Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Jungle Lodge Continued

Although we left the lodge four days ago,  I wanted to share a few more pictures from the experience.



path down the hill

I didn't take pictures of the dinners we were fed, as they were cande-lit communal affairs (I didn't want to be obtrusive AND end up with dark pictures).    Most days we were on excursions and the lodge would pack us a lunch, but on our last day we ate a noontime meal together.


Quiche (eggs from the farm, which I ate) stuffed with veggies, yucca salad, beets, avocados.  Afterwards we tried something called the miracle fruit, which came off a tree in the farm.


We sucked on a lime wedge to verify it was sour, then ate the small red fruit slowly, coating our tongue and spitting out the seed.  Afterwards we ate the limes again, but this time they tasted like key lime pie, or super sweet limeaide.  It was incredible.  Everything we ate for about an hour afterwards was uber sweet.  It was so much fun!  We heard there is a man in NYC who hosts tasting parties with the miracle fruit.   That would be a blast. 

After our jungle lodge time TH said he didn't care if he ever saw a sloth again.  I guess they aren't the most titillating of wildlife to view, but I still thought they were cute.  


One afternoon, after doing lots of this:  


it started to rain really hard.  We had big curtains we could pull closed when we had sideways rain to keep our room semi dry.  I pulled a curtain, and when I did something big landed on my head.  After having a little scream and panic session I discovered a bat on the floor.  


I thought it was dead, but when I gently nudged it over the edge with our creature-sweeper broom (supplied by the lodge for times just like this) it flew away!  It had been sleeping, and didn't wake up when it fell on my head or the floor.  I decided bats are much cuter when they are not nestled in my hair.

We have been enjoying our beach time on Bocas del Toro, which I hope to blog about before long.  We leave by ferry and bus today, back down the Pacific Coast to Panama City.  We will then fly out to the San Blas Islands, which are independently owned by an indigenous group called the Kuna.  I'm excited. 

Question:  Have you ever tried the "miracle fruit"? 

8 comments:

  1. what a dream your trip is! i'd love to try that miracle fruit. the sloth and bat are so cute, from a distance of course.=)

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  2. Never, tried miracle fruit. That trip you are on seems like a miracle trip to me. Love all the wildlife. Amazing how hard the bat slept. I know they are nocturnal - I wish I could sleep that well and not be disturbed by noise etc around me.:) I read an account by a naturalist and adventurer who decided to test the old wives' tale that bats will get tangled in your hair. She was in a bat cave and deliberately picked up a bat and tried to tangle it up in her long, long hair. Not only did the bat not stay tangled, but she said when it was free and away from her it sat for a very long time grooming itself with what she swore was a look of disgust on its face! Ewww, people cooties all over me, it must have been thinking. :)

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  3. Thanks for sharing these stories--so much fun! The bat story sounds amusing from a distance, but I probably wouldn't have loved it on my head either.

    I've had miracle fruit in HI--so much fun.
    Happy travels!

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  4. @kelli

    I bet you would love the miracle fruit, Kelli. It was so bizarre!

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  5. @Mindy

    We are having a blast here, Mindy, but anyone can do it! We have some friends from New York who actually say that traveling to Central or South America saves them money. :)

    I love the bat story you shared. I can't imagine actually trying to get one tangled up in my hair!

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  6. @Ela

    How cool that miracle fruit grows in Hawaii as well, Ela. I really want to grow a plant when I get home. :)

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  7. oh crap I would have dropped over w/ heart failure had that thing landed on my head!!!
    Peace & Raw Health,
    Elizabeth

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  8. @Elizabeth

    I did have some heart palpitations, Elizabeth!

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