tico rodeo

Sarah, another couple from Canada and I went to a local bull riding contest held at the nearest town Villareal located a few kilometers north. The first mention we heard of this event it was mistakengly referred to as a bullfight. Even then I was still interested in going just to check out the local culture but Sarah was horrified that I even would consider it. We were relieved to find out it was just bullriding.

In many ways much different than the rodeo held during the stockshow in Fort Worth every year that I'm familiar with but in other ways very similar. 

Held in a flat grassy field in the middle of town, there were many concession stands selling the carnival staples: caramel apples, cotton candy, fried chicken, beer.

Plenty of fun things for the kids to do as well, bumper cars, bounce houses, obstacle courses, a trampoline. 

I saw just about everyone from Tamarindo there and when we got back earlier than everyone else Tamarindo was eerily silent for a Friday night. That didn't last long though.

The bullriding contest was a thrill to watch. It's full group participation., There are big fences constructing a ring that people sit on and climb on. Many people went into the ring during the rodeo. Mostly teenagers or young men but some women and kids too. Costa Rican cowboys aren't much different from the ones back home. The cowboy hats are rounder and smaller and sometimes fold down instead of up. They still wear the big buckles, jeans and boots. 

The rider comes out of the gate trying to stay on for 8 seconds while the people scatter about. Once the rider gets off two cowboys come out to rope it and get it back out of the ring. This can take a bit of time, and the bull doesn't seem to be having as much fun as everyone else. The locals run past him, touch him, taunt him, make noises at him. A few brave souls attempting to be amateur bull fighters were even waving around leather flags the bulls would charge at. 

I didn't see anyone get hurt but there were a few close calls. Some guys were out there running around in flip flops or barefoot. At one point some very small kids were out there playing in between the action. Sarah was horrified but the kids left before the bull came out. 

Our Canadian friend Matt wanted us both to go in and I considered it but the two females with us overruled our testosterone with their estrogen. It might have been for the best though, I have a strange feeling the bull would have sniffed out the two gringos in the ring and charged them specifically. 

There are big wooden bleachers constructed around the ring for people to sit on. We stood by the fence close to the action. There was a small band in the stands that played something similar to what you would hear at a college football game every time the bull came out of the gates. It was hilarious. 

Still I missed the funniest part of the evening when I went to get food and left the others behind. 

Apparently Matt, this goofball from Victoria, British Colombia, decided it would be funny to throw a "Langosta" on his girlfriend Liz. Langostas means lobster but it also what the locals call the huge bird-like grasshoppers. 

Typical Langosta. Wings and stomach are bright red underneath.

He picked one up while Liz wasn't looking and launched it in her direction, and as if on cue flew directly to her face landing right near her month. 

She screamed and furiously brushed it off. Judging by her reaction she didn't think it was funny. Matt came up to apologize and she threw her beer all over his face and shirt then stormed off. 

All this happened while I was getting food but by the time I came back they were off from the rest of the group and he was consoling her, apologizing profusely for her traumatic insect encounter I'd imagine. 

A few moments later they returned ok, her eyes red and cheeks wet from crying, his shirt soaked in beer. 

Can't believe I missed it. 

Giovanni and I joked about how our girlfriends would have kicked our asses had we done that to them.
His girlfriend Marisela is built just like Sarah, short and muscular. She's also a surfer. She's very friendly to me but I wouldn't want to get on her bad side. All it takes is one look from her to let Giovanni know he's out of line.
Luckily for the Canadian guy Matt, Liz is a sweet, polite, tall, skinny, fair skinned girl going to nursing school, I don't think it's her nature to lash out with violence. There's something about the short ones, fuses always half lit.