Wrapping Up La Selva

This past week, we also paid a visit to a pineapple plantation...or rather the roads-less-traveled behind these fields! The whole pineapple process makes me want to put my piña purchasing on hold (or go organic!). The current practices prove harmful to both the workers and the environment. Pesticides are abundant, and subject the workers to toxic properties that can lead to debilitating conditions. While the Costa Rican government requires all businesses to supply their employees with necessary gear, these pineapple plantations often hire people on "contracts" no longer than 3 months. In what seems to be a fairly gaping loop hole, companies are allowed to require contractors to provide their own equipment. But, if you're making barely enough to sustain you and your family, scoring a protective mask might not just make the cut for your to-buy list. 

Pineapple plantation

Furthermore, these massive, cultivated plantations essentially suck up everything nutritious and delicious that the soil has to offer. Once planted, you get two harvests over the span of about 2 years, and then the land is fairly out of commission agriculturally speaking. Another environmental pineapple woe that adds insult to injury is that ever-present rain sweeps the pesticides away...into the local water source! 

Drainage to local water source, less than a stone's throw from abundant pesticides. 

As you might imagine, drinking pesticides is no healthier than inhaling them all day. With this undrinkable local water, AyA has to come to the region weekly with a water truck. As you might also imagine, this could be a huge loss of productivity for the community. Instead of going to work one day, they might have to wait around for the water truck, and once they have their water, they'll have to ration it. This will probably lead to poorer hygiene, which ever-so-generously gives piggy back rides to more consequent more diseases present. 

On a slightly less "humans are destroying themselves and the Earth" note, we had a lot of time to explore La Selva more during the day and at night! 

Goblet-shaped mushrooms!

We went on a guided walk around some of the trails. Among our spotted animals were howler monkeys, parakeets, bullet ants, iguanas and frogs!

Strawberry Poison Dart Frog!

Leaf cutter ants workin hard all day err day (except they tend to abandon ship when it rains!)

BULLET ANT

And despite the heavy rain thrashing down like steady streams from the sky, we decided that our last night in La Selva was the ideal time for a night hike! It truly was though, since we had been told that more frogs show their faces and voices after a solid shower. 

8 Legs are better than one, they're twice as fun, ask anyone? (#HIMYM)

Walking into the familiar darkness of the "Cantarrana" (frog song) trail, a steady noise slowly escalated in volume as we arrived. This noise had a buzzing-wasp-nest-meets-chain-saw feel, both in tune and in volume. We weren't quite sure what this orchestra had in store for us, but the overture was slightly terrifying, yet in a fascinating way that draws you in.  The first chair in this ensemble was this fella...

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...and probably the second through n-thousandth chair was also held by his/her species or other Frog and Toad friends. When these guys did their call, the two areas of skin below the mouth would inflate like little balloons, then slowly deflate, releasing their call. Seriously though, at times we needed to shout to be heard over the frogs.

This was definitely the most memorable night walk of them all...and a great end of stay in La Selva! Today, we arrived at Luna Nueva, a hotel, garden and farm near the Arenal Volcano. We'll be here for a few days doing some ethnobiology research!