Getting back on the horse

 I haven’t ridden a horse since I was about 12, so it took me awhile to remember how when a local rancher took me down the beach and through sugarcane fields on horseback. After about 15 minutes,  when my thighs were screaming at me and I was terrified of falling off, I remembered I could raise myself off the horse and hold on with my legs. Things went much more smoothly after that. While riding, I got to see fishing Nica-style. The men stand in the waves about knee deep and swing fishing line above their heads lasso style, then cast it out into the water. The line resembles a kite string in the way they have it wrapped. This was part of a great mini vacation I had this weekend at Los Cardones Surf Lodge. The lodge is an eco-friendly and socially responsible retreat. There is not electricity in the cabanas, and they have composting toilets. Everything is on the beach, so naturally, the view is amazing. I spent a lot of time swinging in the hammocks and relaxing. I saw countless iguanas and large red and blue crabs. The toads come out en mass after dark, so I had to watch my step. I also learned how to surf (for my thoughts on that, you can see the next post). Now I am back at Project HOPE and quite sore. I will be starting a census in a barrio up the hill from the base that we haven’t worked in before.