Horse riding Monteverdi

We crossed the country yesterday from the Caribbean Coast to the Pacific side. Started with a riverboat for an hour then 5 to 6 hours in a rather cramped and poorly sprung bus. On one vicious bump a suitcase crowned one of the group. Not good and still recovering today. They need luggage compartments. Saw crowds at one town waiting for the parade - would have liked to stay but the parade was meant to start at 9 and it was after 12. Masses of people street vendors groups and teams in brightly coloured uniforms and lots of boom boxes each with their own music. Carnival time. Finally arrived at La Fortuna. Lovely accommodation and excellent meal. Today a rather early start due to some mess up, then bus, then wait 30 mins for 3 Americans who had been given a different time, then to the lake under the volcanic mountain then a 2 hour horse ride. Ie walk around the side of the lake. Finally a bus over v rough road over the main divide to Monteverdi. The 45 k took nearer 2 hours. One of the roughest roads I have ever been on. Had a good lunch then "the rains" started. No rain here for weeks tho it looks green, so they are really pleased the rainy season has started. Many nice looking tourist places but they are doing a bit of a starve these last few years as the volcano has stopped spewing lava. The town was originally started by Quakers from USA and this country chooses not to have an army.