
We graduated from our Spanish school on Thursday! Friday morning we went horseback riding to the Nauyaca Waterfall. The horses were not the best and fought among themselves the whole way there and back. Thankfully I was the lucky person on a horse that kicks other horses which meant that I could not be kicked myself! The waterfall had two sections to it. The top one was at least twice as big as the bottom cascade but had no pool below only rocks. The lower section had a huge, deep pool with several good jumping spots. Another cool thing was that there were a lot of different fish and some of them were sizable. The waterfall seemed like it belonged in a movie set because it was stunning!
Saturday we packed up and left at 10 AM. Three hours later we arrived at a condo that Dad had rented for us for one a night. We arrived at a large security guard booth. Then drove 8 Km down a windy road and passed another security guard check point, drove 2 Km more down the road and passed the final security guard checkpoint. All this just to get to the condo. They definitely are not taking any chances at this place!
Along the road to the condo, there were a bunch of different neighborhoods each with a security guard checkpoint. There were 2 beaches, a hotel, mini golf course, several restaurants, and a pools. Behind our condo there were several huge trees with a drop-off to the ocean. A pair of scarlet macaws were flying around the trees and giving us a show.
Along the road to the condo, there were a bunch of different neighborhoods each with a security guard checkpoint. There were 2 beaches, a hotel, mini golf course, several restaurants, and a pools. Behind our condo there were several huge trees with a drop-off to the ocean. A pair of scarlet macaws were flying around the trees and giving us a show.
Sunday morning we were back on the road by 10 AM. We drove three hours north to a place close to the cloud forest. Our destination was a house on a little farm next to a river. The landscape changed drastically on the way there. It went from jungle to dry hills to sparsely forested jungle.
When we arrived we found a river next to the house and went swimming in it. We also arranged for the farm hand to take us around with him in the morning and feed the animals.
When we arrived we found a river next to the house and went swimming in it. We also arranged for the farm hand to take us around with him in the morning and feed the animals.
We met Jose at 7 AM and the first thing he showed us was how to milk a cow. Then we fed some pigs and sheep. A ten minute walk down a trail led us to a herd of water buffalo which were very intimidating.
We walked back to the house, ate a quick breakfast, then walked down another trail to the community Sustainability Center. The Sustainability Center is a place where the locals go to learn things like how to farm organically, process sugar cane and to do many other activities. It is an important part of this small community because it is the main place where they all get together. At the center they had a large house and a barnyard. There were ducks, geese, chickens, turkeys, pigs, sheep, an emu, a five week old baby donkey (with parents), and they even had a tame coati! This place has been a big surprise!