After breakfast we wore our rubber boots and took our walking sticks to the canoes. We left the camp and our guides paddled 4-passenger canoes. We walked along the muddy trail then later transferred to smaller canoes.
We walked around a section where there was wildlife found only in this area. Several beautiful Hoatzin birds lives here. We were told that these birds smell like manure. We saw the Capybara, the largest ident in the world. We saw heron, kite, and tanager birds. Spider monkeys were swinging though the tree branches. A Blue Morpho Butterfly fluttered ahead of the canoes. We saw armies of Leaf Ants carrying their pieces of leaf across the path on their way to the huge ant hills. Delphin showed us a Striped Poison Dart Frog and a small toad. He is so knowledgeable! We also fished for piraña. I caught one, but lost it as I raised it out of the water.
Most of the morning was clear except for an occasional mist. As we returned to camp, it developed into a light rain.
We had spaghetti and garlic bread for lunch which was quite tasty. They served a sliced root vegetable as a side dish which I passed up because it tasted like turnips. I also passed on the platter of peas. The slice of fresh pineapple for dessert was delicious.
At 3:00 we went into the lodge to make chocolate. First everyone hulled the cacao beans. I didn’t seem to have the knack for getting the chocolate out in one piece, so I watched the others do it. When the job was complete, we took turns grinding it. The chocolate is ground three times. Each time it becomes creamier. I tasted it, and it is very bitter without sugar added. The cook will surprise us with a chocolate dessert tonight.
Delphin spotted some more wildlife that we could see from the lodge. We watched an Agouti, Tamarin Monkeys on some bananas, and more birds. Suddenly he spotted more Spider Monkeys in the trees behind our cabanas, and we all watched them play in the branches.
At 6:00 we went out in the big motorized canoe, then transferred to the small canoes again to watch wildlife at night. Delphin made some bird calls which brought them closer to us. We saw some lightning bug larvae and a young caiman in the water. We have been very lucky to have had such good weather. The temperature was moderate and it only drizzled occasionally.
. Shelling cacao beans
. Young caiman sighted in the night canoe trip
. Delphin putting beans into the top of the grinder while I grind them