The park's story concerning mushrooms is an interesting one. In Costa Rica, the people really only eat one type of mushroom – the ones they put on pizzas. Through the park's studies, they know that there are many types of mushrooms that would provide a great type of nourishment for people. On top of that, mushrooms are extremely easy to grow. As a result of the combination of these factors, the center is trying to spread the word and convince the public to grow mushrooms for themselves and so that Costa Rica can have a mushroom exporting business.
As we explored the park, we saw various animals ranging from fish, to frogs, to white-tailed deer, to snakes, to crocodiles and turtles, to iguanas. We also saw a great variety of plants. One plant we saw was one we once tried to grow in my freshman year biology class. If you touched it, the leafs closed up. My favorite part was probably the butterfly emporium they had. The butterflies were absolutely beautiful and there were so many. If you spread your arms out like an airplane, they would consider sitting on you, and a lucky few got to have a gorgeous butterfly atop their arm or their hat. I, however, did not get my butterfly experience until after I left. The saying goes that if a butterfly settles on you, you get seven years of good luck. Does settling on my backpack count for at least three and a half?
