La Fortuna or Bust...

Authors: Kris, Jamison, Britt, Kelly

Today was a travel day from Volcano Tirrialba to Volcano Arenal. Even though we did not experience much science today, we created our own as we traveled. We spent time reflecting on ideas for our projects as well as problems we may encounter on the way.

Word of the Day:
Acromyrmex: Scientific name for leafcutter ants
We stopped in La Selva today briefly on our way to Arenal and got a sneak peak view of our rainforest ecosystem. We witnessed a colony of leafcutter ants bringing pieces of leaves to their habitat.


Science Focus:
                                                                  Arenal......or bust

The volcano above shows Arenal, our next expedition. We spent most of the day traveling, took a detour in La Selva to retrieve distilled water, and ended up at Volcano Arenal 7 hours later. We look forward to our next hike up Arenal. Comparing the two very different volcanoes is a collaborative interest in all of our projects.

Culture Focus:

                                             Charging up for the ride with our electrolytes

On our way up Volcano Arenal, we stopped at roadside stands to taste native fruits. In the picture above we are shown drinking out of the Pipa Fria, aka coconut water. The locals use these coconuts to restore their electrolytes after a long laborious day. Pixbae is a cooked fibrous fruit with a taste similar to an artichoke or boiled peanut. We also tried Guavas, a seedpod containing seeds comparable to a sweet cottonball. Exploring exotic fruits on the side of the road gave us a better understanding of the diet of the local people.

Question of the Day:
What different types of fruits would you be willing to try?