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Eternal Worlds

18 Sunday Aug 2019

Posted by victoriaperpetua in butterflies, Butterfly, Christ, Christianity, God, Jerusalem, Jesus, Mystic, Mysticism, Nature, Panama, Photography, Poetry, Prayer, William Blake

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Butterfly, photography, Poetry, William Blake

Butterfly

Monarch butterfly in Valle de Anton, Panama

Trembling I sit day and night, my friends are astonish’d at me,
Yet they forgive my wanderings. I rest not from my great task!
To open the Eternal Worlds, to open the immortal Eyes
Of Man inwards into the Worlds of Thought, into Eternity
Ever expanding in the Bosom of God, the Human Imagination.
O Saviour pour upon me thy Spirit of meekness & love:
Annihilate the Selfhood in me: be thou all my life!
Guide thou my hand, which trembles exceedingly upon the rock of ages.

~~William Blake, Jerusalem

Parque Nacional Soberanía

30 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by victoriaperpetua in Animals, Anteater, Birds, Botany, Earth, Ecology, Flora, Flowers, National Parks, Nature, Panama, Parque Nacional Soberanía, Parrots, Photography, Termites, Travel

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Panama, Parrots, photography, Travel

Soberaniavic

Looking for birds along the Pipeline Road . . .

We were supposed to head to Parque Nacional Soberanía the day after we exhausted ourselves hiking at  Parque Natural Metropolitano and then walking to Casco Viejo. Fortunately, we had to postpone our trip by a day because it was raining so hard. It gave us some much needed time to rest and we enjoyed an excellent meal of sushi and maracuyá sangria.

The next morning, we were up early and on our way to Soberanía with our guide, Miguel Ibarra (@nature_guide_panama on Instagram of Panama Road Trip Adventures. I highly recommend him!), one of the most accessible tropical rainforests in Panamá.

We hiked down the Pipeline Road, mostly in search of birds as the park is home to 525 species and holds the Guinness World Record for most species sighted in a day–nearly 400. I was lucky enough to be the first to spot a southern mealy amazon parrot perched high in a tree.

Soberaniamealyparrot

While one of the largest amazonian parrots at 15-17 inches length, the mealy parrot is rarely spotted except when flying.

I was fortunate enough to be able to grab a photo through Miguel’s telescope. My husband, Frank, was lucky enough to grab a shot of this anteater crossing the Pipeline Road:

Soberaniaanteater

This anteater is one of 105 species of mammals in the park.

We also saw agoutis, caiman, and heard howler monkeys, among other things. But what I found truly interesting was the termites, which are essential to the rainforest biome.

Soberaniatermites

Miguel exposed part of the “termite highway” to show us the activity beneath.

Soberaniatermitehwy

The “highway” runs the length of the tree.

Recent research has discovered that termites are actually modified roaches with the oldest fossils being found in the Lower Cretaceous period (145-99 million years ago!), which makes them the oldest social animals currently alive. Who knew?

These Central American termites is the second largest species in richness but less researched than the termites of Africa and Europe. In the rainforests, termites build large mounds, usually on trees. These termites are particularly adept at breaking down the cellulose from dead wood in the soil because they have the highest gut Ph in the world at more than 12. This makes it possible for the termites to explore the thick humus layers under tropical rainforest canopies. We also got to see the unique relationship between bees and ants, which nest near each other.

Soberaniahotlips

This Psychotria elata is a plant native to Central and South America, which is slowly disappearing due to deforestation.

This striking flower is not actually a flower but bracts, or modified leaves. Tiny, star-shaped flowers will eventually grow from the center of the red leaves. The plant is also known as Hot Lips, Mick Jagger Lips, or, as Miguel updated it, Angelina Jolie Lips.

Soberaniagroup

Group photo with Miguel, Frank and myself, and our daughter, Griffin.

Did I say that we also saw lots of toucans and hummingbirds? Butterflies, frogs, and caterpillars? A dead caiman with a basilisk or Jesus lizard (because it can walk on water) resting on its exposed belly? A live caiman carrying a plastic grocery bag full of intestines?

We decided that day that if we just saw one unexpected thing (three that morning) each time we went out, it would be enough. Dayenu.

Casco Viejo

23 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by victoriaperpetua in Casco Viejo, Cats, Frogs, history, Panama, Photography, Travel, Virgin Mary

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Casco Viejo, Panama, photography, Travel

CascoViejocar

A car left behind on the sea wall that borders the Cinta Costera. Casco Viejo can be seen across the bay in the center of the photo.

After wearing ourselves out hiking every trail in the Parque Natural Metropolitano, we decided to walk the Cinta Costera, a more than five mile linear park along the bay, to Casco Viejo, the second oldest city of Panama. The first, Panama Viejo, was destroyed by the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. Casco Viejo was the main city in Panama until 1904 when the construction started on the canal and people began to move eastward.

CascoViejofrog

This frog sculpture is among the art that can be seen along the Cinta Costera.

 

We were starving and on the verge of heat exhaustion by the time we arrived so our first stop was an air-conditioned restaurant. We chose a Peruvian restaurant where we could try out the sea bass ceviche (wonderful) and I had a Peruvian seafood stew. Then we took a little time to explore the old town.

CascoViejobldg

A yet-to-be-restored building near the Plaza de Independencia.

CascoViejoMary

A statue of Mary and Jesus in the Catedral Metropolitano.

CascoViejocat

One of the many stray cats that inhabit Casco Viejo.

Parque Natural Metropolitano

16 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by victoriaperpetua in Flora, Hiking, history, Panama, Parque Natural Metropolitano, Photography

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Hiking, Panama, photography

PNMsign

Our first full day in Panama, we headed out early to hike in the Parque Natural Metropolitano. This more than 650-acre park protects vast expanses of tropical semideciduous forest within the Panama City limits. More than 250 bird species have been spotted here, and animals such as agouti, sloth, and tití monkeys can be seen as well as lots and lots of leafcutter ants.

ParqueNaturalMetropolitanotrail

Getting to know the semideciduous tropical forest.

PNMfoliage

So many new (to me) and interesting plants.

I found the history of the park interesting, as well. Not only was it the site of an important battle when the US invaded to oust Manuel Noriega (ironic considering he was in the employ of the United States for years), but it was also used during WWII as a testing and assembly plant for aircraft engines. You can still see many of the concrete structures slowly being subsumed by the forest.

PNMsign2

Sign when you reach the top of the hill.

PNMviewPC

View of Panama City and Bay

PNMview2

Another view of the city.

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