A world of nature . . . and wonder

Author: By Jean Dietz, Globe Correspondent

Date: SUNDAY, October 6, 1996

Page: M12

Section: Travel

The vast majority of the growing number of tourists, however, come as I did, to relax in a natural world of trees, waterfalls, volcanoes, forests teeming with animals and no chance of snow.

The particular trip I enjoyed was under the auspices of Overseas Adventure Travel, a Cambridge-based agency recently made a division of Grand Circle Corp., a large organization specializing in trips for older travelers. The all-inclusive fee for 10 days included three meals featuring such staples of the native diet as rice and beans with a bit of meat or chicken, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and fruit drinks. While the fare was simple, the food was ample and wholesome. There were no turista tummies in our group, a rare achievement in most tropical countries.

The small adventures highlighting the trip started with white-water river rafting on the rapids of the Rio Sarapiqui, about a two-hour drive from the first lodge where we stayed.

Up to that point, we had been most comfortable under the care of Manuel, our guide for the entire trip, fluent in four languages, who met us at the airport in San Jose. So it was a pleasant surprise to find that Jose, our river guide, had been an American Field Service exchange student in the state of Washington, and also spoke fluent English. He gave clear directions on what to do if someone slid off a raft, as one woman did -- twice.

The raft trip ended with an onshore picnic of turkey, lunch meats, cheese, onions, tomatoes, hearts of palm, guava, pineapple and several varieties of melon. Birdwatchers were most excited by the scarlet tanagers who watched us eat.

Our first venture in a rain forest followed at Braulio Carrillo Park, where biologists have created a unique research facility, providing an aerial tramway to carry visitors in a small, open cable car through the forest canopy.

Bromeliads and orchids are among 6,000 species of plant life that adorn the trees. At one time, tropical forests such as this once covered more than 20 percent of the Earth's land surface. Now, about two-thirds of the original forest has already been replaced with other kinds of vegetation -- croplands, pasture, less complex secondary forests, tree plantations and wasteland serving no useful purpose for either man or nature.

As one journeys through the treetops for about an hour, one sees four kinds of growth: vines; epiphytes, which grow on other vines; parasites; and hemi-epiphytes, which develop aerial roots so they seem to be growing in outer space.

``Going through the rain forest in a tramway is like going through New York City in a bus,'' said our tramway guide. ``You can feel the ambience. But remember, this is a real rain forest. It is not a zoo.''

All of us had our share of spotting animals while at other locations. These included coati (members of the raccoon family); armadillos, which creep around in coats of mail; and three-toed sloths, which hang out in trees looking lazy. Sloths earn their name from their apparently languid and indolent habits, but those habits are actually energy-conserving adaptations to a low-calorie diet of leaves.

Among all the animals, including the crocodiles that bared their teeth to gobble up raw chickens held out by a guide on one of our river trips, my personal favorites to watch were the leaf-cutter ants. Chief herbivores of the New World tropics, leafcutter ants strip away more vegetation than any other animal group. In rain forests, their actions remove about 15 percent of all leaf production. On the way to meals, at one lodge in the Chachagua rain forest, you could develop an appetite watching how hard the ants worked.

In contrast to the ants, who went about their business without bothering humans, monkeys who hung around one lodge seemed to think they were human, nosing around belongings if doors were left ajar and interfering with our privacy like curious children.

All four lodges we visited were at the end of terrible roads. Our driver, Hector, was heroic as he maneuvered the air-conditioned Toyota minibus in which we traveled. While many families rent their own cars so as to make their own schedules, I don't see how they could manage the back-country roads.

At the end of one of the worst roads was one of the best adventures of the trip -- the Arenal volcano -- one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Located on an old macadamia nut farm, the Arenal Observatory Lodge was originally built for volcanologists studying the eruptions. There's still a working seismograph. The volcano was inactive until a massive eruption in 1968, which destroyed 15 villages and happened to coincide with a visit to San Jose by President John F. Kennedy.

At night, one can hear explosions about every hour and see the incandescent flows of hot lava pouring down the mountain only about 1 1/2 miles away.

A second lodge was nearing completion at the time of our visit in March. Typical of interest in environmental issues was a sign reading ``Leave Nothing But Footprints; Take Nothing But Pictures; Kill Nothing But Time.''

Adventures the next day included a visit to Escuela Sam Rafael, a one-room school in San Ramon, Alajuela, where students from grades one through six, prompted by Peace Corps volunteers, put on a modest entertainment for us.

Each one of our group was escorted to an assembly room by a student. My escort was Diana Teresita Rajas Vasquez, whom I would guess to be 11 or 12 years old. We got along fine, although I speak no Spanish and she speaks no English. After a sort of Mexican Hat Dance by students, Diana enlisted me as her partner. Following the dancing, the children sang the Costa Rican national anthem, we sang ``The Star Spangled Banner,'' and we both inspected a display of fruits and vegetables grown in the area.

Several of the boys and girls asked if people in the States could send them letters or books. If readers would like Spanish-speaking pen pals ranging in age from 6 to 12, the address of the school is Escuela San Rafael, San Rafael, Penus Blancas, San Ramon, Alajuela, Costa Rica, C.A.

After school, we headed out on a long drive to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge on Costa Rica's northern border where we boarded a flat-bottomed boat for a birdwatching cruise. We saw yellow-crowned night herons, several great blue herons, many snakebirds, brown yellowtails, white egrets, a mangrove swallow, red-winged blackbirds and various toucans.

Other highlights at various sites were relaxing hot mud baths followed by rinsing in a warm thermal pool; a day at the Tabacon hot spring resort, where thermal pools are surrounded by sophisticated landscaping; and a day at the beach, which most of us chose instead of a kayak tour of a distant river.

Costa Rica, we were told, has a growing population of retirees from the United States and other places. There are small cities and full-scale resort hotels. However, the country lodges at which we stayed were comfortable and most relaxing.

Most major airlines fly to Costa Rica's capital city of San Jose. Our group flew from Miami on LACSA, the airline of Costa Rica. The food and service were excellent.

Costa Ricans consider concern for the environment a national responsibility. Their system of national parks and equivalent reserves consists of more than 30 designated areas totaling more than 12 percent of the nation. Wilderness areas include some 12,000 varieties of plants, 237 species of mammals, 848 kinds of birds and 361 amphibians.

Although Costa Rica is slightly smaller than the state of West Virginia, it seems larger because the roads are so bad. However, the government has been able to create generous budgets for medical services and educational programs, resulting in a literacy rate of more than 93 percent, an extremely low infant mortality rate, and an average life expectancy of well over 70 years.

A commitment to democratic freedoms has earned Costa Rica a reputation as ``the Switzerland of the Americas.'' A standing army is actually forbidden by the Constitution.

Flowers, birds and butterflies abound. The climate, which nears tropical perfection, has been compared to never-ending spring. Technically, the rainy season lasts from May to November and the summer from December through April. However, it may rain briefly, and frequently does rain, in the rain forests. Even during the rainy season, a Costa Rican morning will likely be sunny and bright.

You can reach Costa Rica by car, driving down the Pan-American Highway, by cruise ship or by plane. Group or individual tours are available by direct purchase or through travel agencies.