Is what we chanted on our way down the slope after visiting the Botanical Gardens.

A pretty great way to end the trip, considering my many doubts in the beginning. I was not the only one wary of spicy foods in the group. Nor was I the only one with a cold, and probably didn’t fully appreciate the variety of scents I could have experienced that day. I probably was also not alone in thinking, “Ugh, why didn’t I go to the Wednesday event, I should be in bed.” But I think we were all glad we went to this event, which was educational, full of delicious food, and provided me a boost of energy for the rest of the day.

Things I learned:

1) The Plantations are sooooo far away, but I do not visit them enough.

2) Pepper ice cream exists, and is delicious. Same goes for pepper chocolate macaroons.

3) Sampling varieties of food from “around the world” is great alternate lunch choice. (Seriously, check out some of the things I had. The Chinese stir fry was surprisingly spicy.)

4) The capsaicin from peppers binds to the PAIN RECEPTORS in your mouth, not the taste receptors, as I previously thought. That’s why when you get some on your hand, it stings as well.

5) Also, learned that birds have a mutation in their genes where the spicyness doesn’t affect them, so they are nature’s way of spreading the seeds of peppers… through their poop. Not the most graceful image, but what WAS lovely was seeing the Youtube video of a parrot eating a very spicy-looking pepper with great enthusiasm. I could watch that all day.

Overall: I’m very excited for more of these little excursions, to meet more of the awesome people living quite close by, and to try more things that may be out of my comfort zone.