Today I visited another animal related place. This time it was Mundo de los Insectos or the world of insects. Yes for some people this would have been hard to stomach. Lots of very huge bugs both alive and dead. My guide took me through the large insect enclosure. The butterflies roam free but the other insects especially the spiders are locked up in glass enclosures.
The first few were just insects like stick insects and leaf insects that camouflage themselves well. I was able to touch them and surprisingly if the insect looks like wood or a leaf it also feels like wood or a leaf.
Then came the tarantulas. The first one my guide said was safe and harmless. He opened the door and picked it up. He also said many people keep this one as a pet because its not aggressive or very poisonous. He then asked me to hold out my hand. I pretty much told him, I’m not scared of spiders but i’m not going to hold one either. After some encouragement, I had the tarantula walk onto my hand. It felt a bit surreal. I could feel all 8 legs individually walk along with the softest of touches. It was pretty cool I thought. Much less scarier than those flying foxes.
Tarantula
Then we proceeded to the poisonous spiders, scorpions and also a Basilisk lizard, which is the postcard lizard of Costa Rica. They can run so fast they actually can walk on water, and have been known as the Jesus Christ lizard because of it. It is something to do with water surface tension I believe and nothing to do with Jesus or any other magical abilities. Its like the old fire walkers, if you walk fast enough you won’t burn your feet and in this case walk fast enough you won’t sink….
Basilisk lizard
In the afternoon, I went back for my second free visit to the frog pond. This time a few of the frogs were up and hopping like the green and black poison dart frog. Others were tucked away sleeping away the day. It was worth the second visit.
Well tomorrow is my last full day in the Monteverde area. Hopefully I’ll visit the butterfly farm and maybe see some bats and hummingbirds. I’ve been so busy i haven’t seen everything I wanted to. I thought of staying on a day extra, but I’ve planned my trip so next Sunday I’m not traveling. Catching a bus on Sunday is harder than its worth.
Plus on Tuesday I’m heading to a place that looks after injured wildlife and also some big cats like jaguars and pumas.
Adios again. I’ll be home in 2 weeks time.