Hacienda Los Inocentes
Scarlet macaws, peacocks, variegated squirrels, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, toucans and fine horses. What they have in common is the ranch, or hacienda Los Inocentes in the Guanacaste region of northwestern Costa Rica. We arrived from the little port of Cuajiniquil (pronounced “qua-heen-ee-kil”), having left the Sea Voyager behind tied up to the dock. We traveled east, then north on the Pan-American highway, surrounded by rolling hills and when Orosí Volcano showed up, we took a hard right and turned east.
The hacienda ranch-hands had our well-kept noble steeds all saddled up and waiting patiently below some large shade trees. Helmets, cameras and binoculars at the ready, one by one we were matched to our mounts. Don’t ask me how the horse handlers knew, but they eyed us over carefully while holding the reins of a particular horse, then lifted their chins in the typical Latin American way to indicate someone had been chosen. I almost felt like I did back in school, when I was anxious not to be the last chosen for the team, but being the Expedition Leader, I was most definitely the last to be mounted. Of course I said I had ridden before, and as a consequence found myself on someone who liked to prance around and paw the ground. Photos were a challenge this morning.
However everyone who went riding, either mounted on a horse or mounted comfortably in the back of a tractor-trailer (bucket seats, awning and railings) had a great time. The monkeys showed their arboreal abilities, light flickered through the green canopy of tropical forest, birds sounded mysteriously from the forest, howler monkey calls roared ominously in the distance, and while crossing the extensive pastureland, Orosí Volcano stood out clearly in un-heard-of clarity for the rainy season.
Lunch was followed by pool-time or siesta was followed by a return to the Sea Voyager for repositioning into Santa Elena Bay.
For the afternoon we were surrounded by the uninhabited mountainsides of Santa Rosa National Park, and played in the water. Kayaks were brought out, but swimming off the stern was voted the most popular pastime.
As we left the bay on our way south, spotted dolphins rode the bow and magnificent frigate birds chased flying fish. The reds, oranges, blues and greens of the sunset were the final toast to a wonderful day.
Scarlet macaws, peacocks, variegated squirrels, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, toucans and fine horses. What they have in common is the ranch, or hacienda Los Inocentes in the Guanacaste region of northwestern Costa Rica. We arrived from the little port of Cuajiniquil (pronounced “qua-heen-ee-kil”), having left the Sea Voyager behind tied up to the dock. We traveled east, then north on the Pan-American highway, surrounded by rolling hills and when Orosí Volcano showed up, we took a hard right and turned east.
The hacienda ranch-hands had our well-kept noble steeds all saddled up and waiting patiently below some large shade trees. Helmets, cameras and binoculars at the ready, one by one we were matched to our mounts. Don’t ask me how the horse handlers knew, but they eyed us over carefully while holding the reins of a particular horse, then lifted their chins in the typical Latin American way to indicate someone had been chosen. I almost felt like I did back in school, when I was anxious not to be the last chosen for the team, but being the Expedition Leader, I was most definitely the last to be mounted. Of course I said I had ridden before, and as a consequence found myself on someone who liked to prance around and paw the ground. Photos were a challenge this morning.
However everyone who went riding, either mounted on a horse or mounted comfortably in the back of a tractor-trailer (bucket seats, awning and railings) had a great time. The monkeys showed their arboreal abilities, light flickered through the green canopy of tropical forest, birds sounded mysteriously from the forest, howler monkey calls roared ominously in the distance, and while crossing the extensive pastureland, Orosí Volcano stood out clearly in un-heard-of clarity for the rainy season.
Lunch was followed by pool-time or siesta was followed by a return to the Sea Voyager for repositioning into Santa Elena Bay.
For the afternoon we were surrounded by the uninhabited mountainsides of Santa Rosa National Park, and played in the water. Kayaks were brought out, but swimming off the stern was voted the most popular pastime.
As we left the bay on our way south, spotted dolphins rode the bow and magnificent frigate birds chased flying fish. The reds, oranges, blues and greens of the sunset were the final toast to a wonderful day.
