Guanacaste National Park and Artwork

Today was a bit more low key than the last last two. i ended up walking to Guanacaste National Park after a slow morning. It is about 2 miles in 91 degree heat. I was at least smart enough to walk with a full water bottle and a brimmed hat. On the way a watch dog started following me but I put on my Caesar shoes and shushed that dog down. The connecting road wasn't so much a road as a burned trash heap. Such a different place.

Guanacaste National Park is only about 50 acres of thick rain forest with tall trees that host all sorts of epiphytes (plants that live on other plants, like orchids that live on tree limbs). The park was empty, I hung around for five minutes to find someone to give my entry money to (about $2 American). I was already pretty sweaty but it got worse as I went along.

I did run into this chain of leaf cutter ants, they were working diligently and had even cleared a path through the ground debris. One piece of leaf had two ants on it and they were fighting each other to move it, flipping one then the other into the air.

There is a river that ran through the park. It was crystal clear yet the trash the lined the banks made me disinclined to get wet.

The other side of the platform the led down to the swimming hole.

Originally this was a railroad yard, this is the remains of a locomotive engine. In no way shape or form did I hum Indiana Jones theme at any point while exploring.

I also came across a small burn, just one of those spontaneous burns. It was odd to walk through. The palm trees here are huge, some must have been close to 50 feet with fronds around 20 feet long. The scale of everything was so odd, and the thickness of the underbrush incredible.

There was a limestone river bed there that had all these cool holes worn into it. The bridge I was standing was not confidence inspiring so I did not try to get closer.

One the filthy hot walk back on the shoulder of the road (I have massive respect for those that have to walk, although I was the only one that seemed to be sweating, so...) I went past this. I think it is a per enact structure for a huge tent, any other guesses?

I spent a good chunk of the day painting too. Here are the three I did today, first one inspired by the burning I have been seeing everywhere.

This is another view out of the place I am staying, the black bird was screaming his lungs out on top of that pole.

This is a lot of the Belize roadside, poverty with bright pains and sad children while the fields burn behind them. I have a great respect for this country at this point but it really gives perspective on what I actually have.