We went to an enchanted forest today. I know this because only enchanted forests have blue butterflies, and we saw many blue butterflies. Enchanted forests also have beautiful colored birds, monkeys, and sloths. They have big swinging vines and gigantic trees and a sun dappled floor. They have a diversity of flora and fauna that delight the senses, and they smell fresh and earthy and flowery all at the same time.
This particular enchanted forest is Parque Natural Metropolitan (http://www.parquemetropolitano.org/) , at 232 hectares, one of the largest city parks in the world (Central Park in New York is 341, to give you a comparison). It is part of a green belt along the Panama Canal that provides large spaces for the animals who need room to roam. In addition, it partners with Cleveland Metroparks of Ohio, both cities connected by canals and birds like Baltimore oriels and barn swallows that spend summers in Ohio and migrate to Panama for the winter.
Nearly five kilometers of easy hiking trails snake through the park.
You can tell it’s a magical place because magical creatures live there. We saw today a stunning bird called a slaty-tailed trogon. I’ve included my photos, one you can see the red front and the other the green back (different birds in different locations). I’ve also included a photo stolen off the internet (specifically the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) so you can see just how beautiful, and even magical, these birds are. I could see all of its beauty but couldn’t get the photo! (I am getting a new camera, specifically for birding, for Christmas!)
Butterflies of blue, yellow, orange, black and white polka dots (really!), flutter by in the sunshine. An estimated 1,600 species of butterflies frequent Panama, and we saw several dozen of those today. They are certainly part of the magic.
We also spotted many mammals. Agoutis are kind of cute, in spite of looking slightly like overgrown rats. They are quite friendly.
Coatis ruled the place this particular day, especially the band of four young ones that we met on top of Cerro Cedro who didn’t mind going through the trash. They climbed the trees, crossed the trails, played chase with each other, and one even hiked a short way with me after I got separated from Bob (I was busy watching a trogon!). They seem to love showing off their long tails.
We stood a long time under a huge tree with some folks from British Colombia, watching monkeys cavort. We are pretty sure they were spider monkeys, but they were high up, and we were low down. Since it’s an enchanted forest, the shadows and sun played games with the leaves and moving branches, so it may have been some other sort of small monkey. Three species live in the park.
Cerro Cedro is the highest point in the park, 156 meters, and offers spectacular views of the city. Standing just below the crest of the hill, though, listening to birds, watching butterflies, and soaking in the green of the trees you can’t hear the noise of the more than 2 million people who are nearby. There’s a reason the park is known as the lungs of the city. And the enchanted world belongs only to those who are in it.
Then, stepping on top of the hill to panoramas Panama, you are reminded of its bustling traffic and towering skyscrapers. A couple of love-struck vultures hung out in a tree nearby while we reveled in the views, enjoyed a snack, and marveled at the marching leaf cutter ants that were absolutely decimating a tree. They do that, but they sure are fun—even a little magical—to watch.
A nice feature of enchanted forests is that if you stand still long enough, the birds begin to come to you. They will scratch around on the ground and flit through the middle canopy. They will call out to each other over distances that seem vast only because the forest seems so vast. Humming birds may buzz by. It’s all part of the forest’s charms.
Of course, there are also bad things in enchanted forests. If you stand too long looking at those birds, trees will throw sticks at you (true story!). And if you don’t look where you put your hand, you might, in the middle of leaning on a railing to take a photograph, put it on a stinging caterpillar, which I managed to do. Two fingers on my right hand just brushed up against the little guy, and, here, seven hours later, they are still swollen and in pain. (I’m typing between ice-soak sessions.)
Some sort of silkworm moth caterpillar 
Swollen fingers still hurt
The hiking proved fairly easy, so we did every trail in the park that wasn’t closed off for maintenance. We met Canadians, Germans, Americans, Aussies, Chinese, and Panamanians all along the way.
Finally, though, we exited the enchanted forest and walked the short distance back to the visitors’ center, where sweet staff members gave me something to clean off my caterpillar sting. It turns out the enchantment wasn’t over! Just before we called our Uber, the security guard pointed out a blob of brownish gray potentially furry stuff in a palm tree. Finally! A perizozo—a sloth (perizoso is also the term for lazy in Spanish). The park is famous for them. We had made our necks sore looking up for them nearly all day, and here was one right at the end of the trail.
Then, quite spectacularly, a gorgeous small hawk flew into the tree next to the sloth’s. After some searching, we determined it was a savanna hawk—another new species for us. The little hawk contentedly posed for photos and showed off a bit.
The enchantment of this forest doesn’t end with the trail!
Wow! You make me want to see it all! I did not realize there were so many things to see in Panama City. How wonderful you can do it in depth. Enjoyed this very much. (I hope your fingers are ok!)