To the Bat Cave

There have been several moments during my time here that I've thought to myself, "If my mom only knew what I was doing right now..."  But our adventure last week takes the cake.  Last Saturday, Jameson, our friends, the Kates, and I paid Rutillio to take us in his kayuko to a bat cave on Bastimentos.  

The ride there was surreal.  We paddled through mangroves up a winding river where it was totally silent except for the paddles hitting the water and a myriad of wildlife noises.  It was quite beautiful.  Then we got out and walked through a cacao field.  It was a dream come true, chocolate hanging from the trees (see pic).  

The cave itself was awesome, terrifying, but awesome.  There were bats everywhere, we had to swim through cold murky water with who knows what swimming around us, and we hiked though jagged rocks & over deep crevasses.  At one point we climbed on a narrow ledge about 8 feet above the water with nothing to support us except the opposite wall so we shuffled along london bridge style for about 10 feet.  That was scary.  Fortunately bats don't freak me out, but the spiders in there made me gag.  

It was fun, but I just kept thinking, "What would my mom do if she could see me right now?"  It's ok mom, we escaped without a single death and only one injury, which was my own fault because I was so concentrated on watching my step that I failed to see the gigantic stalactite hanging from the roof and rammed my head right into it.  Yes I have stalactite bits in my head, a one of a kind souvenir!  

I hope everyone is having a great Christmas.  We love you all and can't wait to come home and see you in just 9 days!  

Katie & me

Look closely, they're huge

Doesn't this little boy look like a Panamanian Webster?

Jameson & the Kates

Cacao pods

Entrance to the bat cave

Rutillio leading us into the dark

Just 3 of the hundreds of bats

Me & the Kates

Jameson the crocodile

Wake boarding with a surf board

I don't think it gets any more beautiful than this!