Today was El Tope, a festival San Jose has every year. I think it’s to celebrate horses or ranchers or something. But whatever it celebrates, there are tons of horses parading down the main street – Paseo Colon – dancing and stomping and shitting everywhere.

Everyone turns out for this. It’s a good time.The Nicaraguan beer was pretty delicious but I felt like a traitor drinking it. The Costa Ricans dislike the Nicaraguans who dislike the Panamanians etc. A little bit of xenocide runs deep here. Michael only drinks Imperial. Made in Costa Rica.The two above are my favorite kids. Fiorella and Sebastien. Sebastien’s mother is Michael’s cousin and the one who dyed her hair blue. Vanessa says it’s not permanent and that it’ll wash out, but her hair’s been like that since we got here. There are so many caballeros riding by and it gets pretty hot so they sometimes ask for a cup of beer. Usually they’ll let you on their horse for a quick 5-second ride if you give them a drink. Two years ago when Michael and I were here, we went to el Tope and I got to ride a horse.

This year we got too hungry and left early. Vanessa and the kids got to ride horses though. I’m jealous.We leave for Puerto Viejo the day after tomorrow and Michael said we might do a little horseback riding there. I am so excited for the beach.

Tomorrow we’re going to have a barbeque on Max’s ranch. The last time we saw Max’s ranch was two years ago and the trees that he had just planted were babies. Michael’s cousin said that he’s made so many improvements since and the trees have grown.

Buenas noches!

xoxo,

Jenn