I had to catch my flight and didn’t finish captioning, uploading, storytelling. I don’t like blogging on an iPad, it’s too slow. And I can’t upload any of my SLR images, which are soooo much better than ones I take with my phone.
Anyway, poor Bobo. Any time he would get into a little gallop and try to cut off one of the other horses, I’d panic and tell him “Pare, pare, pare“. I had changed to flip flops, no helmet, a huge backpack, my horse kept bumping into the other horses trying to squeeze in between them, and then I just gave up and let him do his thing. I started getting flashbacks of that asshole Pepperoni (who ruined me for all horses), he would just take off any time I told him to stop or slow down, always trying to be first. And with him I was wearing a bright yellow football helmet that didn’t fit my head, and I’d be bouncing around with that stupid helmet covering my eyes and I thought for sure it was just a matter of time before I was thrown. Bobo was much gentler, but I do think the handler got a kick out of making him gallop. Dick.
I have to say, I am so glad I took that horse, I would have gotten SO lost (and/or delirious) on the trail back. It gets dark around 5pm and there wasn’t a lot of daylight left and even the horse took about an hour and a half, which means I would have taken 5 hours. It was dusty and confusing and there were no signs that let me know the percentage completed (I loved that on the el pueblito trail!) so muchas gracias mi caballo amigo. As soon as I dismounted, Bobo broke for the trough, poor guy really needed a drink. I feel you Bobo, I feel you.
Resting on a boulder, man that was a tough hike down. At one point I was shimmying through two boulders trying not to fall down and have to cut off one my own limbs to get out. I watch too many James Franco movies.
Yes, I had to crawl under that haphazard poorly engineered boulder fort, that was NOT fun. I mean, come on.
And then, this, just a few more steps and I can pass out on the beach.
Hey Skipper, there’s a boat, there’s a boat!!
A shot with my good camera (man it’s so much easier to blog with a laptop!)
That’s the hotel de hamocas where Giovanni was trying to talk me into sleeping. There are like 25 hammocks in that hut and I can’t tell you how many skinny dreadlocked dudes I saw walking up there. And I’m sure there were like 10 guitars and probably a sitar too. And I would have to endure multiple renditions of “Wish You Were Here” because everyone still wants to sing that one. And then I would probably grab a guitar and try to remember the chords to “Secret Agent Man” or “Love Potion #9”. Oh yeah, and then watch out, it would be my turn. Flashbacks of great, but sleepless, and then just predictable, nights in Greece and Israel made me super happy that I would be Bobo-ing it back to civilization. I’ll leave the backpacking in your 20s to the under 30s.
Terrace in eco hut #10, unobstructed view of the jungle and sea, and no sitars.
Mosquito-proofed legs and man feet. Yes, I went to dinner like this…
…and they let me eat there anyway. Langostinos with the most delicious salsa picante! That fish stick looking thing was a plantain stick, yum, I ate the other one before I remembered to take a pic.
This is a view of my bungalow from the terrace. This is from their website, I couldn’t get a decent shot without letting swarms of mosquitoes in. I keep calling it a hut, but it’s a bungalow. Or a really big hut. It’s all very Gilligan’s Island, with better pillows. The hotel description is very accurate: “Nothing makes you fell closer to the jungle than our bungalow, which evokes the essence of the nature and gives you at the same time a very comfortable stay. This room boasts a king-size bed, a stonning shower, air conditioning, a ceiling fan, hot water and a nice balcony.” Yes, the shower was truly stonning.
I forgot I took this one…just thought it was funny and I love Tom & Jerry. Must be some weird cartoon theme with arepa hawkers. That arepa guy looks like he had a rough night.
Next installment…how some kids almost robbed me on the beach, the beautiful Sierra Nevada, and yes, I jumped into a baby volcano.