El Valle (july 8)

Today i went on another rainforest trip to El Valle. It is actually a volcano that collapsed and in the crater of the collapsed volcano a lush, fertile rainforest has grown. It was very pretty and I enjoyed myself immensely. We stopped at a little restaurant for lunch and then went shopping at this outdoor market where I was able to buy some souvenirs and gifts. It was a beautiful day until right before we left when it started pouring rain in sheets. We tried waiting it out for a few minutes but then realized it wasn't letting up. The trip down the mountain was slow-going and I was praying the whole way because the roads were quite narrow and VERY curvy. As you can see, I made it safely but only by the grace of God. Unfortunately I forgot to take pics at the market but here are the ones I did take:

1. The beautiful ducklings and beautiful swans
2. More beautiful ducklings and beautiful swans, in the words of Billy Madison, "stop looking at me swan"
3. Yellow Tree Frog, found only in Panama...maybe only in El Valle
4. The restaurant & hotel where we ate lunch, Los Capitanes- founded by 2 German explorers
5. Sign for the restaurant
6. The rock garden from another view
7. "Do Not Enter, Private Property"...clearly I'm taking this pic right in front of the sign so I'm on the property, oh well
8. Jane of the Jungle...aka...Dominique Drake
9. Jane of the Jungle goes Greek...DST to be exact
10. George of the Jungle aka Michael Fraser (he was too afraid to climb the rocks lol j/k)
11. The BUTTRESS TREE...creates a thick trunk made of buttresses to support the huge tree
12. "Square Trees this way"
13. Again they tried to keep us out, but I was assured it was safe/legal to continue
14. Oh look, a rock garden...quite pretty
15. An orchid growing in the moss of a rock
16. Tree-carrying ants, the small green leaves you see are actually being carried by these ants. They looked like a small militia marching up & down the tree and to their hill
17. The path we just walked
18. A creek/river we crossed a few times
19. The tree branches in this rainforest grow along the surface to soak up as much water and nutrients, they dont grow deeply underground
20. Square Tree, yes the sides really were square
21. Square Tree from a different view
22. The 2nd wooden bridge we had to cross, felt like the NYC subway because it swayed/shook quite a bit
23. Michael Hammet & I pausing for a picture
24. Go, Tell it on the Mountain...lol...words cannot describe how pretty it was
25. Michael tries to pick up all the litter he sees but then realizes it's a futile effort
26. Michael & I pausing for a picture at the 1st wooden bridge
27. The path we have yet to travel
28. Mike & Mike...no not Mike & Ike the candy, Mike & Mike
29. Mike & Mike at the SUV
30. The hotel had a mini zoo with these parrots
31. The hotel had a mini zoo with two peacocks
32. El Hotel Campestre...used to be the best hotel in El Valle, now Los Capitanes is
33. The peacock spread its wings for me
34. Quesos Chela, a little tienda (store) off the highway that everyone seemes to stop at for cheese, bread and coffee
35. In the distance you can see the Pacific Ocean
36. In the middle of this lush rainforest we see...PINE TREES??? only in Panama...
37. Pool at the hotel...swim at your own risk
38. Side of the hotel and one of the mountains in the backround