Easter Sunday we found some time to take the 30 minute drive out-of-town to the Jardin Botanica, and I’m so glad we did.  It far exceeded my expectations.   We arrived late afternoon and nearly had the place to ourselves.  A groomed trail and a friendly tour guide and we were on our way exploring the jungle.  Much more lush than our coaster flora, it was so nice to be surrounded my giant trees and the sound of a flowing creek.

There was a school on this property at one time, so we were able to see the remnants of those buildings.  They also have a cafe and very clean restrooms available, always nice to see.

We kept on the trail and our guide explained he had been there 40 years, and which trees he had watched grow so tall.  We smelled Eucalyptus, admired all the flowers and the kids went nuts when we spotted some poison frogs.

As we wound our way back around to the manicured lawns, we got a special treat.  A sleeping sloth in a tree above our heads.  He finally woke up and did the sloth walk up the tree, it was the highlight of our day!  We finished our time by trying out a tropical Apricot, called a Zapote, and it was delish.

So glad we got to spend a day together with friends enjoying this beautiful place.  We take a chance exploring new places, knowing that sometimes they will exceed our expectations and sometimes they are a dud.  Well, no question we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon in nature, learning and laughing along the way.  We will be back again.