2008 Daily Journal

Thursday, July 24, 2008

This morning before breakfast we hiked to the Roaring River. Along the way we spotted tapir tracks and crossed a slippery log that served as a bridge. After a satisfying pancake breakfast, we said goodbye to Ms. Lydia and left for our trip to Xunantunich, the site of 2,000-year-old Mayan ruins. During a stop at a roadside stand we tried a green fruit called a waya or genip, which is similar in texture to a muscadine grape but with a different flavor.

When we arrived at Xunantunich we hiked up to the very top of a temple from which we could see pyramids, Mayan mounds and Guatemala in the distance. During our visit to this amazing archeological site, we learned about the ancient ballcourt game in which the losers were often sacrificed. After exploring Xunantunich, we had a fantastic lunch prepared by Chaa Creek Lodge. Several fruits on the menu were new to us: a purple fruit called sorrel that tasted like a sweet tart candy and a bright pink and purple bittersweet fruit called pitahaya (also known as dragon fruit).

After lunch we went canoeing on the Macal River. During our paddle on the river we collected figs, spotted iguanas and listened to stories about how boa constrictors have been known to climb into canoes. The Macal River reminded some of us of the Shenandoah River, except for the palm trees on the bank. When we arrived back at Pooks Hill, we dissected the figs we had collected during our canoe trip and discovered that worms, flies and larvae were living inside them. This discovery led to a lesson about the mutualistic relationship between figs and fig wasps.

July 24 Q & A

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