Libio shows us where chocolate comes from. Cocoa trees often grow in Ecuador's rainforests. We actually tasted the fruit of the cocoa tree, and alas it was not very tasty. It is the inside of the seed that provides a butter from which chocolate is made.
This is the infamous Ayahuasca, a brew which is made from this hallucinogenic plant and is ingested by shamans in Ecuador to enable them to receive guiding visions from the forest spirits.
Some of the other plants in the jungle, like the bright orange mushrooms, certainly seem like they would have a similar effect.
We just couldn't believe how big the leaves were here in the jungle.
Poor Brig, she put her hand on the bark of a bamboo tree and received a bunch of almost invisible spines in the palm of her hand. Libio, who has seen this all before, patiently helped to pull out the spines.
Well, that was it for the jungle trek... we returned to Masuhuali, where we stopped to visit a butterfly farm. I was delighted to find this large beetle.
I also finally got a picture of a Blue Morpho. I wasn't as lucky in Mindo.
And Brig, who evidently was getting hungry for lunch, was also having fun with the butterflies.
We found domesticated sourpuss monkeys in the village square. The one on the left was peeling a red onion and rubbing himself with it. No wonder his buddy looks so unhappy!
Next Trip... here we are finally at the beach in Puerto Lopez... and only 10 hours away on a night bus!
As Puerto Lopez is more of a fisherman's village than a relaxing tourist beach, we found a lot of interesting things on the beach floor, like this baby shark's head...
...this rather long fin (not sure what fish or mammal it came from... but it did look an awful lot like a whale fin). FYI - The fishermen are prohibited to hunt for whales here (heck, we weren't even allowed to scuba dive with the whales which I thought would be fun!)
I even found my first sand dollar, buried in the sand on the beach of course. It was alive and had little tiny tentacles tickling the palm of your hand.
Ricardo's refreshing way to take in the beachview.
Another unique cactus in Ecuador (I have seen so many different types of cactus since I have arrived! It's wonderful!)
This beautiful hostel, called Mandala, was full when we arrived, but it must be one of the coolest ritzy hostel that I have seen to date!
A view of the beachfront houses in Puerto Lopez... most houses had hammocks hanging in front. What a nice way to spend the afternoon!
This little girl was absolutely adorable... and I thought the painting of Virgin Mary was also worthy of being included in the shot.
Nathalie, from my spanish school (La Lengua), and I had fun watching and following this oversized pig who happily fed on donated plantains from the locals.
In many small shops across Ecuador, there is a barrier that keeps you from going into the store. You just ask for what you want.
Here is the beach, day in, day out... boats and fishermen abound.
