Sondra’s and Guatemala’s Birthday
Both Guatemala and Sondra had birthdays this week. These were celbrated with cake, horses and parades, along with other fun activities around Rio Dulce.
Friday, September 11 – Thursday, September 17, 2026
After our morning walk on Friday morning, I decided to make a cake for Sondra's birthday which is on Saturday. Our oven is not really set up for baking a large cake, so I made two small (2-9" x 9") Texas sheet cakes. The total size of the cake was probably a quarter sheet, but it was enough to have a personal cake for eating and one for sharing the next day with some of the cruisers.
Saturday, we rode horses! Tijax has seven horses that can be rented through the resort, and we reserved two so Sondra can have a birthday ride. Sondra’s horses name was Guapo (Handsome) and mine was Capachina. Guapo looks like Sondra’s niece’s horse Snowball. Our guide was Marvin and he rode Tirana.
Most of our ride was along trails we had walked several times before, but it was different since we were up much higher and had a more commanding view. Near the end of the ride, we detoured through the rubber tree plantation where we hand not visited before due to it being somewhat overgrown for walking (but not for riding). It was a lovely little start to the day.
I really have not ridden horses that often (maybe twice?), but the tour was nice and slow, and the horses were very gentle until near the end when our guide picked up the pace and Capachina started trotting quickly. I was not ready for that, and it took me a bit to get used to bouncing but Sondra took it like a pro since she rode quite a bit in her early years in California. I didn’t realize that I needed to stand up on the stirrups a bit like on a mountain bike. I might need a lesson if I am going to do that again.
Horseback Riding at Tijax
After lunch we took the dingy across the river to Ram Marina where they had some live music and some free food and drinks in celbration of Guatemala's upcoming Independence Day. There was a group from nearby San Felipe playing the Marimba which is sort of like a large wooden xylophone. It was cool seeing that and hanging out with other cruisers.
That evening we ended up having the Saturday cruiser’s barbeque and we shared one of the cakes with the cruisers and celebrated Sondra’s birthday.
We didn’t do a lot on Sunday but hang out with the other cruisers for morning coffee and breakfast at the restaurant and then an afternoon walk on the property. We might have snuck in a swim somewhere in there.
Resident Crocodile Saturday Grill Time Resident Cat
Weekend hanging out at Tijax
Tuesday, September 15 is Guatemala’s Independence Day. Their independence was in 1821, so this signifies their 205th year since their independence from Spain (after 300 years of colonial dominance). Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica share the same Independence Day since it signifies the signing of the Act of Independence of Central America back in 1821.
Government offices were closed Monday and Tuesday so festivities took place across both days and it was a treat to see how another country celebrates their Independence Day.
Monday morning horns and fireworks could be heard from town at Tijax so we dingyed over later in the morning to check everything out. Although we missed Monday's parade, there still were a lot of activities around the town and under the bridge (where the main park and I guess what you would call an outside civic center are located). We did learn there would be another parade on Tuesday (the actual Independence Day) around 8:30 am so we decided to make it a point to go to that.
Another thing on Monday we did was make some homemade ginger beer. Ginger beer as absolutely not a thing in Guatemala and Sondra favorite sundowner is a Dark n Stormy (ie Rum, Ginger Beer, Lime), so we ventured to make some. It won't be ready until the weekend so we will follow up next week to see if it is comsumable.
Tuesday, we got moving early and went downtown. There was relatively little traffic on the road since it was mostly closed for the upcoming parade. We found a spot along the roadway to watch it. For the most part the parade was a showcase for all the schools, and it started with the youngest kids at the begininning and the oldest bringing up the rear. Lots of bands, costumes of various colors and I guess lots the queen of each school got to ride on special floats. It was a bit like parades in the states but focused on the kids and of course lots of Guatemala flags.
Independence Day Parade
Wednesday, we did our normal walks and boat chores and fixed items that break around the boat.
Thursday was the same, but we did go to Hoppy House in the evening, and I joined in with the jam session on stage. I am having fun playing the bongos and I once again played that odd drum thing called a cajon. It is very versatile since you can sit on the box and play various sides of the box that gives either a snare type sound or a bass type sound. We might start making this a weekly outing.
Thursday Jam Session at Hoppy House
Post 26-28
Nice! Happy Birthday to Sondra.