Marco picked us up at 8:30am and we spent the day with him doing various things.
On the way to a different national park Marco gave us mangosteen to try. He said they were “the most delicious”. James’ review of mangosteen would be:
Umm, they almost look like very fat cherries but they’re like thicker and they almost have like little green sprout bits on top of them. And you break them open with your fingers and they are very juicy. Lots of juice gets onto your fingers and it’s hard to get rid of. On the inside there are lots of like white just kind of bits and they are very gloopy. Inside one or two of them are seeds that you cannot consume. They are quite tasty but you cannot, no scratch that. Whatever. Umm, they, no, just delete it. The white bits aren’t very appealing. I would give the fruit 6/10.
He also showed us a durian, which he said was the “smelliest fruit in the world”. He also said durians are worth a lot so are frequently stolen from trees but they are illegal on public transport because they smell so bad. Some people love them and some people really hate them and throw up just being in the same house.
When we got to this national park it was quite busy and he told us we needed to walk quickly to get to this particular place that people queue for. When we got there it was just a viewing point on a rock into the sea (which felt not dissimilar to Bournemouth). This is all in Zoë’s very strong opinion – James
While we were there he also told us about:
- Almond seeds and trees. The seeds were all along the ground and sloths break them open to get to the almond.
- Another nasty-smelling fruit. It looked like eyes. Marco said it was very medicinal.
- Plants that close to touch. These were very fun.
- Monkey heart seeds. If these are rubbed against a hard surface they become really hot and pressed against skin feel similar to static shock. People in tribes put 3 holes in the top to make a whistle.
- Sea urchin shells/bone. Very pretty.
Then we left to see a ship stuck in the sand. It was quite lodged in and had been for many years. On this journey we also saw many crabs and a couple of toucans which were cool. Marco said toucans were very mean because they go into other birds’ nests and eat their eggs.
Next we hiked up and down this point in the coast, which had quite a nice view.
Then we swam in the sea right next door. The sea was really nice and the water felt very soft. James was also sick in the sea which was a bit gross. He reckons this was because he ate the red bit of the mangosteen.
Then we had lunch at this small restaurant. Megan and mum had nachos, which mum said she wouldn’t have thought of trying. Megan thought they were “really good” but she didn’t like the guacamole.
Next we visited a waterfall. This was probably my favourite part because the waterfall and river were so picturesque and we saw many poison dart frogs which were cool (I’m going to do just a frogs post). We also tried coconut water at the top which James said “tasted like water and milk” and mum ate some of the coconut too. They also had this cat that followed us down to the waterfall and back up which was cute.
Then we went to the bribri tribe and had a tour showing us how they used to live but also how they still use some of the plants’ materials today. This included:
- How they use leaf fibres to make necklaces and seeds to make beads and charms. It was interesting how they rolled the fibres along their leg to make them twist together to make thread.
- Various plants used as herbs like nutmeg, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, lemongrass and more
- How they made dye and paint using this red fruit (an achiote fruit). They painted some on us and it took ages to get it off.
- A tree where the sap becomes like rubber and a tree where the sap kills all fish once dropped into a river.
- A walking tree and how it remov es and replants its roots.
- How they used to camouflage with leaves and mimic the call of birds to lure them.
- How they turn cocao fruit into chocolate. This was fun because we got to drink hot chocolate made from the cocao nibs, which was delicious.
- A frog farm with 3 types of poison dart frogs, although we weren’t able to see all 3.
When they gave us cinnamon to smell they also pranked us by dropping a fake lizard above our heads, although this didnt make me jump.
Then on our way back to Cahuita Marco gave us some biribiri fruit, which was very sour. I loved it but the others hated it. Megan said it tasted like “really sour peas” and also “imagine sour and times it by one thousand” but I would say it’s my favourite of the fruits we’ve tried so far.
Here’s some other random pictures:
There’s one more picture to add but the WiFi is too slow here
