Day 3!

It was another busy day today! We woke up early and were privileged to take a tour of the grounds, where we learned a ton of interesting facts about plant species in the gardens. During the tour we spotted a toucan (no pictures yet sadly, which was one of the creatures I was really hoping to see during the trip.



We started our hike and made a stop at the lookout tower. We got some great views of the mountains and the wild countryside, and of course it was a great spot to take a selfie!

A view from the lookout tower




Jamison and I














Next up on our itinerary was to hike a trail about a mile into the forest. We got to see some very interesting plants and some really great sights along the way. It was really cool walking over this old wooden bridge going over a river.

I put a lot of trust into this old structure












We stopped once the trail reached this beautiful stream, where we crossed to the other side and enjoyed the wonderful views. The hike back was tiring! But the hearty meal the staff provided got me feeling full of energy that got me through the rest of the day.

The picture doesn't really to this area justice












After lunch, I met with my research partner Aldrick and our mentor Deb. We put together a research plan and hypothesis and gathered our gear so we would be ready to go bring and early the next day.

Not as complicated as it looks 😀












We had some time to rest and relax before we had another great dinner. Following our meal we had a round of introductions, which included guests from Panama. These folks are here to teach and impart some of their knowledge of traditional plants, medicines, arts, and customs. They were very nice people and were very gracious and happy that we are all here together to collaborate and lean from one another. 

It was a long day and I need to get my rest for the beginning of my research project tomorrow. I leave you with another photo:



For more pictures and insight into my experience during this amazing research excursion, follow me:
Instagram: ser.jacob
Snapchat: jmcarthur85



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 6!

Image
I had one of the best days ever today! It started out like the other days here; get up at 6, eat breakfast at 630, get our equipment ready and hit the forest trails by 8. Only today started off different as we were accompanied by our videographer Lucas! He was a welcome addition to our crew. We made it through the Water Trail in record time since we were so familiar with the terrain by now. We arrived at our spot on the trail where we had to leave the beaten path and forge our own path. We entered the forest going towards culvert Creek. We cut a switchback down a steep embankment and dropped down into the water. Our plan was to follow the creek until we arrived at a confluence, where Culvert Creek met up with our unnamed stream. I took the point and led the way, scouting ahead for obstacles, and making sure my partners new of any obstacles, slippery rocks, and deep pools. Every step had to be calculated, there was no room for carelessness. We eventually made it to our stream. We so
Read more

Day 9!

Another day is in the books! We got started on our research projects today! After performing data analysis on all the riffle samples we took, we were finally ready to start entering our findings into charts, graphs, and graphics. It was interesting to see the final results, and finding out whether or not our initial hypothesis were correct. We got the poster started but it still needs a lot of work. That will come tomorrow. We were treated to a tour of the private garden, which was full of many medicinal plants. Our tour guide, a tribal elder from Panama, pointed out many plants that had medicinal uses for a wide variety of ailments, from simple ones like burns or inflammation, to birth control and prostate treatment. It was incredible the knowledge and training he must possess, acquired over many decades. After we had another amazing dinner, our group met in the reception meeting room to have a sharing circle. Each member of the group took turns sharing what they were thankful for
Read more

Day 1!

Image
I just completed my first full day in Costa Rica. So excited to be here, it still doesn't seem real! Even though we've spent most of the day at the hotel here in San Jose there was still much to see. The hotel grounds are incredible, and we are able to see mountains off in the distance. We did take a trip into the city, which was brief but eventful. The traffic flow on the city roads are an adventure unto themselves! 😄 We leave for the research station first thing tomorrow morning. The hotel has been great, but I'm really excited to get to our destination and get to work. This concludes my recap of day #1, I leave you with a few photos I snapped today: Ian posing under the "Giant" tree Paula with the handstand! Golden Orb Weaver on the hotel grounds
Read more