Prepare for photo overload.
(click on the pictures to make them bigger)
There were canals that ran all throughout the gardens.
Some were larger like the one on the right, but most were tiny little channels like the one on the left.
Take note of the little old man in the background.
I was terribly excited to discover a bromeliad greenhouse. Ever since watching the rainforest episode of Magic School Bus when I was little, I've had an affinity for bromeliads. The little man was sweeping away in the back of the greenhouse and as we neared his corner of the world he gave us a grin and began speaking to us in Portuguese. We explained that we did not speak Portuguese, but this did not phase him in the slightest. He laughed and began gesturing animatedly at various exotic plants and blooms throughout the greenhouse that we had not previously noticed. He continued to chatter on in Portuguese excitedly, even though we could not understand him. After receiving our private tour, we thanked him profusely and left.
I just love happy people. This guy's profession, as far as I can tell, revolves around cleaning a greenhouse. I'll admit that doesn't sound like the best job in the world, but it just goes to show that any job can be the best job in the world if you see it that way. He takes the time to appreciate his greenhouse and share that appreciation with the silly Americans that come through and have no idea what they're looking it. It makes all the difference.
This aqueduct was clearly blocked off to indicate that people should not walk on top of it.
Well, I did it anyway. No regrets.
These birds looked like robins but with yellow bellies. I've always had a thing for yellow birds so I spent a great deal of time trying to catch them in a photograph.
There were hundreds of different birds in the gardens. It took me until about half-way through the day to take a moment to stop and listen, but once I did I couldn't stop. Birds are severely under-appreciated.
Bamboo
So in a nutshell, I'm absolutely in love with these gardens. I don't know what it was but they had such an enchanted feel to them. That's the only word I can think to describe it. I felt like at any moment a fairy or gnome could pop out of the woods.
Okay, that was a little corny, but if you keep up with this blog you should be used to that by now.
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