Barbados, Part One

I've been in Barbados for almost 3 days now, and I just can't stop thinking about how cool the Garden of Eden must have been.  I'm staying at a resort on the west coast of the island...and it pretty much resembles the Garden of Eden that I remember from picture books.  Greenery like I've never seen before.  Noises at night like I've never heard.  Evidently, the noises are millions of tiny frogs trying their hardest to sing everyone to sleep.  No one ever said that frogs were smart...
This morning, as I sat on the porch eating breakfast, the oddest little thing happened.  A cheeky little sparrow hopped right over to me, cocked her head to look at me, then hopped on my glass and started drinking my Spark!  I'm not sure that they have much Spark here in Barbados, so I'm thinking that she might have ended up with a little energy jolt.  I was surprised to see her do that, but what was even stranger was that she then hopped onto my toast and started to have a nibble.  She's cheeky, I tell you!

So, after sharing breakfast with a {bird} I was off to work.
After work, we walked to the grocery store where I purchased the largest Avocado that I have EVER seen.  I also bought some rum cakes, Mauby drink and Bajan Hot pepper sauce.
Food.  That's my version of a great souvenir!
After the walk to the grocery store, I returned to my hotel.  As I was going to dinner, I stopped to sit on the beach for a minute.  I noticed something moving next to me and as I looked down I realized that there were A LOT of things moving.  About 100 baby turtles.

It was unbelievable.  Quite a while ago, a mummy turtle laid her eggs in the sand, and they decided to come out to our world as I was sitting there!  CRAZY!!
One of the dining servers and I rushed to capture them and put them in a box.  Evidently, there is an institute on the island that will take care of the babies until they are a little bigger.  Right now, their shells are still soft and it seems that fish like to eat them up.  Sorry fish - no baby turtle dinners on my watch!
Afterwards, I realized that all of the little babies running around would have made for a great picture, but by the time I thought "picture" they were all safe inside the box.
So, I started the morning thinking about how cool the Garden of Eden must have been and now I'm ending my day with the same thoughts. Seeing this place makes you wonder why they ever tried that apple...
Then, as I'm sitting in bed, reading the hotel book, I come across the following advisory:
 "Beware of the Manchineel Tree which grows around the shores of Barbados and bears fruit similar to a small green apple.  Just a touch can produce blisters and the apple is poisonous if eaten.  During rain, never shelter under the Manchineel Tree as the drips can affect sensitive skin"
My first thought?  "Hmmm, I wonder what it looks like." 
SERIOUSLY!  Did I not learn anything from Sunday School?
I sit here thankful for self control.  For a NEW heart.  A heart that will resist finding the Manchineel Tree.  a heart that will choose to not care to even see what it looks like.  I know what an apple looks like and I'll stick to seeing and eating the apples that they sell at Whole Foods.
I don't want to get kicked out of Barbados.  I'm still waiting to see a monkey.

Thankful for:
warm, coastal breezes, singing frogs, a hotel room without a TV, internet to stay in touch while thousands of miles away...