Hello from Selva Mojada, which translates to Wet Jungle. It is one of the rainiest places in the world.
We were in Choco, which is a Colombian state on the Pacific Ocean. We stayed where the jungle goes all the way up to the ocean.
 |
| Beach at the first location we stayed |
The first place we visited was on the beach. We walked on the beach for a while to go to a town called Pangui. We walked 5k there and back. We had to swim across a river to get to the town. It was a very small town and most things were closed because it was New Year’s Day. We had to race the tides back to the place we were staying because as the tides raise, the beach disappears.
 |
| Some people used this raft to cross the river |
 |
Dugout canoes outside of Pangui
|
 |
| We found some huge shells on the beach. |
 |
A sand dollar that washed upon the shore
|
 |
A beetle almost as big as my hand!
 | | All these red crabs come out when it is sunny |
|
A unique thing about travel in this region is that it is by boat and there are no roads connecting the towns. This means we have to ride on tiny boats where we get wet to get from place to place. Besides boat, the only way to get to the main town is by airplane.
 |
| The boat coming to pick us up. |
 |
| A man who guides the boat uses a stick to steer the boat in waves and away from rocks. |
Our second location was totally remote. It was a nature reserve with only one family living there that owned the lodging.
 |
| View from the porch of our lodging |
One morning, we took a hike in the jungle and saw brightly colored, poisonous frogs. We only saw orange and red frogs, but there are also green and black, yellow and black and plain yellow.
 |
| This tree has big roots |
 |
| Orange and Black Poisonous Dart Frog |
After the hike, we went to the beach and played with hermit crabs in the sand and in the ocean. We made tracks for the hermit crabs to race in.
 |
| A large hermit crab and an itty bitty hermit crab |
 |
| Hermit Crab Olympics |
We explored a stream that was flowing into the ocean. At the end, there was a waterfall and we swam at the bottom of it.
 |
| Low Tide (but not the lowest) |
 |
| High Tide from the same location |
An interesting, but sad thing is that trash from all around the world washed up on these shores. Big waves would bring lots of trash in. The trash had different languages printed on them and you could see that they came from all over the world.
After our remote time, we went into the larger town (Nuqui). We went to a music festival and ran into all sorts of people that we had met earlier in the week. The more time we spent in the town, the more we liked it because there were so many friendly people.
 |
| Seeing friends from a few days before |
 |
| Music Festival |
 |
| Since it is such a tiny town, we ride in such tiny airplanes. |
Very cool. Although the beetle is too big for my liking!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! It's great that you are getting to know people and make friends. Can't wait to hear about more adventures!
ReplyDeleteThanks for including me in your blogs. You are capturing so many interesting parts of Columbia. I think the poisonous dart frog is the coolest! We just read about it in reading today. share it with my kids tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteHow fun to read about your adventures so far and to look at the wonderful pictures! Your writing is quite impressive, Maria! Awesome job! Thank you for sharing this with us. We look forward to reading more!
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blogs, Maria, and learning about all the unique adventures you are having! I am curious after reading about how remote of a town it is, how did your family decide to go there? Also, are you scared of the big bugs and poisonous creatures?? I definitely would be!
ReplyDeleteI (Maria) like where the jungle goes all the way up to the sea because it is double prettiness or adventurous and Dad is good at finding spots to go. I wasn't scared of the beetle becasue it didn't move at all. I wasn't scared of the poisonous frogs because our guide said only their sweat is poisonous and you have to eat it or get it in a cut to hurt you.
DeleteThis looks like quite the adventure! Thanks for sharing all the photos and your adventures! That dart frog looked pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteMaria - great writing. Grandpa and I enjoy reading your posts. It looks like you are having fun and learning a lot. I think the hermit crabs are interesting but seeing soso many might creep me out.
ReplyDeleteMaria, this blog post is incredible!
ReplyDeleteThe title sounds like a best selling novel :)
It is so fun to hear about your adventures and all of the creatures and beautiful things you have seen. I thought it was interesting that you mentioned the second place was "remote," because the first place definitely sounded remote to me!
I would love that ocean view, but I would have a very hard time with needing to get wet every time I travel to town!
Did the crabs actually race in the tracks you made them?
Yes, because at the end of the track they would be able to get out and they wanted to escape.
DeleteThe hermit crab races would have been very interesting to see. It looks like a place where you could have lots of cool adventures. Keep it up with the awesome blogging!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your cool experiences and adventures with us. It sounds like you are making amazing memories. Looking forward to your next blog!
ReplyDeleteI like when you were holding the small hermit crab and big hermit crab. I also like the picture where you are hiding in the roots.
ReplyDeleteHow do people say hi in Columbia?
Hola.
DeleteI.too think the title of your blog, Where the Jungle Meets the Sea, could be the title of a song or a book. Also I was impressed with how flimsy the rafts looked. I hope the river is shallow. I also thought it was pretty amazing that you saw the poisonous frogs about the same time.your class was reading about them. Your blog was enjoyable to read.
ReplyDeleteGrandma G