Monthly Living Expenses Comparison - Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Ecuador

Here is a great blog comparing monthly living expenses between these four countries - Costa Rica Panama, Nicaragua, Ecuador.  For those that think Costa Rica is expensive you will find that is not the case.  The difference between highest to lowest is only $67 so Costa Rica fits in nicely.  We have always told people Costa Rica can be expensive especially if you want to buy a lot of imported goods.  If you live more like the locals and buy locally then Costa Rica can be relatively inexpensive. For expats buying property here consider property taxes are only 0.25 % of the registered property values - $250 on every $100,000 so very inexpensive.  No tax on income from outside the country and no capital gains tax.
 Click here for the Blog. 

Just another day in Paradise!

Sunday November 3, 2013 - another day in paradise!  A perfect day in the mountains with clear blues skies, light fluffy clouds and beautiful temperatures.  What a day for a great trail ride on our two tico horses in the back country of Rincon de La Vieja.  Our farm hand and friend Rafael and I took to the trails for a great ride up and over grass covered hills and down across fast running streams.  Recent rains have made the crossings a little treacherous but our faithful horses never batted an eye.  Truly amazing animals with terrific dispositions.  If you ever have a chance to go trail riding - do it!  A beautiful way to see the country and wildlife and the horses of Costa Rica will never disappoint especially the horses in our neighborhood.  Riding through majestic rain forest trees with white face monkeys chasing us and toucans chirping in the background made this a special day.  After a nice three hour ride we were back to the farm, off came the saddles, horses brushed down and put away for a well deserved rest.  Then out came the quads and off we went to celebrate Rafael's birthday at our favorite bar/restaurant in Colonia Blanca.  About a 10 mile quad ride through the back country to a great little lodge with fresh tilapia on hand!  Fresh breaded tilapia for lunch with a couple of cold cerveza.  Pura Vida!  We visited with the owners of the lodge for a bit then back on the quads and back home.  About 3 miles out we hit the afternoon rains showers and of course were soaked and covered in mud!  Sure beats the heck out of golfing on some old geezer golf course in Florida!   

Things are heating up in Playas del Coco - Business Opportunities about to Boom!

Click here to read an interesting article on business growth for the Coco area.  If these savy business people see the market improving now might be the time you want to buy that investment property or vacation condo or whatever!  We have some great business opportunities and some great commercial land for sale in this area.  I have a great property just minutes from down town with an area of 1.75 hectares (4.31 acres) for only $549,000 - the owner is motivated so make an offer.  This Coco Development Parcel has a lot of potential.  Click on the link to see this property.  Contact me at hgdemars@gmail.com for more information. Pura Vida!

Azul Paraiso Condos - Now Ready to Sell!

Friday October 25 (Happy Birthday Donna) I went with an associate out to look at the Azul Paraiso Condos which are located south of Playa Ocotal and overlooking Bahia Pez Vela and other ocean views.  These units were built 5 years ago and were move in ready when the Coco Water Trust issues hit the fan and they could not close on any of the units.  So the condos have sat there for 5 years BUT the developer to his credit has maintained this units in like new condition!  These are spectacular condos with the finest in finishes and each condo has an incredible view.  Visit their website to see the quality of construction which is second to none.  These are the nicest condos I have seen and they should be as prices start at $499,000 for a two bedroom but believe me these are the finest 2 bedrooms you will see.  The project is out there about 15 minutes from Coco and the setting is tranquil and beautiful.  While the units sat vacant the developer spent a lot of money keeping them looking new and they look like they just came out of the gift box!  Each set of condos has its own infinity pool with a great view.  There are 2, 3 and 4 bedroom condos available.  Certainly waiting this long shows the developer is well financed and very dedicated to his project.  Drop me line if you would like more information hgdemars@gmail.com 

Whats in a name in a small country like Costa Rica?

Costa Rica is the biggest small country you will ever visit given the terrain and condition of the roads from very good  to yikes!  One thing to consider when visiting is to be sure you know where you are going!!!!  We had clients book a condo wtih us in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste and they were pleased as can be with the unit  they rented on line.  However when they did not make the appointment for checking in, we had to track them down.  We finally got in touch with them in Playa Hermosa near Jaco in the province of Puntarenas about 200 kilometers from our location in Guancaste.  Our Playa Hermosa is a quiet tranquil family beach, Playa Hermosa near Jaco is  wild and crazy surfing beach and these people were  surfers so they were a little upset with their planning:-(   They had not checked into the details of the name!  In the end it all worked out as they made the trek up North and then had a great time at the nearby surf beaches of Tamarindo, Avellana and Playa Grande so all was not lost.  So be sure to check out the name and get the location of the town, beach or whatever.  There are three Playa Hermosas in Costa Rica, numerous Sardinals, a ton of San Jorges, San Isidros and other names so be sure to do your homework.  But in the end, regardless of where you go you will enjoy yourself and leave paradise with lots of good memories even if you to the wrong beach.  Pura Vida! 

$10 Million Water Kingdom Aquatic Park in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Over the last few decades, surfing has been a major attraction for visitors arriving in Costa Rica. The strong sets at Jaco Beach in the Central Pacific and Salsa Bravain the Southern Caribbean will test the skill of board riders, and the clean, smooth conditions often seen atWitch’s Rock and other breaks in Guanacaste make Costa Rica a prime surfing destination.

It is in the province of Guanacaste, however, that a curious amusement park project is underway and scheduled to open next year, just in time for the holidays and the school break. The project is actually a grand idea: a $10 million dollar investment in one of the sunnier and warmer regions of Costa Rica, with the capacity to entertain about 10,000 people each day. Seven massive swimming pools and other water attractions will welcome families from all over the country.

The name of the project is Water Kingdom, just like you read it in English. There is no Spanish name planned for it, although some of the attractions, such as Bahia Pirata (Pirate’s Bay) will remind you that you are still in Costa Rica. Information on Water Kingdom’s website indicates that the place will be a lot of fun: water slides, splash fountains, relaxing rafts, diving platforms, floating bounce houses, SCUBA diving instruction, athletic fields, mini-golf, restaurants, and more.

Water Kingdom’s location is a winner already: Just a couple of kilometers from the Palo Verde National Refuge and down the road from the Llanos de Cortes waterfalls in Bagaces. This is a beautiful region of Costa Rica, located about 40 kilometers away from several pristine, world-class surfing spots in the Gulf of Papagayo. Water Kingdom visitors, however, will not have to travel to the beach to catch some waves: They can stay in the park and enjoy 1.20 meter waves in 1,400 square meter pool complete with a beach that can accommodate hundreds of surfers.

The Waikiki wave pool is named after the legendary beach in the Island of Oahu in Hawaii. Water Kingdom’s website explains that the water attractions in the park are on par with those in the United States and Spain, although the wave pools in those countries are located at a very considerable distance from the nearest surfing spot.

Water Kingdom has been certified by the National Board of Tourism (Spanish initials ICT) as a major attraction in Costa Rica. The project is expected to be completed in November 2014.

New Toll Free Number

Hola from paradise!  We have a new toll free number for clients wishing to call us.  The new number is 1-866-978-6556.  Please disregard the old number.

Pura Vida

Herb

Costa Rica Big Game Fishing !

Costa Rica is a great spot for sport fishing and our area of Guanacaste is world renowned.  We are pleased to recommend a great company for sport fishing here in paradise.  Dream On Fishing has two beautiful boats fully equipped including great crews. Owner Randy Spate has been a sport fisherman since he was a kid and realized his dream of owning his own boat in Costa Rica.  Last week he took out a couple and they caught 15 sail fish which is a new record for Dream On, eclipsing the old record of 8.  Randy and his crew can help you catch the big ones and the not so big ones.  Outstanding mahi mahi,wahoo, rooster fish, sail fish and of course the elusive marlin.  Have a look at Randy's website www.dreamonsportfishing.com to see all the great fishing photos.

Dream On 

160 Pound Sailfish

Mahi Mahi Action

Get the BBQ Ready! 

Bird Watching and Cycling !

I was out for my morning bike ride at 4:45 AM and enjoying the cool, fresh rainy season morning. I was riding along the Truncas road passing the sugar cane fields and rice fields when I spotted and heard some old friends from Canada.  Two of my favorite birds as a youth came flitting by for a quick visit and song.  Their songs brought back many memories for me as a kid in South West Saskatchewan.  The song of the Red Wing Black Bird is quite distinct and melodious coupled with the wonderfull song of the Meadow Lark.  These little guys are like us and have chosen to live here in paradise all year around - no return trips to Canada and the US in the spring.  I guess they like the all round summer - Pura Vida :-)  

Red Wing Black Bird

Eastern Meadow Lark

Colonia Blanca Cabalgata - Year 2

Wow! It just seems like yesterday that I participated in the 2012 Colonia Blanca Cabalgata along with my neighbor Hubert and his sun Claudio.  Riding back through the jungle in black dark on slippery,  muddy trails is not something you soon forget!  Well, on Sunday it was a year later and time for another Colonia Blanca Cabalgata!  This time I was going prepared - complete with headlamp, full rain gear, extra Johnny Walker Scotch for the trip home.  This year, Donna and I were Invitados, meaning we were two of the many people from the surrounding area to receive special invitations. Also, this year we were going as a bigger group with Hubert, the original Jungle Jim, leading the way.  We would be trailing 6 horses including our gelding Prieto.  Donna and Rafael our farm worker would take the Land Cruiser and meet us in Colonia Blanca.  So off we went with horses about 9:30 AM for the 16 kilometer ride to Colonia Blanca.  Riding through the jungle up from our home is beautiful in the AM except this time of year the hard packed lava soil is as slippery as a skating rink and heading up steep hills on horses does cause a bit of panic :-)  But our trusty Costa Rican ponies handled the challenge with no falls or incidents.  Thank Goodness! We completed the ride in 1 1/2 hours as Hubert pushed the horses and they had no problems.  Chalana, our tireless mare, loves a challenge when there are other horses around and loves to be in front which made the ride easier for me.  Registration of the cabalgata started at 12:00 PM and we arrived with lots of time to spare.  Over 120 riders and horses registered for the event with  9 of us from the San Jorge area.  Prior to starting the ride, there is a lot of visiting and a few cerveza consumed along with some great Costa Rican food dishes including my favorite - chicharones!  The actual ride started at 2:30 PM and the afternoon rains held off to give us a great ride through the back country with some great mountain views and some tricky sections.  Of course along the way we were given a few drinks of the locally famous moonshine for this area - Los Torres had Baileys Tico and Colonia Blanca has Cherriche which was a pleasant cherry tasting but powerful local brew! Here are a few photos of the event and ride. Note the local police force providing original Costa Rican music a the starting area prior to the start of the race - I guess it is all part of police service in the back country! The ride back home after the cabalgata was interesting in the dark but this year I brought my headlamp to ward off the beasts of the jungle!  Luckily no rain and no slips on the slippery terrain :-)

Claudio and Hubert trailing horses

Registration 

Costa Rican Sound System

Dancing to the music!

Local police providing live music!

They start them young here in Costa Rica!

Claudio - Hubert's son

Riding through pastures

Single track through the forest

River Crossing - that's Donna
at the back of this group

Half way point refreshment break

Rafael

Hubert's daughter Genesis

Passion Fruit

Maracuya in Spanish or Passion Fruit in English is a wonderful plant that grows well here at the mountains. There are two versions  of passion fruit down here - the mountain version or the Americana version shown here.  The American version grows fruit about the size of a soft ball.  The mountain version is much smaller but just as tasty!   Here is a picture of a Passion Fruit flower growing on the fence at our farm here in Costa Rica.  This fruit makes one of the best fresh fruit drinks around.  The last time we bought some passion fruit I took the seeds and planted them in some small containers.  I then transplanted them along our fence line. The seedlings that survived the transplant are growing rapidly and fixing themselves along the fence.  Soon it will be time for ice cold Maracuya fresco natural.   The natural fruits and vegetables of Costa Rica are incredible and coupled with our fresh tilapia, free range eggs and fresh milk, beef, chicken and pork with no artificial ingredients from our Tico neighbors - the opportunities to eat healthy are limitless! Pura Vida!

Maracuya or Passion Fruit ! 

Paradisius Papagayo Bay Resort & Luxury Villas - under construction in Playa Hermosa

Paradisius Resorts have started their new resort in Playa Hermosa. Click here to see the video of what the finished hotel will look like - Paradisius Papagayo Bay Resort & Luxury Villas .  When finished this will an incredible new hotel and spa complete with a rail system for moving people from their view rooms to the beach.  This project will have an incredible effect on Playa Hermosa - all the more reason to buy a property now before all these new people visit Playa Hermosa, stay at the Paradisius and fall in love with the area.   Now is the time to buy for investment, vacation or retirement. Pura Vida!  We have front row seats to the construction as our home in Playa Hermosa looks directly across building location.  Right now they are busy with the ground preparation work.  This will take till November when the actual building construction will start if not before.

Have you been to Buenos Aires?

Buenos Aires - Costa Rica that is :-)  Today June 13, 2013 we had to meet a client in the beautiful Rio Celeste area of Rincon de La Vieja.  The drive from Liberia is about 1.5 hours through Dos Rios and over to  the Blue River Resort area via the highways.  For us, since we were at our mountain cabina, the best and most fun way would be to take the back roads with our Suzuki Quad :-)  Much more fun and exciting than the conventional route! The drive would take about 1.5 hours one way and, yes, the road went through Buenos Aires!  A nice quaint little pueblo located behind Volcan Rincon de  La Vieja.  Rain was threatening so we packed our yellow rain suits and off we went.   We drove through the most beautiful jungle trails, crossing at least 15 rivers and creeks with beautiful lush vegetation all along the way.  One part of the trail I named Heliconia Way as there were a huge amount of these beautiful flowers along the way.    We crossed the incredible Rio Celeste and met our client near Blue River Resort a short while later.  She toured us around her beautiful properties Bonanza and De La Paz - great properties for those looking to get away from it all and enjoy nature.   We live in these mountains and love everything about life in the back country - truly  beautiful places but not for everyone.  The weather is cooler, wetter and sometimes windy, but on good days there is no place more beautiful in the world!  

We completed our tour of the properties, wished our client a safe trip home and off we went back down the jungle trail.    We stopped at our favorite restaurant in Colonia Blanca for a cold cerveza and the best breaded tilapia in Costa Rica!  After lunch, we continued on for the final 45 minute journey home and of course hit the afternoon rains.   We quickly stopped, put on our rain gear and chugged along through the pouring rain to our warm and dry cabina!  Just another adventure in paradise!

Heliconia Way! 

Lush quad trails right out of an ATV Magazine

Beautiful Rio Celeste

Bailey's Tico & Los Torres Cabalgata!

Last Sunday May 26 saw us head over to the small town of Los Torres for their annual Cabalgata.  Always a fun event as I have said before and for horse lovers, every Cabalgata is equal to Christmas morning:-)   Cabalgatas are a chance for horse lovers to get together, drink cerveza, visit with old friends and actually go for a beautiful horse ride.  The village of Los Torres sits at the base of  beautiful Volcan Miravalles.  At a higher elevation than Guayabo, one gets beautful views of the lush valleys and off in the distance Volcan Rincon de La Vieja.  Donna and I were invited by our Costa Rican friends and neighbors to accompany them for the day -  Hubert, Milady and their daughter Genesis, along with Manuel and Leyla.  A great bunch of fun people.  So now the problem is how do we get 6 horses from San Jorge to Los Torres about 25 miles by road.  No problem - Hubert and I would ride and trail four horses over to Pueblo Nuevo then meet Leyla's brother with his truck.  They would then truck the horses to Los Torres - always a Tico solution.  Hubert and I left about 9:30 AM and rode for about  1 1/2 hours, met the truck, loaded the horses and we all arrived in Los Torres at noon in plenty of time as the Cabalgata was scheduled to start at 2 PM which is usually 3 PM or later - Tico Time!  So for a few hours we had some great tico food, drank a few cerveza and watched some of the riders perform with their beautiful paseo horses - high stepping and actually keeping time to the music.  At about 3 PM, the ride started and off we went through this beautiful Costa Rican high country.  Cool fresh breezes with some heavy cloud cover but no rain. About 75 horses and riders - some having a little more cerveza than others and some having over indulged in Bailey's Tico.  Now here is a new drink to us.  Bailey's Tico is a local drink that tastes exactly like Bailey's liquor BUT wow is it potent.  It seems like this drink is very popular in Los Torres as there were gallon jugs of this stuff everywhere.  Donna and I tried some and it was very tasty - it is made with evaporated milk, condensed milk, coco syrup AND alcohol made from Coyol palm.  You cannot buy this stuff from any liquor outlet - this is a real home grown hooch!  A couple of drinks will knock you on your butt so if you ever get a chance to try some - drink it with caution.  Lots of fun for the rest of the day with our old Costa Rican friends and new friends we met that day.  The ride was beautiful single track through the lush country side for about 2 hours with a few tricky river crossings thrown in.  We made a huge loop and ended back at Los Torres for the draw prizes and dancing and more food.  Donna won a rope and saddle blanket and I won a rope and a great leather clad  bottle for Baileys' Tico I guess :-)  After the prizes were all handed out, we loaded up and made for San Jorge -  Hubert and I had to trail the horses back after the truck ride so it made for a long day as we arrived home about 10 PM.  Tired but looking forward to the next cabalagata!  Pura Vida! 

Unloading horses from the truck

Hubert saddling up Chirripa

               

Milady & Genesis

Riders on the trail

Donna on Chalana

Trail riders's heaven!

                            Leyla on Chirripa

We enjoyed beautiful views like this during the Cabalgata!

Herb with Prieto & Donna with Chalana

Sunday Trail Ride in Paradise

Another great Sunday in paradise as we saddled up our horses for a beautiful ride through the jungle.  Accompanied by our Costa Rican friends - Milady with her daughter Genesis and her son Claudio.   The morning started out cloudy and threatening rain but the skys cleared and it turned into a great day in paradise with a gentle breeze blowing keeping the air "fresco".  We rode down the mountains this time from our ASL of 680 meters to the lower area around 520 meters (thank you James Bond Casio watch:-) The birds were singing and the horses were full of energy.  We rode for about an hour then detoured into a beautiful creek side area where we had fresh mangos and melons topped off with Donnas cookies.  Off again for couple more hours of peaceful solitude.  What a great way to spend a Sunday morning.  The sounds of the jungle and the melodic clip clop of the horses hooves - Pura Vida!

Claudio, Genesis, Milada & Donna enjoying fresh mango and melons!

Chalana looking for a taste of mango! 

A "Horses Eye View" of the jungle trail:-) 

A beautiful tranquil spot along the creek - great for picnics! 

A shower of gold on this beautiful tropical tree! 

Tons of Tucans

We are seeing a lot of keel billed tucans these days at the mountains. Every morning when we go for a walk we are seeing large flocks of these beautiful birds.  Normally they are solitary or in pairs but this must be breeding season so we are seeing them in flocks of 15 to 20.  We are hearing them croaking all day long.  The first time we heard them we thought the sound was from frogs but we soon learned it was the tucans croaking away.  These are the Fruit Loop tucans and they are plentiful in Rincon de La Vieja especially in May and June.

This time of year is a bird lovers paradise as we are also seeing a lot of hummingbirds, montezuma oropendulas, numerous beautiful small song birds and of course the clay colored robins are singing in the mornings waiting for the rains to move in to our area.  Pura Vida!

A quick trip to San Jose and some Trivia

We had to make a quick trip to San Jose (Chepe) today to pick up our new Canadian passports.  The Embassy will not courier them so we had to make a special trip in to SJ.  On the way I tried out my new James Bond watch with compass, altimeter and barometer.  We drove the old highway to SJ and the new highway back in just about the same time 4 hours or so each way including pit stops.   As we drove I took altitudes and here are the details for those interested in this stuff - at the top of the ridges on the way to SJ near San Ramon the altitude is 1095 meters (3,592 feet) ASL.  We started from our home in the mountains which is 680 meters (2,230 feet).  Near the Canadian Embassy close to  SJ central by the Sabana the altitude is 1075 meters (3,526 feet) ASL.  If you have ever been to San Jose you will know it is in the central valley and now you know why it is cool and for the most part you do not need A/C.  Sometimes a nice fireplace would be nice in the homes surrounding the capital.  Pura Vida!

New Hotels on the Way for Guanacaste!

More exciting news for Guanacaste as four new hotels are under construction in the area.  These hotels will add another 1,037 rooms to the area!  Check out this link to read about these NEW HOTELS  We are watching the construction of the Melia Papagayo from our deck in the duplex we live in (by the way this is a terrific unit on the market - easily converted into a wonderful ocean view - walk to the beach 4 bedroom 6 bathroom home - Donna has some great ideas for making this into your dream home).  Daily we are seeing three big track hoes and at least 12 large dump trucks working on site.  They mean business here with the goal to open in mid 2014.  A great addition to our area.  If you are thinking of buying - now is the time because when these new hotels open the number of people visiting our area and falling in love with Costa Rica will increase and property prices will go up! Also there are three more large developments that will be making big announcements in the next while - these rumors are causing some sellers to increase their prices already!  Check out our website for some great deals right now including a great home in Coco that could be picked up for considerably less than the $160,000 asking price.  Pura Vida! 

First Significant Rain at the Beach - May 10, 2013

Yesterday in Playa Hermosa, Playas del Coco, Playa Panama we saw the first significant rain of the 2013 rainy season.  A welcome 1.5 inches of rain fell in about an hour and a half.  A nice rain to finally end the last days of the dry season.  Later in the evening the clouds cleared and the temperature was perfect - no a/c tonight.  Fresh sea breezes were blowing and the air was fresh.  This morning on my bike ride the road was dry and air termperature was a little cooler than the past while.  The clay robins were singing announcing the arrival of the rainy season - another great day in paradise.  Guanacaste has been very dry due to the shortage of rain last rainy season so everyone is welcoming the arrival of the rains.  Hopefully we can look forward to afternoon showers till the heavier rains in late September and October.  A great time to visit Costa Rica is now as nature will begin painting the hillsides of Guancaste in beautiful textures of verde (green)!  Pura Vida! 

Tourism Costa Rica Promotional Video for 2013

Have a look at this great video developed by Tourism Costa Rica.  The video will be played in hundreds of theaters across the US and Canada in 2013.  Costa Rica Traveler magazine took the film crew on a 25 day tour staying in 18 hotels throughout the country to get the video content for this video. .  Click here for the link - Costa Rica Living! 

Cabalgata San Jorge Style!

A great part of any fiesta in Costa Rica are the cabalgatas! As I mentioned horses are big part of the life down here and any fiesta is a good reason to have a cabalgata!  This past Sunday was no exception as the San Jorge cabalgata took place.  Riders from far and wide came to enjoy good friends, good horses and great Costa Rican tradition.  Old and young participate with kids as young as 6 riding their ponies and older folks into their 70s.  Basically the cabalgata is a trail ride through the beautiful Costa Rican country side for about 2 hours.  Of course there are always a few cerveza at the start, midway and finish plus a few treats like fresh chicharrones!  This ride was perfect with lots of single track trails, some good up hill and downhills and few creeks to cross.  Donna rode our faithful and very trustworthy mare, Chalana, and I rode my gentle little gelding, Prieto.  Lots of fun with our Costa Rican friends and neighbors.  Pura Vida!

Registering for the Cabalgata!

Horses patiently waiting the start

Midway point - chicharrones & cervezas!

San Jorge Gran Turno!

Let the fiesta begin!  This past weekend was the San Jorge Gran Turno (small fiesta) in our little pueblo tucked in the shadow of beautiful Rincon de La Vieja.  Lots of fun with dancing, horse games, soccer, great Costa Rican traditional food cooked over smokey wood fires giving great taste to tamales, picadillo, arroz con pollo, and my favorite chicharrones!  For a town of only 100 people or less, we had a great turnout with the locals helping make the fiesta a great success. Costa Ricans love their parties and friends and relatives came from all the local towns to enjoy the party - some from as far as San Jose.  The lady behind the fiesta, Leila Campos and her husband Manuel, did a great job putting the fiesta together.  Money made from the fiesta will be used to improve this neat little area - improvements to the community center, school, church and local roads.   Another great day in the mountains of Costa Rica as the weather was perfect with temperatures in the 28 C or 82 F range and the gentle breezes acting like a/c when the sun was hot.  Oh, did I forget to mention lots of ice cold Imperial to keep things cool as well:-)   Pura Vida!

Cotton Candy and Sombreros!

The Tamale Assembly Line

Tons of Tamales

Grinding Papaya for Picodillo

The San Jorge Gran Turno Queen!

Horse Games in San Jorge!

Flecha (arrow)

Horses are a Costa Rica passion.  Costa Ricans love horses and most  can ride like the wind.  I know our neighbor's son Claudio has been riding since he was 3 and sits a horse like he was born there! This weekend we had our San Jorge Gran Turno (small fiesta)  here in a our little pueblo (village) of San Jorge (population 100 or so).  Saturday was the Carreras de Cintas a Caballo - in English a form of horse gymkhana.  My intentions were to watch but soon talked myself into participating.  The object of the event is to spear a specially made instrument (flecha) that you hold in your hand through a ring (anillo) that is hanging by a clothespin from a line.  And you do this while riding at full gallop on your horse!   For some reason the event arranger decided to use rings the size of a dime (see photo).   Normally they are about one inch in diameter these were about half an inch! 

Anillo (ring)

Now let me tell you that speeding toward the ring suspended in the air, trying to control the horse, making sure you are aligned properly and then trying to clip the 1/2 inch ring off the line is not an easy task.  We each had 10 trys to accomplish the goal.  There were about 40 horses and riders participating in the event.  The eventual winner managed to cleanly take the ring off the line about 6 times! His horse was well trained and smooth as silk as they worked together at full speed.  It was a pleasure to watch.  I was unsuccessful at getting the ring,  but Rafael (our worker) managed to clip one off while riding our mare Chalana.  Click here to see a short video of the event Carreras de Cintas A Caballo