Hiking pants, to save my legs from the bugs and the underbrush. Check. Water bottle, to protect against dehydration in the heat and the sunshine. Check.
Tortilla chips, in case of a guacamole downpour. Check!
We set out on the North Beach trail for a long hike on a sunny day. It begins with the fundamental pleasures of an island trek, a comfortable dirt path under lush tree cover shading us from the sun, parting occasionally to reveal the island’s sandy beaches. But midway up the path, just 5 minutes from North Beach, we encounter a surprising sight.
Oblong green fruits, dozens of them, cover the small clearing in front of us. These certainly weren’t here the last time we walked past, but they look familiar. Thinking back to dinner a few days ago, I recognize their light green tinge and large size, remembering how surprised I was to see avocados looking so different from those found in the States.
“No…” I trail off, “it can’t be…”
I take my machete and slice through one at my feet, just to be sure. The blade parts the velvety flesh of the fruit, revealing smooth pale green to the core. Proof — avocados growing on Isla Palenque.
Pear-shaped with soft skin, these ‘aguacates,’ as they say in Spanish, share the taste and texture of their smaller, darker counterparts. The main difference is in size: the average American avocado is about the size of the seed inside the behemoths down here. Think about that for a second.
Adam, one of the architectural interns, had a large nylon bag on him, and we all capitalized on his foresight. We filled it to the top, cutting a few open to sample on the spot. Delicious. A new avocado fell every few minutes, hitting the ground with a loud ‘thoomp!’ We looked up to see more hanging from the branches high overhead.
We walked out with a bag worth three figures at your typical grocery store, making for a rewarding lunch and dinner. And after going through a few more trails, we began spotting avocado trees all over the place. Makes you wish there were some lime trees and tomato plants for natural guacamole wherever you go.
TAGS: Food & Drink Isla Palenque Island Intern Must Read Nature Panama Panama Food & Drink Plant Life
Hahaha! Way to go Adam!