Liberia is the largest city and capital of Guanacaste – Costa Rica’s most visited Province by tourists from around the globe.
This beautiful city served as a great resting point for a week. Still dealing with Dude’s injury from his run-in with an old cattle guard, everyday consisted of doctoring him and ensuring the open wound on his leg did not get infected. Down here in the tropics, it takes one second for an open wound to become life threatening due to a number of infections spread by flies.
Our hosts, Evan Leiva and Hector Munoz, treated us like family.
“Don’t worry about Dude Filipe, when you are ready to ride on, he can stay here and I will trailer him south when you arrive at the Panamanian border,” Evan said.
This offer gave me great peace of mind, but before we continued riding south, I had to ensure Dude’s leg was recuperating well.
The week flew by as we were introduced to many cowboys from the area and Hector’s and Evan’s family. We had a great time but by far the most exciting day was saved for our last in Liberia. At the local Tope (horseback parade) we were really able to see Costa Rica’s rich equestrian culture come to life.
“This is my son’s third Tope already,” Hector boasted as his baby sipped from his milk bottle sitting on the family’s mule.
Seeing this scene, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my own story. My father like Hector, also had me in the saddle with him before I could even walk. I cant help but wonder the impact these moments are having on his 9-month-old son, Jose Joaquin, who is named after his Grandfather.
“My father shared his wealth of knowledge on horses and cattle with me and now I am doing the same with my 2 sons,” Hector said as we made our way to his dad’s house.
In front of his beautiful white home which dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, I had the tremendous honor of meeting Don Jose Joaquin Munoz. Just by looking into his eyes one is able to see a glimpse of the abundant life this great man has lived.
“My father traveled to India when most people didn’t even know where it was located. He brought Gir cattle from Brazil when no one here knew they even existed. Today everyone is working with Gir,” Hector said.
A true pioneer, Don Jose Joaquin has lived a life of adventure and hard work. He served two terms in politics and has raised some of Costa Rica’s finest milk cattle. But I could have never braced myself for the stories this epic man was about to share with me.
“I met a man riding with two criollo horses, Mancha and Gato many years ago,” Don Jose Joaquin said after I told him about my trip.
My jaw was left on the floor. Throughout my trip I have always asked my hosts if their grandparents or great-grandparents remembered a Long Rider coming through in the 1920’s. I am after all traveling almost the exact route my hero, Aime Tschiffely did almost 100 years ago. Yet this was the first time I got a bite.
“I don’t really remember the man, but I remember a friend of mine was hosting him at his ranch just outside of Liberia and we took him out for lunch one day,” he said.
When I investigated deeper, the dates didn’t match up as Don Jose Joaquin was born after Tschiffely’s Ride which took place from 1925 to 1928. I was left extremely intrigued at who this Long Rider was if it was not Tschiffely. And most importantly how did Don Jose Joaquin know the horses names and even what they looked like.
“They were stocky beasts, one was a paint,” he said as he remembered the moment he met the two legendary horses, Mancha and Gato.
The stories didn’t stop there. Turns out Don Joaquin’s house used to be a hotel in the 1950’s and it was here that Hernesto “Che” Guevara spent some time while traveling through Central America.
“The revolutionary Che stayed right here in this very home when he visited our city. He described Liberia as a charming city that could be found in his own Argentina,” Don Jose Joaquin told me with a smile on his face.
I cant even begin to describe how happy and extremely lucky I felt to have met this beautiful man. Stories like these make my heart beat stronger and my imagination run loose. I grew up reading both the words of Che and Tschiffely and to now be on my own journey, traveling through the same places they did, is extraordinary.
Liberia I will never forget you and your friendly faces! Special thanks to Evan, Hector and their entire family.
