Caracas flowers vs Colorado flowers

The school organized a day trip to the Topotepuy Gardens outside of Caracas. They are beautiful! A lovely botanical gardens set way up on the El Hatillo Volcano. I was pleasantly surprised when one of the first flowers I saw were a bed of forget-me-nots, one of my favorite high alpine Colorado flowers. Here they are: 

As Luca and I continued the tour (Lisa had to work and Wilder had a volleyball tournament) I was struck by the difference between Colorado flowers and Caracas flowers. Colorado flowers typically say something like "excuse me, if its not too much trouble I would like to grow here- I won't have any loud parties, I'll be well behaved and then in the fall I'll quietly scatter some seeds and die- is that cool?"

Caracas flowers are more like : "YOOHOO!!!!! HEY BABAY come and check me out- I'm going to have a PARTAY here in your yard and invite insects and humming birds and we are going to get CRAZY!"- 

Caracas flowers know how to party and they sure are fun to look at.

 

even the birds get in on the action- I'm pretty sure these hummingbirds all just migrated down from Colorado to visit their friend (the one on the left-looking at camera) who is from Caracas

I know what you are going to say about the next ones- "hey those aren't flowers! those are Bromelids, plants that don't need soil, just a place to attach to, like a tree. You are correct- but look at the Bromelid biodiversity- there were at least a hundred different species here! Amazing.

A great day at the gardens and my friend Michael has just found out that next weekend they are hosting a beer tasting! Bromelids and Brews- I am totally getting the t-shirt.

Here are a few more photos of the day.

Luca and Millie watching the very loud very entertaining welcoming bird.

Graham and Luca using their new bug magnifiers.

"Dad you can eat this" Luca tells me after our guide just rattled of a whole long talk in spanish. Hmmmm how much do I trust this kid's language acquisition.

"Dad look a moon dial"

The Avila and Caracas in the background

A note on the stash- It was Halloween weekend and we had a costume party to go to... but it is starting to grow on me, maybe I'll keep it around a few weeks and see if Lisa notices.