I honestly couldn't believe that a monkey had just be-bopped out of the trees and crossed the path. I could have tried to pet him he was that close!! Then another monkey zipped across the path, this time even closer to me. And then another two darted past.
Right around this time the cool factor that white collared monkeys were within two feet of me started to wear off and I had the same feeling I get around the squirrels here. - I don't like to say squirrels or monkeys scare me per say, it's more that I am highly aware of them and want to give them as much space as possible. - And let me just say that the feeling I had was not for nothing! All of a sudden five more monkeys come running through the rainforest, swinging from trees, and running across the path right in front of me. I look around and don't see anymore coming so I continue to follow the path, because now I'm really far behind the group. But when I turn the bend in the path I see one more, right in the middle, and he sees me.
We had a staring contest for what seemed like twenty minutes. He was definitely pondering whether or not he wanted me to cross because he knew he was in control! I was freaking out on the inside! This monkey could probably tell I had no idea what to do, and that I would have walked the hour back around the way I had just come so that I didn't disturb him. I did backtrack a little, and wait for the couple behind me to catch up in case I needed witnesses for when the monkey attacked me. (es una broma, es una broma....) Finally he decided he had had enough fun watching me sweat and he went off to find his friends. I quickly proceeded down the hill, gave the next monkey I saw a wide berth, and made it safely to the beach. Successful day without monkey attacks!
