Our first real day has been quite eventful. Most importantly, I got to get a sense of the species composition of epiphytes in Belize. I wish I had the ability to revise my species ID card. It’s so difficult to determine what is going to be of high prevalence in a specific (and unfamiliar) region when we are so far away. I keep seeing this large green bromeliad on many different types of trees. I hope that the Ethernet comes through tonight when I upload my blog so that I can look it up. On the bright side, I also think that I saw an Androlepis skinneri on one of the trees in near the Mayan city of Caracol.

Visiting those ruins was one of the most sweltering experiences of my life. Still, no one was going to let sweat hinder their willingness to see Mayan ruins. The scale of what was accomplished never ceases to amaze. I think that everyone in the group was feeling similarly. Everywhere I went, the large green bromeliad taunted me. I keep forgetting to go look at the books available at the Las Cuevas Research Station. I have one on orchids but I don’t expect that it will be utilized or all that helpful.

I am mentally preparing myself for tomorrow. I think it will be a big day of hiking. I’m not sure that I’m physically prepared I am. We will see tomorrow.