One of the things I'm going to miss the most about living in Rio is being amidst so much exotic flora and fauna. It just makes me inexplicably happy. On our hike a few weeks ago, Eli and I passed thickets of bamboo, huge vines, enormous bromeliads, and countless types of palm trees.
One of my favorite plants that grow all over the city is this one, with heart-shaped leaves bigger than my head:
And of course, nothing thrills me more than fruit trees growing in the wild:
Besides the dozens of micos we came across, we also stumbled upon this shockingly red bird. I don't think it's a cardinal, though. Any ideas?
Hi Rachel,
The bird in question looks like some sort of tanager from what I can see. They have a cool genus name: Piranga. I would go nuts down there with all the wildlife and plants! That's one of the things I miss most about the Manaus area.
Posted by: Tracy | May 02, 2009 at 01:43 PM
OK, it's the Brazilian Tanager, or Ramphocelus bresilius. Its Portuguese name is Tie'-sangue. http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/brazilian%20tanager.html
Posted by: Tracy | May 02, 2009 at 01:55 PM
That's a beautiful bird-- and how cool to see fruit trees like that! :)
Posted by: Bethany | May 04, 2009 at 10:09 PM
The plant looks like taioba, which is is used to replace spinach in cooking. The tree is a mamoeira or simply put, a papaya tree. I think you will get the biggest shock when you go back up to the States and see how tropical fruit is insanely expensive and has no taste
As Tom Jobim once said(to paraphrase,because I am not sure of the exact wording)
To live in NY is great, but its shit.
To live in Rio is shit, but its great.
Posted by: Canarioca | May 05, 2009 at 01:26 PM