Costa Rica

I made it. My flight got in at 9something am, after a few hours of sleep and watching Se7en in Italian with Fabri.

I think I can safely say, this is one of the most beautiful places I've been. Along the Spanish side of the Pyrenees... I cannot remember ever having my breath being gone for a whole car/plane/train ride.

We drove past coffee fields, palm groves and the most amazing house architecture... short and colorful, i've never seen so many colors except in a crayola box, with arched doors and huge open windows, gates of all types securing what was in the houses, for the windows and doors were all flung open to catch the breeze.

It's the dry season, and every one i've met has said that it's so brown, no rain here till april. But to me, it's still far more beautiful. and there is still SO much green. (above is the view from the top of the house.

This is the house keepers son. He is cute as a button and was my house tour guide. right now he is standing on a bench to my right, in his little white tighty whities sopping wet cause he stripped and dove into the pool.

thats how warm it is.

there is a lime tree right in front of me. Here is where i am sitting: 

Oh, and there are five doggies, two golden retrievers, a boston terrier and two beautiful sheep dogs, one of which is going to have babies when we are in Guatemala.

 

this one i love. she follows me around. 

they all lounge in the shade all day, only moving to get a drink of water or to greet the gate. Molly, the mother and larger golden, loves the pool, and her baby, ruby maria, is a little devil. perros. dogs.

In an hour I am going to accompany beth to the barn for more riding time. (I took a lesson yesterday as well on a temperamental, fussy mare named liberty, libby for short, who was super fun after we got over her canter and head issues. Saturday I will either go white water rafting or on the equivalent of a hunter pace, a super long trail ride on one of Beth's horses, trivoli, a flea bitten grey with a roman nose. 

This year I swore to myself that i would not get burnt by the intense sun. Last year after the first two days it hurt to bend my elbows in my riding jacket and i had fat lips, like i'd been punched in the mouth. not this year. My haven't-seen-daylight-in-five-months skin will be protected all the time.

oh yeah, dad, remember the rum we bought you for x-mas? well, these are my bed sheets..... BEWARE THE KRAKEN. I laughed when i saw them.

My head goes on a big skull with tentacle arms when I sleep at night. what could be more perfect for dreaming.

time to slather sun screen all over, and get ready to ride all afternoon.

did i mention this is paradise?