tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3275574202326798942024-02-19T04:39:51.558-08:00Panama STEM Expedition 2018Join us virtually as we explore the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of Panama, learn about the rich biodiversity and cutting edge scientific research as we interact with scientists from the Smithsonian and other institutions, see the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, spend a day with the indigenous Embera tribe, visit a school and interact with our Panamanian counterparts, and so much more! The most recent posts are at the top. Scroll down to link on the bottom right for earlier posts.Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-41200017682486120192018-07-09T20:48:00.001-07:002018-08-20T17:14:46.933-07:00Day 11- Return to Panama City , "Old Town", and Farewell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Our last day began before sunrise with our luggage out on
our cabin decks at 5:15 for transport to the dock where our two boats would
take us to Boca Town for a flight back to Panama City. It was raining pretty
hard so our luggage and backpacks were wrapped in garbage bags to stay dry and
put into the bow of the boat. A 35 minute rainy boat ride brought us to the dock
at Boca. We traveled to a small airport where one propeller plane travels back and forth
to Panama City a few times a day. Fortunately we made our flight without any major delays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;">It was a quick flight to Panama City and we were so happy to
see Claudio and Daniel again! This time we were off to the Metropolitan Park for our last hike and opportunity to learn about trees. Metropolitan Park is a huge area of rainforest right in the heart of Panama City. It is one of the largest urban forests in the world. Many people were out on the trails for a Sunday morning hike.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Here we met up with an American, Dr. Brian Sedo, who has a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and has been a post-doctoral fellow with the Smithsonian Tropical Research </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Institute since 2014. Soon, he will
be leaving with his family to take a faculty position in integrative biology at
Univ of Texas in Austin, while continuing his research with the Smithsonian.</span></div>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">The focus of
his work is primarily on trees and the central role for plant chemical defenses
against insects and microbes in the maintenance and generation of plant
diversity. We hiked to the peak of the park with him, stopping along the way as
he pointed out trees and explained his research. His research demonstrates the
integration of chemistry and biology as he has been pioneering analytical
chemistry techniques to study the chemical underpinnings of plant-insect and
plant-microbe interactions, especially in tropical forests throughout Central
and South America, where there are hundreds of tree species. In Panama he is
studying the metabolites of 2000 tree species to understand the role that
chemical defenses play in sustaining ecological diversity and driving the
evolution of new species of trees.</span><!--EndFragment--> </div>
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<span style="border: none; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Along the way were mesmerized by
long trails of leaf cutter ants and the patterns in different leaves of trees.</span><span style="border: none; font-family: "times"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Watching leaf cutter ants coming back with leaves and going to get leaves</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Patterns everywhere!</span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Our hike was mostly uphill. We made
it to the peak, 135 meters above sea level (was Frank counting steps?) and were treated to a panoramic view of Panama City. Still
amazed how we could hike in such hot, humid weather and not let it deter us.
With all the wonders surrounding us, we just did not notice the discomfort like
we would have at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> We made it to the top!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">We hiked back down the trail with Brian continuing to fill our heads with the wonder of trees and their role in biodiversity. I don't think we will ever look at a tree the same way again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">We said goodbye to Brian and headed down the beautiful causeway near the
Biomuseo, with Panama City's skyline and ships entering the canal in the
background, to a restaurant for another delicious lunch. World Cup soccer fever was still evident from the soccer balls hanging over the tables.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After lunch, Jim, who missed our Panama
Canal visit due to his flight delay went off to the Miraflores Locks and the
rest of us went to the Centro Artesanal to shop for molas</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">, jewelry, and</span><br />
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<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> and local crafts. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KkDSc0zwXWvIplIAQjF_ldHXZk5_nfcEKfsRiHn5gkhHpHHJreAQzY8yFGUNle3it3hwa5LPlO5kPmZh82QNKxW2QL8oUony1a_GPxOQVMbix1n3MyGgbJd_AW6JXIGS2fSSJFqXWXg/s1600/IMG_3569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1122" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KkDSc0zwXWvIplIAQjF_ldHXZk5_nfcEKfsRiHn5gkhHpHHJreAQzY8yFGUNle3it3hwa5LPlO5kPmZh82QNKxW2QL8oUony1a_GPxOQVMbix1n3MyGgbJd_AW6JXIGS2fSSJFqXWXg/s400/IMG_3569.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> Hummingbird mola made by a Kuna woman. Notice the intricate beadwork on her legs</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">After a stop at our hotel to freshen up, it was time to
explore Casco Antiguo, the old city of Panama. The first city in Panama was established
by the Spanish Empire in 1519 on the Pacific Coast and was a vital center for
conquest of and trade with the Americas. It was sacked by pirates in 1671 and
moved to the location we visited today. The buildings were once located within
a protective wall where only remnants of the wall stand today. It has been
named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Today it is undergoing extensive
refurbishment to preserve its historical and cultural heritage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The </span><span style="background: white; border: none; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">cobblestone
streets are lined with Spanish colonial buildings, old churches, and chic
cafés.</span><span style="background: white; border: none; color: black; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One of our
stops was the Church of San Jose. It had an impressive gold plated alter and
one of the rooms displayed an extensive and amazing nativity of Jerusalem.</span><span style="border: none; font-family: "times"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">We also saw ruins that housed the Jesuit Church and Panama's
first university. The arch that still stands is testament to Panama not having
any devastating earthquakes over the centuries (nor do they have hurricanes!).
A piece of evidence that convinced the engineers of the Panama Canal to build
the Canal in Panama instead of Nicaragua.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">We walked along the extensive plaza and looked out over low
tide toward the modern skyline of Panama City. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;">Several Kuna families set up tables
where they sold their molas. We bought molas from a Kuna woman in her colorful dress. I could not help but admire her squid printed skirt! </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;">I bought an owl mola to remind me of the wonderful visit we had with Ileana and her owls.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;">Families were out walking on the promenade in their Sunday finery.
It was a beautiful spot to come full circle in experiencing Panama. We saw some women in the town square, dressed in their traditional dresses. Little did we know we would be seeing these same women again later in the evening!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">We walked to Nomada, a trendy restaurant for our final
farewell dinner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The mango margaritas, local beer, and fresh frozen lemonade was most
refreshing! Panama is known for its fresh fish and the sea bass and ceviche did
not disappoint! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The special surprise of the evening (Claudio always had a surprise for us!) was when a group of folkloric
dancers and musicians came in and performed for our group. Colorful, upbeat,
foot stomping, hand clapping lively music and dance! The women wore polleras, a
traditional dress dating back to Spanish colonialism that takes two years to
hand embroider the delicate, rich needle work. Adorned with necklaces of gold
and pearls, a large pom pom in the front and back, and hair combs of pearls and
flowers, their outfits can cost up to $6,000! They danced so
beautifully, swirling their skirts while the men loudly tapped their shoes and
made<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>motions with their straw
hats. They invited us to dance with them and take photos with them afterwards. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pom pom front and back</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Exquisitely detailed needlework</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz64oIY1TPHY4N58-pSLv4Eu07Peuq4KLp_8y0dHhoXRsnii2yhEVCa0Gt0GEhH8Nu7dzY47VPxRFfJjTinDg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Enjoy the video!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We ended our evening with a tribute to our phenomenal guide,
Claudio, and our excellent driver, Daniel (who later, at her bequest, took
Luiza out to the local microbrewery to try the local brews. No communication
issues as Luiza speaks 5 languages). <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">With Claudio as our amazing and beloved guide, and his wealth of expertise, we experienced STEM firsthand in a country rich in biodiversity, marine life, scientific research, cultural treasures, and engineering marvels. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI75flsMLAPcqO-9X7GMceUnZ1LbjcT6vbs2StCxyNQK1zvPFn2TlKUTcQ0WsNBtdTLJoP5BOBOh95B6gKQy76XyFCL1q1OtO0x-l-8e5pDx7YlZ48dJo0PQfB54MxxV6uZHyL2lUf3kA/s1600/IMG_3572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI75flsMLAPcqO-9X7GMceUnZ1LbjcT6vbs2StCxyNQK1zvPFn2TlKUTcQ0WsNBtdTLJoP5BOBOh95B6gKQy76XyFCL1q1OtO0x-l-8e5pDx7YlZ48dJo0PQfB54MxxV6uZHyL2lUf3kA/s320/IMG_3572.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Best guide and ambassador for Panama!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> Claudio and Luiza show off their Embera tattoos!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">A huge thank you to Claudio, Daniel, Joyce (my co-leader), our STEM education leaders and their spouses, and Holbrook for making this year's STEM Educator's Expedition a success.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span>To coin a word I saw on a sign on one of
our transport vehicles to the airport, our 2018 STEM Expedition was simply PANAMAZING!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-59669442567371651502018-07-09T20:46:00.004-07:002018-07-16T10:05:04.855-07:00Day 10- Tranquilo Bay, Pouring Rain, and Relaxation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14pt;">This morning we awoke to torrential
rain, thunder, and lightning. Not bad, for 1 out of 10 days thus far in a
tropical ecosystem where it is either rainy or rainier! With umbrellas in hand,
we met for breakfast and tried waiting out the rain so we could travel by boat
to Zapatilla Cay to learn about the sea turtle research being done there on
population density, reproductive biology, and migrations. The Bocas del Toro
archipelago is a rich nesting ground for hawksbill, leatherback, and green sea
turtles. The panga would have to land close to the sandy beach and everyone would have to wade out of the boat as there is no dock there.</span><br />
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<span style="border: none; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">The sky cleared a bit. Some chose to
stay back and others decided to make the boat trip, with the likelihood of
getting wet on the way. The water was rough and choppy and the sky greyed
again. The swells increased. About two thirds into the boat trip, it was
decided to head back as it was too unsafe to go any further and a landing would have been risky. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A drenched Kathy returns!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Soaking wet!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="border: none; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">After drying off, we gathered in the
lodge and Jim gave us an overview of sea turtles, nesting, and sea turtle
research in Panama. He showed us a video of the man we were to meet who has dedicated
his life to saving the sea turtles. Chencho Castillo was a former turtle
fisherman who one day questioned why he was killing so many of these
magnificent creatures for money, gave up turtle fishing, and has devoted his life
to protecting the turtles. We were sorry not to get to meet him or the research team on Zapitilla Cay, but were glad to be safe.</span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The afternoon was free for bird
watching, hiking, snorkeling, and kayaking. Standing on the porch of the
lodge, we spotted a couple sloths in the cecropia trees. One sloth was carrying
its baby on its tummy. </span><span style="border: none; font-family: "times"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Several of us went off to hike a
forest trail with Jim to a creek where we could watch hummingbirds bathe in the
water. On the way we spotted another sloth literally hanging from a tree. </span><span style="border: none; font-family: "times"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">Just hanging out!</span></div>
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Jim and Jay's sons gathered up more water apples for us.</span><br />
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<br />
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<br />
<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When we finally got to
the creek, it was so quiet and peaceful. We sat on the benches and just
enjoyed the solitude and sounds of the forest. It wasn't very sunny so the
hummingbirds were not interested in bathing. We did see a few take a quick
dip. On our way back we spotted the tiny red poison dart frogs on a rotted log. It was dark in the forest so
I had to take the photo with a flash which makes them look orange. They were
actually scarlet red and no bigger than a nickel. Beautiful but extremely toxic!</span><span style="border: none; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;">We made it back to the lodge for dinner and back to our cabins to pack for our return to Panama City.</span></div>
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-28252087470726608662018-07-09T20:45:00.001-07:002019-07-09T06:12:09.486-07:00Day 9- Tranquilo Bay and Visit to the Smithsonian Marine Field Station<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After breakfast we were back in the pangas again for a 35
minute boat ride over to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's marine
field station on Bocas del Toro's Isla Colon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
Unfortunately our meeting with the Director, Dr. Rachel Collins, was canceled
as she was stuck in Panama City and couldn't get a flight into Boca for 2 days.
There is only 1 plane that goes in and out of the airport (let's hope we get
back to Panama City!). However, one of the division directors, a Panamanian
oceanographer who went to school in Brazil, met us on the dock and gave us an excellent overview of the research and the facilities which was then followed by a tour
and visits with the scientists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“From deep time to real time, Bocas del Toro reveals secrets
about life.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This state of the art, environmentally friendly field
research station, Part of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Station, hosts more
than 300 visiting scientists per year. Scientists arrive from all over the
world to ask questions such as why do corals all spawn on the same moonlit
night? How does the carbon stored in tropical peat bogs affect global warming?
How has the slow isolation of the Bocas islands over the last 900 years created
a mini Galapagos? How do excess nutrients affect the growth and ecology of
mangrove forests? Will rising temperatures put coral reefs at risk? How do
sponges depend on their symbiotic algae? How have sponge communities changed
over time? How many species of sponges are there? Do brighter male frogs get
more mates? Why do strawberry poison dart frogs have such varied color patterns
on Bocas del Toro?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The natural abundance of species here creates the perfect
research platform for studies of land and sea life. Many species still remain
to be discovered in this tropical ecosystem with its extraordinary
biodiversity. We started off with a tour of the diving facilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; border: none; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Next we went to
the outdoor wet lab. There were a wide variety of research projects taking place
here. We met with scientists examining the interrelationships among species
surrounding the Bocas del Toro shoreline, and one project involved
investigating the effect of temperature and oxygen levels on sponges. How
surprising to learn that individual sponge cells can recognize their own and
aggregate with ‘likes’ but not ‘unlikes’! They were also looking at the
different preferences for sponges that the "decorator crab" uses to
adorn its carapace. Hypoxia studies are exploring the critical impact of
sediments on organism survival, and the importance of mangrove trees as
shoreline filters has been clearly established. We were particularly impressed
with the number of young female scientists.</span><span style="border: none; font-family: "times"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We visited another building where a
scientist was studying the different types of poison dart frogs on the islands
and why the colors differed from island to island. There were stacks of terraria outside containing frogs. We also observed a taxonomy class, attended by
doctoral students and scientists from around the world. This particular class
was on the taxonomy of marine polychaetes.</span><span style="border: none; font-family: "times"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In another building researchers were looking at mangroves and
scraping, identifying, and counting organisms growing at different levels on
the mangrove's above ground root system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="border: none; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">We saw the housing where some of the resident scientists live. Quite
nice!</span><!--EndFragment--> </div>
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<a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It was an amazing day for our STEM expedition- a firsthand </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">dose of the
science of marine biodiversity and such an appreciation for the vast research
conducted by the Smithsonian throughout Panama. It is easy to see now why
Panama is considered the hotbed of biodiversity. We wound our way back to the
Smithsonian dock and departed for "Boca Town" for lunch and to wander
around this funky little bohemian island town.</span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We returned to the lodge for an
afternoon of relaxation, hanging out in the main lodge, snorkeling, kayaking,
birding, or just reading, talking, sharing experiences. Livin' the vida loca!</span><span style="border: none; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-8516791034488698362018-07-05T18:58:00.001-07:002018-07-11T14:55:46.384-07:00Day 8- Travel to Bocas del Toro and Tranquilo Bay<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">After breakfast we departed Boquete
for the 3.5 hour bus ride to Boca del Torres on the Caribbean side of Panama. I
thought we would all be sleeping on the bus ride but the scenery was too
spectacular to miss. We crossed over the continental divide, going from the
Pacific side of Panama to the Atlantic side. The mountains were magnificent.</span><span style="border: none; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">We passed by rural dwellings with their houses on stilts and palm-thatched
roofs and saw how people in the remote rural areas live. Quite different from
the Canal Zone and Panama City!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">We stopped by a huge dam. With many
rivers and a lot of rainfall, Panama gets much of its energy from
hydroelectric. We stopped to use the restrooms at the visitor center and buy
local fruit and snacks from a small farm stand by the road.</span><span style="border: none; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">We entered banana country and areas
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nuts along the road ready to be picked up by the harvester and processed for
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="border: none; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">Literally at the end of what seemed to be the “road to nowhere” was a
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">We could see two small Boston
Whaler-type boats approaching from a distance coming to pick us up and
transport us to Tranquilo Bay.. It reminded me that old TV show, Fantasy
Island. Instead of "zee plane, zee plane" it was "zee boats, zee
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Zee boat, zee boat! Coming to pick us up!</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">We said goodbye to our beloved
guide, Claudio and our driver, Daniel, whom we would meet up with again on our
return to Panama City. We were now guests of Jim and Jay, owners of Tranquilo
Bay, a sustainable ecolodge they built themselves! They piled our luggage
into the bow, passed out the beer, and we were ready for the new adventure
awaiting us. It felt like a Jimmy Buffet moment!</span><span style="border: none; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">With the wind in our faces, we sped
through the archipelago for about 45 minutes until we came to the mangrove
surrounded Island of Bastimentos where Tranquilo Bay Lodge is situated. No
roads- just a dock to greet us and a long walkway through the mangroves.</span><span style="border: none; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Check out their web site at <a href="http://tranquilobay.com/"><span style="color: windowtext;">tranquilobay.com</span></a> this place is
amazing- 200 acres of lush rainforest, mangroves, and Caribbean coastline. We
stayed in comfortable cabanas and had the lodge to ourselves, being the only
group there. There are 8 cabanas and a “duplex”. The accommodations were very
nice, double hammocks on each porch. The owners’ attention to detail and design
was impressive as was their devotion to giving up their comfortable jobs and
lives in Texas to build a sustainable ecolodge and live sustainably in the
jungle with their families. The attention to every little detail was amazing.
The home cooked meals were delicious- it was the perfect setting to get away
and live in and with the rainforest! Jim, Jay, Renee and their children were
part of our "family" for three days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Views of the main lodge and communal dining room (photos on the left were taken from their web site)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">There were 8 cabanas we stayed in and a "duplex" where Page stayed that had a hammock for 2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Joyce and Carol's cabana</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Bats outside Susan and Scott's cabana!</span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">In the afternoon, some people went
snorkeling, some went kayaking, others went on a nature walk with Jim and his
daughter. We learned more about local plants and tasted different fruits,
including the water apple, which looked like a red pear, was mildly tart, and
very juicy. We also saw some of the sustainable features they built or designed
for water and electricity, including these large bladders for rain water
storage (another T in STEM!).</span><span style="border: none; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Rainwater storage bladders</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">So many fruits and flowers!</span></div>
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The water apple</div>
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Our new favorite fruit!</div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">We climbed a 6 story tower and were
treated to an eye level view of a male 3 toed sloth. You could see the algae on
its fur and the yellow spot with black stripe on its back indicating that it
was a male. At the top of the tower we watched several species of birds
including a lovely masked tityra. As the sun started to dip lower in the sky,
it was a signal for the parrots in the treetops to “head home”. The loud
squawking began and over a hundred pairs of parrots (they mate for life and fly
with their mate) flew overhead.</span><span style="border: none; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Masked tityra</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">We watched over 100 parrots, in mating pairs, fly overhead near sunset</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Leaf cutter ant trail seen from the top of the tower- super highway for ants!</span></div>
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<span style="border: none; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">After appetizers, cocktails, and a
lovely home-cooked communal meal in the lodge with the owners and their family,
we wound our way through the dark rainforest paths with flashlights to retire
to our cabanas, serenaded by the night sounds of the forest.</span><span style="border: none; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-3315788872815015142018-07-05T18:57:00.000-07:002018-07-10T18:49:01.272-07:00Day 7- Baru Volcano National Park and Coffee Plantation/Honey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">After breakfast we met our local guide, Jason Lara, who specializes in birding. We traveled to the slope of the Baru Volcano to hike part of the Summit Trail. If we had all day we could have hiked to the top where you can see both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. At the base, as we entered the park, we saw the basalt pillars, similar to ones we saw in Iceland and Devil’s Causeway in Ireland.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Jason spotted for us, with his birder scope, several species of birds. He said we had a 50-50 chance of spotting the resplendent quetzal (look for the wild avocado trees) but unfortunately we did not see one. Jason shared some of the beautiful bird photos he has taken, including the quetzal.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;"> Beautiful photos taken by Jason Lara and shared with his permission</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">We hiked for over 3 hours - learning about the high cloud forest vegetation and birds, experiencing the vast biodiversity of this high cloud forest. At times we had to cross over small streams, balancing across metal pipes laid down to cross over and several narrow foot bridges. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">How many steps, Frank?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The width of the tree trunks is astounding!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNmJjQfLc5HapUyklLyBL_-HT3HZnhAj_Yxt-yZmfivxIbiiKyk-KCKzjw6-ZpnfVyGC6FyxGwuboWFxGbbcqXVtTxpXzs3wvkaCSK4PAe37RSXCyJaVUIqE0qBE0sqe296iNASuoYyI/s1600/F8D9BD9E-0990-4338-B8D7-1BD0B581CF09.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNmJjQfLc5HapUyklLyBL_-HT3HZnhAj_Yxt-yZmfivxIbiiKyk-KCKzjw6-ZpnfVyGC6FyxGwuboWFxGbbcqXVtTxpXzs3wvkaCSK4PAe37RSXCyJaVUIqE0qBE0sqe296iNASuoYyI/s640/F8D9BD9E-0990-4338-B8D7-1BD0B581CF09.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;"> Turkey tail fungus</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvngzqwQ6CMSnwDpxswcu7lZtdmOnhU2DOHzr1o7oEYPUWB2-TpAsoW4FqZUseuV8gbMcqGCeW7IAC3QUIE6BRetHrpP25NkJ4R0FFcKrJyj72UVN9vruVMAehiC0l6o_DAdDjN5sqUY/s1600/IMG_5142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1384" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvngzqwQ6CMSnwDpxswcu7lZtdmOnhU2DOHzr1o7oEYPUWB2-TpAsoW4FqZUseuV8gbMcqGCeW7IAC3QUIE6BRetHrpP25NkJ4R0FFcKrJyj72UVN9vruVMAehiC0l6o_DAdDjN5sqUY/s320/IMG_5142.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;">Beautiful beetle</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Right before turning around to head back down the mountain, we saw the magnificent Cenizo tree that was over 1000 years old- massive! Just imagine all the carbon sequestered in that tree!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Coming down the mountain we could see how the clouds descended, hence the name cloud forest.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWCjPCBRs0gT5ROI6WTvQdZGUzRGdJsrvAamtr21Xf4hz8Pf2XO0XxJZ7O_j5m4sIzcpOXh2IO0cO1TcwYC4VySHraj1VG540u_tKJBMHhQkBKvTJPZO1UTjWmTOJzol6lKSzHG-d8gA/s1600/Untitled2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWCjPCBRs0gT5ROI6WTvQdZGUzRGdJsrvAamtr21Xf4hz8Pf2XO0XxJZ7O_j5m4sIzcpOXh2IO0cO1TcwYC4VySHraj1VG540u_tKJBMHhQkBKvTJPZO1UTjWmTOJzol6lKSzHG-d8gA/s640/Untitled2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;">Before and after- at the beginning of our hike in the morning (top), same spot coming down in the afternoon.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoX7-SIXelgjHt_78hP3AbhL_Y9quGZRgeehyphenhyphenz0wrGEvQZDsR21fmhc2MXW2O5O-Ork5ohvYQNcq0e9du8-edTynr8o04y4YYkgdSRT48rklyAeZ-pc5GqK_PXs3Qp32PPfNPPkxJmYM4/s1600/IMG_9053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoX7-SIXelgjHt_78hP3AbhL_Y9quGZRgeehyphenhyphenz0wrGEvQZDsR21fmhc2MXW2O5O-Ork5ohvYQNcq0e9du8-edTynr8o04y4YYkgdSRT48rklyAeZ-pc5GqK_PXs3Qp32PPfNPPkxJmYM4/s320/IMG_9053.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We stopped for lunch at another roadside local restaurant and tried the local fare.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDbOLtxZ-XCHTXZ4bi338oyuHwwcpkYOvjLzzXvxAOoztm5iqtAhaNVr3ZezsHdVVVBbeZ60ZHd-SEUeVlVCPes1MNgJgRylxRr3kMoJ_VAXUTL3__Ac0ysSkvfv7d_P3XsMo2cjDhAA/s1600/IMG_3171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDbOLtxZ-XCHTXZ4bi338oyuHwwcpkYOvjLzzXvxAOoztm5iqtAhaNVr3ZezsHdVVVBbeZ60ZHd-SEUeVlVCPes1MNgJgRylxRr3kMoJ_VAXUTL3__Ac0ysSkvfv7d_P3XsMo2cjDhAA/s640/IMG_3171.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then off to the coffee farm to learn about coffee, butterflies, raising different species of bees, and the production of local honey. Bees, butterflies, honey, coffee- a pollinator farm! </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The farm was organic and we were met on the verandah by Johnny, and treated to a cup of their specialty coffee. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZb_LA8W8WTyVnCP7WVPqD2mEFuXzYY8hwXurEEPswRCZKCGiv0ZWBh8XKMadhQCWQtzlZ1JLwtAiqR7RNXTFo_eHZiyEfYBjlwu1J6V_DuTkDwN-MPoX6zha9A3E7a0DnlYKpr-c_yMA/s1600/IMG_3177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZb_LA8W8WTyVnCP7WVPqD2mEFuXzYY8hwXurEEPswRCZKCGiv0ZWBh8XKMadhQCWQtzlZ1JLwtAiqR7RNXTFo_eHZiyEfYBjlwu1J6V_DuTkDwN-MPoX6zha9A3E7a0DnlYKpr-c_yMA/s400/IMG_3177.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The look of bliss as Claudio sips his coffee!</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We strolled through their beautiful gardens and butterfly house, learning about bees and coffee plants. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Butterflies in the butterfly house and garden</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Saw many different types of bees they raise naturally on the farm</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Beautiful painted eucalyptus tree</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Orchids on the trees</span></div>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: "arial";">At the end of our visit we were treated to a honey
tasting. Their honey is unique as theyproduce over 40 different flavor profiles
with no added flavoring ingredients- all due to thebiodiversity of plants and
different species of bees around the Baru Volcano. We bought their coffee in
their shop but although we really wanted some, hesitated to buy the honey as
U.S. customs considers honey an agricultural product that cannot be brought in
without USDA certification.</span><!--EndFragment--> </div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Before returning back to our hotel, Claudio said he had one more surprise for us. He said we just had to try the strawberries and cream, a specialty in the region. We stopped at a small “strawberry cafe” for a taste of their different strawberry specialties. Delicious! We love it when Claudio has a special surprise for us!</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Time for relaxation back at the hotel, time for beer and cocktails at the bar, another swim, and a delicious dinner.</span><br />
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-64498559267303249942018-07-03T19:58:00.002-07:002018-07-16T12:31:34.303-07:00Day 6- Boquete and the Highlands<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">View of Panama City as we flew to the Chiriqui Province</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We flew into David (Dah-Veed) on a local
Panamanian airline and had incredible views of Panama City and the Boquete
highlands. Lunch at a roadside cafe was an opportunity to experience the local
cuisine of beans, rice, chicken, avocados, and plantains. Simple but hearty,
delicious food! </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Lunch at a local roadside restaurant. Claudio made sure we tasted the local coffee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">From David we traveled to Boquete. Boquete (pronounced
Bo-Kate-A) is in the Chiriqui Province. It is a small town located in the midst
of mountains with crisp cool air and a mild temperature year long, one of the
reasons it is such a popular retirement place for Americans. The town is also
home to the world’s best specialty coffee, Geisha coffee, and both shade and
sun grown coffees are grown throughout this highland region. We stopped at the Visitor Center to enjoy the view and check out the exhibit on coffee growing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On our way back to the bus, we spotted several coati mundi in the parking lot (Panama's version of raccoons). What could be funnier than a photo of Claudio taking a photo of Jim taking a photo of a coati!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">The Valle Escondido Resort, Golf Club, and Spa
was luxurious. We relaxed in the hammocks and put our feet up, swam in the
pool, strolled through the exquisite gardens, imbibed with delicious mojitos
made with local limes, drank the local beer, and were treated to gourmet
cuisine. It was an afternoon and evening of complete and much needed relaxation.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="font-family: helvetica;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;">The Valle Escondido Resort</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;"> Putting our feet up in Bouquet!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We had a pre-dinner talk about Bees, Butterflies, and Biodiversity by a biologist who
specializes in pollination and owns the coffee and honey farm we would be visiting the next day. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Some of the points made during her talk were:</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why is
biodiversity important? </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Provide
oxygen- large number of plants packed into a small space</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Regulate
climate processes</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Breakdown
wastes and recycle nutrients,</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Filter
and purify water</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Buffer
against flooding</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Maintain
soil fertility</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Purify
air</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Buffer
for disease and natural disaster- ensure some survivors</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Provide
natural resources</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Medicines and future medicines</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Our
knowledge of all the vast possibilities of the rain forest and how it
contributes to human life is still relatively untapped.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Panama-
only the size of Delaware with 11,484 known species of mammals, amphibians,
reptiles, birds, and vascular plants.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Because
biodiversity is about variability- Panama wins big time! According to the
Smithsonian, in species composition, Panama’s tropical forests are
greater over distance than in the Amazon.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Over
10,444 plant species including 1200 orchid varieties, 678 ferns, 1500 variety
of trees. Such diversity of plants first depends on diversity of pollinators.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When the
Isthmus of Panama was first formed just 3 million years ago, it closed the
Atlantic from the Pacific, changed water currents (Gulf Stream) and thus
climate, and accelerated evolutionary change.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Birds are
a primary indicator of biodiversity and Panama takes the grand prize with 972
species, more than the US and Canada combined</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">More
diverse honey production than anywhere in the world!Produces 40 different types
of bio diverse honey from just one species of honeybee- and many more with
other species!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">75
species of native honeybees and many many more solitary bees.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bees
drive biodiversity. Each flower attracts a different type of bee. Half the
pollinators of tropical plants are bees. Butterflies are the #2 pollinator.
Panama is home to around 1500 species of butterflies.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Areas
rich in butterflies and moths are rich in other invertebrates. They have been
widely used by ecologists as model organisms to study the impact of habitat
loss, fragmentation, and climate change.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">After the talk it was time to hit the bar for local beer and some of the best mojitos I have ever had made with local limes (and no straws)! Glad to see Panama is working toward banning plastic straws, especially because of the impact on marine organisms there. We also saw signs throughout Panama asking people not to accept or use plastic bags, especially because of the impact on sea turtles in Panama not to mention how plastic blows around and creates unsightly litter even in the most pristine places. Hoping this becomes a world wide movement. Dinner was delicious and we all slept well that night!</span></div>
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-48488708254223446422018-07-02T16:08:00.001-07:002018-07-16T14:06:34.515-07:00Day 5- Embera Indigenous Tribe Visit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Our day began with a drive to the Chagras River. Anne Gordon
served as our guide, and shared stories about the Embera Indigenous Village we
were about to visit. Anne was a story in and of herself as we learned how she
met the Embera when she was working on a movie production called The Tip of the
Spear, fell in love with and married an Embera man, and came to live with and
help support the Embera. When asked what attracted him to her, she smiled and
said, “It was the light in his eyes.” Truly a remarkable story for a modern,
west coast woman to give up much of her comfortable way of life to move to
Panama and live a simpler life with the tribe. You can read more about her
story: <a href="http://www.emberavillagetours.com/anne-gordon-de-barrig-n.html"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">http://www.emberavillagetours.com/anne-gordon-de-barrig-n.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We reached a point in the journey where we needed to leave
our small bus and board 4-wheel drive pickup “taxis” with bench seats in the
back, that could traverse the muddy, narrow and winding terrain, which brought
us to the river’s edge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">At the
river we were greeted by Embera who came to pick us up in their long, wooden
canoes, carved out by hand from trees in the rainforest. Traditionally the
canoes were paddled and poled but today, with tourism as a way to sustain their
community, they use outboard motors. The man at the bow poles the boat when we
reach shallow water. Remarkable how they read the river to avoid the rocks and
fallen trees. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After 45
minutes of motoring through pristine rainforest, we approached the Embera
village, far from any road or modern town. Thatched huts along the banks of the
river. We were greeted with music by several Embera villagers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We
gathered in their communal hall to meet the tribe, including the children, and
had an orientation to their way of life, translated by Ann. Many of the tribe
members we met were Ann’s in laws! They wore their typical dress, loin clothes
for men, bare chests for women, tattoos painted from a local seed, and skin
covered with a plant pigment to ward off insect bites. They also had beautiful
beaded adornments. The fabrics are made in Panama City but the designs are
created by Embera women. Very colorful! Everyone was so friendly and the
children were so curious. Families set up tables with their handicrafts which
we purchased. The Embera are especially known for their beautiful, tightly
woven baskets. They also make beautiful jewelry and several bracelets and
necklaces were purchased by our group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Embera children were adorable! Families are
very close knit and you could see the love the parents had for their children.
One little toddler had a meltdown while we were there. There are no cultural
differences when it comes to a toddler meltdown!</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Lunch was served in a communal dining hall high
up on stilts where we were served fresh fish, plantains,
and a type of tortilla. Our food was served inside a folded banana leaf pouch. The women who cooked tied cloths over their breasts to
avoid hot spattering cooking oil. Dessert was fresh fruit.</span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="font-family: helvetica;">
<br /></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Embera grow Calabash gourds, hanging from trees, which they hollow out for bowls.</span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: helvetica;">
<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;">Thatched homes and a large thatched communal dining area where we had to climb up a ladder</span></div>
<div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Drying their washed fabrics used as wrap around skirts</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After lunch we wandered freely throughout the
village and interacted with the children and families. Several of our group had
tattoos painted on their arms by the Embera women that will last for a couple
weeks. At one point it poured and it was fun watching the children run and play
in the rain. Bathroom breaks were taken in the communal privy.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Children playing in the rain, plant-based pigment </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">tattoos, bracelets, baskets, and dug out canoes along the river that they use for fishing and transportation</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The "Outhouse"</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We brought donations of clothes, supplies, books
and things for the children. One book I brought was The Great Kapok Tree,
translated into Spanish which the children were delighted by as they recognized
many of the rainforest animals and would point and say, “Mira, mira, mira!” </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Some went to visit the local school in the
village. Because it is funded by the Panamanian government, the children are
required to wear uniforms. The teacher was very engaged with the students, who
was teaching about time. They made a cardboard clock. Luiza, our middle school
classroom teacher, said, “I loved seeing the children eating their lunches.
They were very happy. “ She saw workbooks similar to ones we use in the states.
The classrooms were simple but invited learning. They had a solar panel just outside
the building to help power the fans in the classrooms. The teacher from Panama
City was appointed by the government and lived in the village during the weekdays.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;">Luiza, the classroom teacher in our group, visits the school</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Before we
left we were treated to a performance of traditional dances - the monkey dance
and the jaguar dance. Enjoy the video!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The finale was when we all got to dance together, starting
with Frank who was the first from our group to be selected as an Embera dance
partner!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Upon our departure, Caroline, who had a sore throat, was
treated by an Embera woman with a rich knowledge of medicinal plants. She
brewed a special elixer for Caroline so she would feel better!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We said goodbye to these wonderful people who
live so simply with few of the amenities of modern life yet they are truly
“rich” and certainly enriched our experience in Panama.</span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That evening we had a lovely group dinner at the Gamboa Resort. Time for some make bonding among the group, our guide Claudio, and our driver, Daniel!</span><br />
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-14686867605011607332018-07-02T16:06:00.003-07:002018-07-10T07:58:32.687-07:00Day 4- Part 2: Summit Botanical Gardens and Wildlife Sanctuary and Aerial Tram<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After a morning of birding and walking the rainforest trails, we stopped for lunch alongside a lake.<br />
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After lunch we headed to the Summit Botanical Gardens and Animal Rescue Center. The Gardens were originally created by the Panama Canal Company in the early 1900's to study tropical plants. Operations were taken over by the Panamanian government, and today the gardens house over 350 species of plants. The zoo at Summit Gardens is actually a wildlife rescue center. It includes tapirs, anteaters, monkeys, jaguars, and native birds. There is a large and impressive harpy eagle compound. The harpy eagle is the most powerful bird of prey in the world, and is the national bird of Panama. We had a presentation on the harpy eagle, and also on sloths and crested eagles. Another opportunity to get up close to a sloth that was being rehabilitated and soon to be released back into the wild.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> The Harpy Eagle</span><br />
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More Sloth Love!</div>
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After the Summit Gardens, we took the Gamboa Rainforest Aerial Tram to get a different perspective on the rainforest. Sitting in the seats of our Swiss-engineered aerial tram car, we glided up the mountain to be eye-to-eye with the forest canopy, the birds, and animals of the rainforest. At the top, we climbed a 30-meter observation tower for a 360 degree view of the National Forest. We glided by sloths and howler monkeys, and then descended through the forest, gliding 100 meters above the shadowy floor. It felt like we were sailing through the treetops.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Aerial tram up into the canopy</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">View from the tower</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Climbing up the tower</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Howler monkey</span></div>
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-42635946349569485202018-07-02T16:03:00.002-07:002018-07-10T17:44:58.604-07:00Day 4- Part 1, Birding on the Pipeline Road & Rainforest Discovery Center<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Our day began at sunrise with a stop at the Pipeline Road to go birding with world renowned ornithologist, Dr. George Angehr. Dr. Angehr is a retired Smithsonian scientist who now works with the Biomuseo on their biodiversity exhibits. He is also the author of the<i> Birds of Panama</i> field guide.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The Pipeline Road is a world famous site for seeing tropical forest birds. The narrowness of the road allows the tree canopy to continue uninterrupted so birds are easily seen in both the forest, the margin, and overhead. Dr. Angehr said it is not unusual in the dry season to spot 75 birds in the morning with another 40 heard but not seen. We saw a lot of birds with binoculars but they were hard to photograph through the trees.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Dr. Angehr stayed with us as we hiked deeper into the forest where it is highly protected, used by researchers, and we had to sign in with a Panamanian guard.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Dr. Angehr delighted us with his vast knowledge of the tropical forest and all the interconnections in this diverse ecosystem. For example figs are a keystone species that support the entire ecosystem. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">By nesting in the figs, wasps help maintain biodiversity and population density. Figs and wasps are mutually dependent on each other. But the fig story doesn’t stop with the wasp. Other animals are also involved in dispersing the seeds such as the agouti, a type of rodent, which we spotted in the underbrush foraging for seeds.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"> agouti</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Our hike was a panoply of biodiversity- birds, amphibians, a lizard, fungi, lichens, trees, vines, mosses, egg cases, insects, termite and ant nests, leaf cutter ants, hummingbirds, seeds, mammals. Our senses were assaulted by the sounds, smells, and sights of the rainforest.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">A well camouflaged frog</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">We continued on to The Rainforest Discovery Center which is in the Pipeline Road area on the border of Soberania National Park. A climb up the tower at the Rainforest Discovery Center gave a view of the upper layers of the forest. </span></div>
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Dr. Angehr</div>
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So many seeds that feed so many different animals.<br />
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Monkey vines<br />
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Hummingbird<br />
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We hiked down to a lake where we saw several waterfowl.</div>
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Purple Gallinule</div>
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Tiger heron<br />
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Beetles, frogs, and frog foam<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tracing the termite trails beneath the bark up to the nest in the trees</span><br />
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So many varieties of fungi and lichens</div>
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<div style="font-family: 'times new roman';">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">Pins and Needles fungi</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">Beautiful patterns everywhere- even among the dead fallen leaves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Leaving the Rainforest Discovery Center, Dr. Angehr spotted a ground cuckoo displaying
an </span></span><span style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">unusual behavior. How fun to watch a scientist get excited about something
he had never observed before!</span></div>
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<div style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Quotes from Our Group:<br />
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<div style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">It was extraordinary to stop for a limited amount of time and space and spot so many species of birds. We truly experienced what biodiversity is. Caroline B.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I liked how George stood in one place and turned around 360 and said, ‘look where your eyes can see and try to imagine how many species are there’. Scott C.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I was impressed by George’s quote that 90% of bird watching is listening. Scott C.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I was impressed that there’s much more to the fig story than I was aware of. For example, the role of the agouti in distributing the seeds. Page K.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">They’ve actually marked the seeds and found that the agouti steal these seeds from one another - one seed can be moved 20 different times to 20 different locations. Carol C.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Dr. Angehr made us aware of the important symbiotic relationship between plants and animals and how animals help to distribute plant DNA. Plants don’t have legs but animals do! John B.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">As we ascended the tower at the Rainforest Discovery Center, we appreciated the diversity at different elevations in the rainforest. Scott C.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">This hike really opened my eyes to the NGSS crosscutting concept of ‘flow of matter and energy.’ There is no better place to experience this than in the rainforest. Joyce T.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I was amazed by all the different types of lichens and fungi in the rainforest. The decomposers are the critical link in the cycling of matter! Page K.</span></div>
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-48112210032841070342018-07-01T20:26:00.002-07:002018-07-10T07:33:56.179-07:00Day 3- Part 3: Gamboa Resort and Sloth Rescue Center<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For 3 nights we stayed at the lush Gamboa Rainforest Resort http://www.gamboaresort.com. After a day of hiking, we cooled off and relaxed in the pool and enjoyed beautiful views of the rainforest and mountains around the hotel.<br />
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Our guide Claudio, knowing we had several sloth enthusiasts in our group, arranged for us to visit the Sloth Rescue Center in Gamboa near our hotel, where injured and orphaned sloths are cared for. They’re such gentle creatures whose name fits their movements ..... even turtles are faster than sloths! And look at these faces - how can you not fall in love with a sloth?<br />
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-35201769009751301402018-07-01T20:20:00.001-07:002018-07-10T07:24:40.782-07:00Day 3-Part 2: Barro Colorado Hike<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Vincente and Luiza, research assistants for the Smithsonian, guided us on a 2-hour hike on the trails used by the Smithsonian scientists for their research projects. We learned about the different projects being conducted in the rainforest and saw several sites set up with monitoring devices and collection screens. We even saw a scientist up in the trees! The hike was very steep in some spots, but well-worth the effort. Besides the amazing diversity of plant life and fungi, we spotted howler monkeys, an agouti, poison dart frogs, and several birds, including a trogan. We heard the call of a toucan, but it flew away before we could spot it. We marveled at the enormity of the trees, especially the ones with large buttress roots. We also saw walking palms and a variety of vines. It was a first-hand experience for us to see how everything is interconnected in ecosystems.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Vincent explains the importance of this seed pod</span></div>
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Lots of termite nests up in the trees</div>
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Collection screens set up in a research site</div>
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Vincente explaining about the walking palm</div>
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An agouti foraging in the forest</div>
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Spotting a trogan</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Huge trees with buttress roots</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Many varieties of vines with interesting adaptations. This one's leaves grow flattened on the tree.</span></div>
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So many things to observe and learn about</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Spotted a poison dart frog on some rotting vegetation- no bigger than a nickel, these frogs are very tiny.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A howl monkey announces our arrival with his low throated howl.</span></div>
Quotes from Our Group:<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I was amazed to learn that ants poop 10 tons/day on Barro Colorado Island! Kathy G.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I was impressed that the ant poop had 4x the nitrogen content, 6x potassium, and 16x phosphorus. I think there is tremendous potential to use this as fertilizer for plants. Luiza H.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I was fascinated by the termite nests high up in the trees with tunnels running up the trunks of the trees. Page K.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Lovisa’s research on fig trees and fig wasps touches all the other living species - plants and animals in the forest. It’s interconnected to everything else. Carol C.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Kudos to the unsung hero that anchored all the cinder blocks on the trail, making the climb merely difficult rather than impossible! Frank G.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Pay attention to your sixth sense when you are hiking through the rainforest. If you feel you’re being watched, you probably are. John B.</span></div>
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-48337402215414013502018-07-01T20:15:00.001-07:002018-07-10T07:15:16.981-07:00Day 3- Part 1: Barro Colorado Island Smithsonian Tropical Research Station<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Our day began with a boat ride to Barro Colorado Island in Gatun Lake, and the most intensely studied tropical forest in the world.<br />
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This is the largest forested island in the Panama Canal waterway, and has been administered by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute since 1923. Research projects on the island are providing valuable information about sustainability, interactions within ecosystems, and how changes in climate impact fragile ecosystems locally and globally. “Barro Colorado Island is to scientists as Disney World is to kids.”<br />
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More than 13,000 scientific articles have stemmed from research projects at this facility. You can read more about the research at BC STRI and its history at: <a href="https://stri.si.edu/facility/barro-colorado">https://stri.si.edu/facility/barro-colorado</a>.</div>
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We met our guides, Vincente and Lovisa for a slide presentation on biodiversity followed by a hike on the BC trails to observe and learn about the biodiversity and see sites in the forest where scientists are doing research. Lovisa is a doctoral student from Germany studying the relationship between figs and the fig wasp.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 17px;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Vincente and Lovisa</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I was impressed that since the facility opened in 1923, over 10,000 scientific articles have been published - Caroline B.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I was struck by how difficult it must have been to construct the trails - how the structures were built and blended into the terrain. - Scott C.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">We appreciated interacting with the research associates who were our guides (Vincente and Lovisa). Their presentations prepared us visually and auditorially so we knew what to look for and listen for on our hike - JIm M. And Scott C.</span></div>
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-7607356691999563902018-07-01T20:04:00.000-07:002018-07-10T07:09:15.341-07:00Day 2- Part 4: Panama Canal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The trip to the Panama Canal at the Miraflores Lock was amazing. They have a visitor center and an observation deck where you can watch huge ships transiting the canal- an ideal view of one of mankind's most remarkable engineering wonders and good dose of the "E" in our STEM Expedition. Seeing the ships transit from the observation deck on land is much better in terms of the "big picture" than seeing it from the deck of a ship. We watched a huge ship enter the lock, guided by the "mules", vehicles on tracks that are "roped" to the ships. While we were there, we saw 2 ships go through the lock. Each takes about 30 minutes to lower/lift a ship in a lock 54 feet. Some of the large container ships pay $1 million to go through the canal. We watched a huge container ship approach thinking, "There is another $1 million dollars for Panama." The canal contributes significantly to the economy of Panama, not just in transit fees but all the other businesses that spring off the canal.<br />
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One of the most impressive aspects of the canal is how it is surrounded by undeveloped rain forest. The Canal depends on the rainforests and their surrounding watersheds for the water and thus they are protected by the Panamanian government.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Huge container ship approaching</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking down into the lock</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Mules" on the tracks guiding the ship into the lock</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Getting ready to lower the ship </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Made it through!</span></div>
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We had a scrumptious lunch buffet on the 4th floor observation deck of the Miraflores Lock Visitor Center. It was our first time tasting Panama's delicious ceviche made from lime, red onion, cilantro, fish, shrimp, squid, and baby octopi.</div>
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-59004562864897903152018-07-01T19:55:00.001-07:002018-07-09T20:20:19.759-07:00Day 2- Part 3: The Biomuseo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Biomuseo is a new one of a kind museum that recently opened in Panama City. Designed by world renowned architect, Frank Gehry, the building itself is designed to tell the story of how the Isthmus of Panama rose from the sea uniting North and South America.<br />
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The focus of the museum is biodiversity – all the vast variety of living organisms and biological systems on Earth. It includes diversity at many levels, from genes within species, to the species that have that make up ecosystems, to the ecosystems that together compose the global biosphere.<br />
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The museum displays are impressive and a major theme is the Great Interchange, the movement of species from South America into North America and vice versa, how they have changed through evolution, and how Panama continues to serve as a bridge between the continents today.<br />
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We were so privileged to have Dr. George Angehr give us a private tour of the Biomuseo. He is a staff scientist with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the author of the<i> Birds of Panama</i>. He was instrumental in designing many of the exhibits at the museum.We are looking forward to birding with him tomorrow.<br />
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On the way out of the museum we caught a glimpse of the beautiful skyline of Panama City.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Looking at the skyline of Panama City from the Biomuseo</span><br />
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-67025650159157191782018-07-01T19:29:00.001-07:002018-07-09T19:54:46.831-07:00Day 2- Part 2: The Owl Whisperer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After our visit with teachers at the Brader School, Principal Ileana Cote had a special surprise for us. She took us to her home, which has a sanctuary for injured or orphaned owls. Ileana has had a personal passion and interest in owls since a child, which led her to develop this sanctuary at her home to care for owls and release them back into the wild. She has up to 40 owls at a time with aviaries in her yard as well as special owl rooms in her home where the young owls are separated from older owls. She is considered an expert on owls and gives presentations to educate the public about owls. It was such a privilege for us to be invited into her home to experience her joy and passion for these beautiful birds.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">One of Ileana's beloved owls</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> One of the owl's being cared for ny Ileana, the "Owl Whisperer".</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> One of the "owl rooms" in the sanctuary at Ileana's house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Turns out Carol and I met Ileana through Project 2061 back in the late 1990's!</span><br />
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-91706118111263411962018-07-01T04:07:00.001-07:002018-07-09T20:06:00.701-07:00Day 2- Part 1: Visit to a Panamanian School<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We started our day with a visit to the Brader School in Panama City. Brader is an innovative and prestigious K-12 private school led by an extraordinary, energetic, science-loving principal, Ileana Cotes (Most families send their children to private schools in Panama). We were warmly greeted by Ileana and given a tour of the school, starting with their butterfly garden which they had just finished.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRVzH9pk8Rdpuo9Ro33nrtqKTMDMfKcW6ZWeqlmXJI41W9CYLKV5-riZF4heJzYJOy09Jfz7ultQ2enqcpDahHys6V_9cesFTFw0oiOVg2ggZ-TLvV_Le2zQjpGDQtQwVl0On2KEopJw/s1600/920716FD-D2F4-4901-86CF-2C56C144D174.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRVzH9pk8Rdpuo9Ro33nrtqKTMDMfKcW6ZWeqlmXJI41W9CYLKV5-riZF4heJzYJOy09Jfz7ultQ2enqcpDahHys6V_9cesFTFw0oiOVg2ggZ-TLvV_Le2zQjpGDQtQwVl0On2KEopJw/s640/920716FD-D2F4-4901-86CF-2C56C144D174.jpeg" width="640" /></a> The teachers presented several projects they have done with their students. They are very into project based learning and use of technology. One elementary teacher shared her interdisciplinary project where the students had to design a sustainable school to scale and produce the model with a 3D printer. It was quite impressive! These students will be future designers of Leeds Platinum schools for sure!<br />
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We saw several of the classrooms and were pleased to see that students are engaged in issues of global significance, such as climate change. Science classes are taught in English up until 9th grade.<br />
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We enjoyed watching the students at recess in the courtyard where children are just like children everywhere! It was a wonderful opportunity to share ideas with the teachers and we found out that Page and Carol previously met Ileana through Project 2061 when Ileana led a Project 2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy team from Panama. It’s a small world! Stay tuned for more postings. We are a bit behind due to internet access and exhaustion after a long day of exploring the wonders of Panama!<br />
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-6371986159735524162018-06-28T19:53:00.000-07:002018-07-10T06:40:04.310-07:00Day 1- Arrival in Panama City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We made it to Panama City! So far our impression is that this is a country of very warm, friendly people! A very modern, cosmopolitan city with people from all over the world.<br />
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Soccer fever is rampant here. Everyone is watching the World Cup and wearing their Panama team red soccer shirts, Even the immigration officials had their Panamanian soccer shirts on.<br />
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There was a beautiful church right by our hotel.</div>
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The architecture in Panama City is strikingly beautiful. It reminds me of Chicago with several beautiful buildings designed by renowned architects. In the distance you can see the Bahia Grand Panama, formerly the Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower. A Colombian architect designed the building to resemble the hotel in Dubai shaped like a ships sail. When it was first built it was the tallest building in central America – 70 stories tall. This is the building the Trump Organization fought to not have the Trump name removed from the building, but they lost. Today the locals referred to it as the ExTrump Tower.<br />
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327557420232679894.post-55836059104160052322018-06-08T09:34:00.001-07:002018-06-28T19:48:03.997-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Count down to Panama!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Follow us as we begin our STEM expedition June 28, 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Joyce Tugel and I (Page Keeley) are leading the second annual STEM Expedition put together for us by <a href="http://www.holbrooktravel.com/">Holbrook Travel</a>, specialists in combining travel with unforgettable firsthand experiences to learn about the natural world. We will do our best to post summaries of each day (as long as the Internet is accessible), along with photos. We will keep a biodiversity list of species we spot (see column on the right). A brief description of our itinerary is listed below. We hope you will join us virtually for this exciting expedition!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 1 (June 28) - Arrival in Panama City</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 2 (June 29) - Orientation; visit to the Brader School; visit to the Biomuseo; visit to the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal; evening lecture on Overview of Panama</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 3 (June 30) - Boat journey to Barro Colorado Island in Gatun Lake to explore a humid tropical rainforest and meet with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Head to Gamboa</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 4 (July 1) - Birdwatching neotropical bird species at the famous Pipeline Road; visit Rainforest Discovery Center in Soberania National Park; Visit Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo to learn about local conservation efforts; afternoon ride on aerial tram in Gamboa</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 5 (July 2) - Board small boats at Lake Alajuela to travel up the Rio Chagres River to visit the Embera Indigenous Village; spend a full day with the Embera</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 6 (July 3) - Flight to Chiriqui Provence. Spend day in Bouquet; evening lecture on pollination and biodiversity in Bouquet</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 7 (July 4) - Travel to Volcan Baru National Park to explore Panama's geologic past; visit local market in Bouquet; tour local coffee plantation and farm to learn about sustainable farming</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 8 (July 5) - Depart for Bocas del Toro; Free time at Tranquil Bay for birding, kayaking, snorkeling</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 9 (July 6) - Travel to Bocas del Toro Smithsonian Field Station to learn about ongoing research</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 10 (July 7) - Meet with sea turtle researchers and travel to Zapatilla Keys research site; afternoon walk to spring creek for hummingbird watching</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 11 (July 8) - Return to Panama City; visit Metropolitan Park with aerial view via Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Canopy Crane; head to Casco Antiguo historic district for walking tour; dinner with folkloric dancing at Las Tinajas</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Day 12 (July 9) - Depart for home</span><br />
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Page Keeleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218093156226496889noreply@blogger.com0