Snowy Range Pass

Snowy Range Pass

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Costa Rica



Our penultimate port stop was in Costa Rica.  I have to admit, this small country was not anywhere to be found on our must visit list.  It is known for two things  bananas and  lush rainforests.  We opted to take the aerial tram tour of the rainforest and did get to see many of the banana farms as we drove into the countryside.


Before we started the aerial tour, we took a short walk with our guide through the floor of the rainforest to get some experience from the ground level.  We learned about how the rainforests grow and the many types of plants and animals that live in this environment.  Right away we had an exposure to the wild hogs that roam the forest.  The group ahead of us had a few of these pigs run through their tour.  This surprisingly had large impact on our young guide, who was clearly concerned about their aggressive behavior and began to explain how we might protect ourselves if they returned.  I quickly shifted my camera to the sports mode in hopes of getting some good pictures of the pigs.  I suppose, luckily, they did not turn in our direction and we continued the tour with only be able to smell some of the stink we were told was common with these animals. One of the many interesting things that was pointed out was the way the plants in a rain forest have their roots at the surface to take the best advantage of the water and nutrients. I would never want to take an extended hike in the dense forest after hearing the explanation concerning the large number of snake species that inhabit the area, many of them poisonous. Sure enough, we came upon a reportedly very poisonous small one laying quietly on a leaf on top of the trail.










The aerial tram tour lifts you from the floor and travels through the layers of the forest up to the top.  Our guide did a great job of explaining how the forest changes and adapts to survive.  It provided some great overviews of many square miles of the forest.  This is definitely a must see experience.

















12 comments:

John Hedges said...

What an adventure. Thanks for the rain forest tour.

Sue and Doug said...

thanks for the 'great tram ride' through the rain forest!!

Gypsy said...

It sounds like a very fascinating tour. Feral hogs might make me a bit nervous, qnald although I've never seen them they have a nasty reputation.

where's weaver said...

What an amazing tour. I would love to see the rainforest. Thanks for all the super beautiful photos.

Big EZ Travels said...

Costa Rica is a place I have always wanted to visit. It was my father's favorite place on earth. Taking an aerial tram through the rainforest with a guide seems like a great way to get a feeling for this beautiful ecosystem.

Erin said...

Very interesting ... haven't done these aerial tram tours of the rainforest. In Costa Rica we opted for a wildlife cruise on the Tortuguero Canal with a visit to a national park. But what Mui remembers most is the grilled red snapper he had for lunch at a beachside restaurant.

Linda said...

This looks like something I would so enjoy!!! Thank you so much for sharing this fantastic tour!

Wanderin' said...

We really liked Costa Rica. We loved visiting the rain forest and all coffee plantations. Maybe one of these days we'll make it back again and try out the tram. Who knows ??

Bob and Jo said...

The tram seems the best way to see the rain forest, hopefully no snakes or wild pigs.

Paul and Marti Dahl said...

What a great idea, an aerial tram. No better way to see a birds eye view unless you like climbing trees! ;c)

Sweet Meanderings said...

Absolutely beautiful! You can keep the poisonous snakes and stinky pigs though. I'd love to see it!
Candy

Laura said...

Someday I'll visit there to see the wild parrots!