Black Iguana

This is a black iguana that had staked out a spot above a drainage culvert across from the ridings stables at Chaa Creek.  We also saw a variety of smaller lizards as well as green iguanas nearer the river.  Apparently the black iguanas are known locally as wish-willys and the green iguanas are known as bamboo chicken and are now raised for food.

Macal River Camp at Chaa Creek

Most guests at Chaa Creek stay in posh air conditioned bungalows with hot and cold running water.  We don't.  We stay in tent cabins in the 'River Camp' that have no electricity and communal facilities that you need to get up and walk to, even in the middle of the night.  There is hot water, but most light at night comes from kerosene lanterns, with the exception of lights in the bathrooms, showers and dining pavilion that are powered by solar charged batteries. 

This photo is taken from right outside our tent cabin.  The dining pavilion is on the right, and the showers are barely visible behind the trees toward the back.  This shot was taken very early in the morning so it is hard to see, but the cabins and dining pavilion are all arranged around a grassy area that the kids played in and Eva used for gymnastics practice.  Animals seem to view the camp as just an open spot in the jungle, coming through without much regard to the humans.  While in the camp we have seen howler monkeys, agoutis, a grey fox and many bats and birds.

Being in the midst of the jungle, the sounds at night are incredible, especially the howler monkeys.  Imagine this at 3:00am every morning (except the real sound is far louder than what a PC can produce).  We also had a rooster across the river than started crowing (loud) in the middle of the night every night.