooding during the rainy season, San Buenas is working to lower the banks of the river near the course so that overflow will run onto low areas of the golf course and not into town.

The company is likewise committed to helping build the local pueblo by providing jobs to as many local people as they can employ, offering education and job training as needed. As we rode around the course, we could see the results of this policy: despite the empty fairways, there were employees watering the greens by hand, spraying foliage with fertilizer or blowing and raking leaves. For us it was a great morning of golf; for the town of San Buenaventura, it promises a brighter future.

Layne and I returned to Villas Rio Mar, tired but happy. After sharing a tasty plate of nachos with Marc and Eroca, it was back to the playa for more sun and hopefully a beautiful sunset over the ocean. 

With signs warning of "strong rip currents" and a prohibition on swimming on the main Dominical beach, we contented ourselves with hanging out watching surfers and chatting with other beachgoers. Eroca and I engaged a stunningly beautiful young brunette in conversation and learned that she was there from Brazil with her boyfriend, who was out surfing. As I tried to chat with her, we found that since I knew no Portuguese, her native tongue, and she knew little English, my native language, we ended up conversing in Spanish, which neither of us knew very well. We both found it rather amusing that we could carry on a friendly chitchat in our second languages.

Eroca strikes a meditative pose

Another woman we met was Canadian like Eroca and a true "snowbird," with homes in both British Columbia and Dominical, spending the good season in each one and utilizing house sitters as caretakers when absent from each house. Another potential retiree we met was in Costa Rica for a month, her and her husband's third such "due diligence" trip. They were quite taken with Dominical and were thinking of buying property. Only that morning her husband had expressed second thoughts after reading a book that advises renting before buying. We agreed that we think that is the best approach to moving here as well. Not everyone can make the adjustment.

Dominical wardrobe

As the afternoon ebbed we gazed out at the surfers silhouetted against the setting sun, the beauty and peacefulness of the place intoxicating. Eventually we strolled back to the main street area for dinner at a popular hangout, Tortilla Flats. After we shared a plate of excellent Fried Calamari, I opted for Fish Tacos, which were extravagant in size and flavor, and we all enjoyed some first-rate margaritas.

With only one more day before us, I played my "travel writer card" and urged our little group to make the short drive south to Marino Ballena National Park, which would give me one more cool thing to write about. They were easy to persuade and when we arrived at this picturesque beach, they were quite happy they came along. 

What a stretch of magnificent coastline, ultra-tropical scenery and the trademark "whale's tail"-shaped coral reef offshore. Simply beautiful.

Short hike to Playa Ballena

Eroca takes in the view

Marc takes in the view too

Beach as far as you can see...

... in each direction

We could have easily spent an entire day there instead of the two hours we had. But in that time, Eroca and I walked down the beach to an area we'd been told was home to Scarlet Macaws. And indeed, perched high in the trees were numbers of the bright red birds, flapping at each other indignantly and squawking their distinctive caw. It was quite a thrill to see so many in their native habitat.

But soon it was time for the drive home, a quieter group than on the trip down as we all enjoyed the memories of our outstanding holiday in Dominical. ¡Vamos a regresar! We will return!

          

Dominical Dreamin' - Part I

"Downtown" Dominical

From our first stop at Playa Hermosa to our last day out at Marino Ballena, our trip this week to Dominical to celebrate Layne's birthday could hardly have been better. If a funky little surfer paradise is what you're looking for, Dominical is the place to go. What a step backwards to a hippie-style laid-back beach lifestyle. I fell in love with it!

After a predictable drama with the rental car (why is insurance so complicated here?!), we drove off Monday morning with our friends Marc and Eroca for a four-day holiday of sun and sand. Marc had made his semi-famous tuna sandwiches so when lunchtime came we pulled off at Playa Hermosa. This quiet beach serves as the backdrop for one of the scenes in Layne's novel, Moral Turpitude, so we thought we should check it out in person. The black sand beach framing a turquoise ocean was the ideal beginning to our adventure.

Marc and Layne at Playa Hermosa

Eroca waves from the shore

Three hours later we approached Dominical. Immediately upon turning off the nice paved highway, we were hurled back in time to a quaint Tico village with a rocky dirt road for a main street and barefoot children riding bikes in the middle of the road. Surf shops, beachwear stores, a couple of real estate offices, a few restaurants and a lone yoga studio made up the whole of downtown. "Main street" consists of rows of wooden stalls where beach towels, pareu skirts, colorful dresses, jewelry and other crafts are sold.

Our hotel, Villas Rio Mar, was a real find: an eco-lodge nestled in the jungles along the River Baru, where signs warn of crocodiles. We kept a wary eye out but never saw one of the hungry reptiles, although locals told us dogs are regularly lost to the beasts. 

A bountiful buffet

The hotel seemed safe enough, however, each secluded casita a haven of privacy and comfort surrounded by tropical gardens.  The staff was friendly and helpful, the rooms were clean and well appointed and food in the restaurant was excellent. In fact, the breakfast buffet, which is included in the room price, was the best Layne and I have had and we've sampled quite a few now. Fresh fruit, gallo pinto (the national dish of savory rice and beans), scrambled eggs, sausage links, hash browns, pancakes, French toast, coffee, juice -- all of it delicious.

Our open-air living room

This first day being Layne's actual birthday, we decided to spend the afternoon lounging by the pool with margaritas for refreshment. When our poolside waiter learned it was Layne's cumpleaños, the birthday boy got a free drink. 

After an idyllic couple of hours swimming and relaxing, we cleaned up for the birthday dinner, Eroca's treat. Following this festive repast, we hung out at the pool table then retired for our next full day of fun.

Marc, the Shark

After a leisurely breakfast we were off to the beach to frolic in the waves and take in the scenery. As the "high season" had not yet started, we found the playa all but deserted, with just a few beach walkers and locals wandering around. Dominical's oceanfront is a long wide expanse of sand littered with a few large pieces of driftwood, one of which made a good "sofa" for us to sit on. Eroca and I headed for the water -- deep blue and luxuriously warm. The waves were just right for giddy jumping to avoid a face full of salt water and occasionally big enough to require diving beneath the curl as it broke in front of us. We laughed our heads off.

Eroca shows off her new dress

Soon enough Eroca and I, along with Marc, decided to wander down the road for some shopping. Only about 100 yards away was at an open-air store run by a delightfully friendly Tico who told us his name was Eddie. "You know, like Eddie Murphy!" he said, laughing. The brightly colored dresses hanging in front of the shops were hard to resist, at least for Eroca. Eddie's wife makes all the clothing and most of the jewelry, some of which she designs from coconut shell cut into star shapes or heart shapes, painted and bejeweled. Eroca found a lovely green embroidered dress with earrings to match. I chose a new beach towel and a colorful backpack with room for all my "stuff," which I'd been searching for. When Eddie's wife showed us the clever pareu skirt clips she makes from coconut shell and which make ten different ways to use the skirt, we both had to have one.

Eroca and Marc took off to meander through town and perhaps find something for lunch while Layne and I stayed behind to watch our things. Petty theft continues to be a problem in Costa Rica, particularly around tourist towns like Dominical, although this beach was so deserted I was hardly concerned. We watched as surfers began to paddle out and dogs with their owners romped on the sand. This pair of German Shepherds tossed a stick around and greeted beachgoers as they awaited the return of their surfer owner.

Finally, the surfer  has returned

Sesame Tuna - Yum!

Instead of going out for dinner that night we enjoyed another splendid meal at Villas Rio Mar. The dinner special was irresistible: Caesar Salad, Sesame Tuna over steamed vegetables alongside creamy mashed potatoes and Peach Melba for dessert -- all for $16. We agreed it was an outstanding meal. Afterwards we retired to our patio "living room" for wine and some jovial conversation.

The next day was off to the golf course for Layne and me. Watch for that upcoming report!

(Click on photos to enlarge.)