Bats, Snakes and Caju Juice

We decided to revisit the Botanical garden here in Joao Pessoa. Since last time we saw so many new and unque wildlife and plants. This time we saw some new things as well, but they were a bit more creepy (in my opinion). This time we saw giant ants, bats, and a very large snake in the tree above us. Oh and we also saw a baby alligator, but he swam away before we could get a good picture. On the way out we visited a small garden they had and they were giving away plants. Grant found one to love and has diligently reminded me to water it and care for it (so it's been thriving for the last couple of weeks in our window). With Grant's care and thought for it I am sure we can keep it thriving for much time to come.

We also recive a bag full of Caju fruit (I think in english it might actually be called cashew fruit). But it is not the nut cashew, but the fruit that grows on the same plant. The cashew nut is the stem and the fruit is attached to it. I think that it looks a bit like a small bell pepper. But the taste is sweet, tangy, and a bit nutty. We don't love the fruits plain, so I decided to juice them (the juice is very popular here). And I am proud to say that my first attempt turned out really well.

We also revisited Fortaleza de Santa Catarina. It was a really hot day so we walked around on top taking in the views and then cooled down with some acai.

We also enjoyed a fun Thanksgiving in Recife with the Consulate crowd. The kids loved the play time and their was a good spread of food to enjoy. I somehow didn't get any pictures, but Jane and I made these turkeys the next day. As a side note Thanksgiving is really not celebrated here. The kids still went to school, so we just picked them up after school and went to the Thanksgiving party after school. So it felt like a very different holiday for us.

And just as a fun way to end this post, here are a couple cute shots of the kids that I caught around the house.