Our next stop was Guatemala followed by Nicaragua. There snot much to say about Guatemala, because we skipped an excursion there. All of the choices involved an hour+ bus ride to Antigua at the very least, and we did not think our daughter could make it. We did get off and visit the cruise port, but the Jade Museum there was more a shop than museum.
In Nicaragua we got a pretty awesome welcome in the form of a whole dance troupe showing up an performing as we disembarked for our adventure. We were traveling to the Cortijo El Rosario Estate, where we got to see an equestrian show. I am not really a fan of horses. In fact, I'm actually unjustifiably terrified of them. But, in a cruel twist of irony, my daughter loves them. So, we embarked on our 25 minute ot so ride to the Estate. Our guide for the day was very knowledgeable, and very helpful with both my daughter and grandmother, who has some mobility issues. As we arrived we got some excellent guava juice, and could have a choice between plain and with a bit of rum. Our bus arrived earlier than several others, so we milled about the area looking at the horses in the stalls and examining some of the art in front of the show grounds. After a bit, everyone settled in and watched as the horses performed. The best part was the dance between a woman and a horse, as it really showed just how well these animals can move. Overall though, it was a little disappointing there weren't more jumps and tricks involved. But my daughter loved it, so it was worth it.
After the show, we visited the other part of the Estates that supports Equine therapy for children. The family that owns the Estates supports quite a few children coming to the center for various physical and mental ailments that horse riding can help to alleviate. They also have there every day a licensed chiropractor helping to give stretching and mobility work. I really did appreciate that this place was not just a spot for people to train horses and become knowledgeable about them, but that it also seeks to serve the outside community.
For lunch, there was a buffet line with a taco like dish, that had pork, beef and chicken. It was pretty good, along with the spicy salsa that had a great zing and some generic cookies and candies for dessert. Following lunch we looked at a pair of sleeper train cars the original owners had brought from Italy, that had been abandoned during the Civil War in the early 1990s and now restored.
Overall this was a pretty good excursion. A good lunch, a great guide, and some good Horses. I would definitely recommend this trip for anyone visiting.
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