We Climbed the Peak!

Why is it that whenever people get around a something tall they want to climb up it? It's one of those facets of human nature that I both don't understand and yet feel compelled to do, so, of course, we hiked up to the top of Providencia highest mountain, called the Peak (I’m guessing it should be capitalized). The walk took us through layers of forest, from meadows and stands of palms to rainforest and to finally what seemed like an arid jungle near the summit. And you’ll never guess what? Different types of lizards lived in each area. I’ve never been in a place where so much life scattered before my every step. Brilliant blue and green lizards, tiny cream-colored anoles, and giant blue land crabs (The crabs only come out at night, and the clattering of their legs and claws sounds remarkably like those beetle creatures in the Dark Crystal.) 

This tree's roots were the trail.

And not only did we scavenge more mangos for my now customary morning mango and yogurt smoothie, but I also got the pleasure of being bitten by those horrid arboreal ants, whose bite is like getting stabbed with a hot needle. Repeatedly. Evidently, they only live on this equally unpleasant tree that is covered with spikes. A fitting symbiosis, if you ask me.  

Ants aside, the view was outstanding and the mango smoothie delicious.