While hiking in Costa Rica the guide pointed out what I thought he called ‘fake trees’. After a few days, I realized he meant fig trees. The figs grow around the trunk of another stronger, bigger tree and over the course of a hundred years, slowly choke out the original tree, leaving behind a massive – but hollow – fig tree. Very cool.

It is neat to see what hides in those fig trees ….

The trees were huge. Our guide pointed out one tree that he estimated at 500 years old. We asked about rings and if that is how they determine age. He pointed out that due to having only 2 seasons, the trees don’t really have rings like in North America.

This is a tourist tree. Why? Because it is red and peeling.

The guide said there were something like 100 different types of palm trees. This one has roots that ‘move’ the tree over time to keep it in the light. New roots will reposition the tree by ‘walking it’ to a new location if needed.

The new roots are well protected.

I asked about this leaf – was it dying? No, this is the color of a new leaf.

Termites were everywhere. Some of the nests were huge.

What I didn’t realize was that termites die in the sun so they build these little tunnels all over the trees. The guide opened one up to show us the activity.

I also saw where citronella comes from. This is a citronella plant in the natural state. Break the berry, rub it on and you smell like a lemon.

Last observation on the plants … big trees … and really big vines. One vine was so big (must have had a .5M diameter) that the boys could stand on it midair.

And I loved the earthy smell.