Incredible - III (Spice Plantation)

In Goa on Saturday, we visited a place called The Spice Plantation.
It wasn't a "plantation"...it was a "Jungle".

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

You drive, and drive, and then get onto a dirt road, and finally park in a dirt parking area in the trees.  You cross over this bridge, and into the welcome center.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Amongst the locals waiting there to greet us, was this egret.

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The "plantation" was perhaps more of a display area than a farm.  It was a place where several (many) plants are growing naturally, and the guide walks you through, showing you a variety of edible plants, like these tiny peppers...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 ...this Arabica Coffee...

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Bunches of these slender, towering palm trees...but also Cinnamon, Vanilla, and a couple of spices whose names I don't remember, but I know I've tasted in Indian food.





Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 Several exotic types of flowers...



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 ...and a Bee !

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

I think this was the Nutmeg...
...there were also "Cashew Apples", which you can open up and get Cashews out of, but I didn't catch a photo of those.




Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 ...more of some kind of tiny peppers...




Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 

 ...and more flowers.  As I was looking at these, a butterfly flew by, too quick for me to photograph, but I realized right away that the warm, steamy environment in the Butterfly Enclosure at the Houston Museum of Science is trying rather successfully to duplicate just this kind of tropical jungle.

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 



 

 

In the parking area, there are a couple of Elephants.  I think you can ride them, but we didn't.  I wanted very much to see some elephants in India, but I'm not sure I'm ready for a ride.  Note that even the Indian visitors are stopping to take photos of the elephants.

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Finally, back to the hotel area in time for a nice sunset.
A very nice evening for a walk on the beach !
-Mark


http://www.tropicalspiceplantation.com/

Tropical Spice Plantation
Address:	H. No. A-14
	Arla Bazar Keri
	Ponda, Goa
	Pincode - 403 401
	(India)
Phone:	+91 832 2340329
Fax:	+91 832 2340039



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

This is a strange view out the window of the airplane, as the sun was just going down.  The strange thing is, I was looking East, the sun is behind me, on the other side of the aircraft, so I have no idea what would form these "sunray-looking" streaks in the sky... but, it looks cool.

-M