Jardim Botanico

R is terribly keen on this sort of venue. The best ones feature both Flora and Flying Fauna. The clouds are a bit higher and it isn't raining. After breakfast we trot smartly down to the promenade in order to board the 31A bus for up the mountain. This takes quite hair raising sprints up vertiginous narrow lanes, is hurled around blind corners and does a stunningly accurate impersonation of a Himachal Pradesh Tourist Development Corporation coach heading up into the Himalayas. We are thankful that nobody on the seat behind is being sick into a paper bag.


The Botanic Gardens do not disappoint. Plants are featured from both Northern and Southern hemispheres which means that there are always plenty of flowers. The centrepiece of the gardens is a splendid parterre surrounded by bougainvillea hedges. 
The cactus garden is particularly splendid.

There are a few birds to watch including Eurasian Black Caps.
The rain holds off and we have a splendid time, returning down town for a late lunch.  The sunshine forecast for this afternoon does not materialise but we have had a decent day.

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