After getting up early to do some work before breakfast, Arnie and I headed off on horseback with Santiago to Santa Rosa Cave, a so-called “dry” cave. We started off on the dirt road out of Cotton Tree on Prince and Jackie who dutifully followed Stephanie.
In fact, every time I tried to get Jackie to speed up, he put on his mule shoes. It took some doing when I tried to come alongside Santiago to ask a question or just listen to his talking about the various plants and their healing powers.
I took off my flip-flops, lashed them to the saddle, and rode as close to bareback as was going to happen this round. Arnie and I are like the shoemaker’s children. We do photographs of our participants, but we don’t have that many of ourselves.
I brought up my camera. Hmmm. When was the last time you photographed from the saddle? Trying to keep everything focused and level is interesting, to say the least!
We entered the jungle, and it was cool and refreshing. A slight breeze wafted the scent of various plants and flowers to us, It was delicious. Santiago would warn us against this or that plant that would snag us or a root that might trip up the horses.
When we got to the caves, we were drop-jawed. The fantastical shapes of the limestone were amazing, not to mention the bluey-greens of the rock.
Santiago led us, outfitted with headlamps, into the caves. They went in quite a ways. We saw all sorts of critters, some of which, creepy crawlies with lots of legs, that I’m not sure I’d like to meet in the dark. They thoughtfully scuttled away, and we marveled at this alien world. Something out of a sci-fi movie. Spieberg, where are you?
There were bats all around. I’ve always welcomed them, as they represent fewer mosquitoes! They would swish by us, never really getting near us. It’s amazing the radar they have. In one spot, Santiago showed us where they were sleeping. They looked so little, with their wings all tidily folded up.
We were really glad we had made this trip. It was not one we had done last year, and not one that would have been appropriate for our group, given that many people are not overly fond of bats.
The ride back was pleasant, Jackie and I trailing behind Arnie and Prince, trailing in turn behind Santiago and Stephanie. I wanted to go up to ask Santiago a question, but Prince would have none of it. I’d head up to the left of Arnie, and Prince would immediately go left and block us. I’d go to the right, and yes, you guessed it, so would Prince. I even tried to fake Prince out, but he just wouldn’t allow it, until we stopped, and I scooted past.
Prince looked at us. “What happened?” For anyone who knows racing, it was like a race-car driver blocking an opponent. We all got a good laugh out of the horses’ antics.
Lunch was local fare, a quesadilla, and delicious, with a salad from the Lodge’s garden. Excellent!
We did some work, then went out photographing more for our exhibition next summer. All in all, another really good day!
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If only the horseback ride had been included last year, Kathy would have been in seventh heaven. She also likes bats, having hunted for them and brought one back to our houseboat on the Amazon River. The caves look marvelous. I hope this year’s crew has as much fun as Kathy and I did last year. Happy hunting for wonderful captures, Dave
Dave and Kathy,
It was great to ride, but we didn’t do it with the group. The group this year is great, and you would en joy them. Lots of laughs, as usual.
Thanks for writing!
Take care,
TBC