Dreams Realized: Monteverde Orchid Garden and Canopy Walk

The next day brought nicer weather and we filled the morning in what was the best orchid garden we had seen so far in Costa Rica. Not only were the owners sticklers for proper identification (they were right on top of the latest taxonomic nomenclature) but friendly and informative. There were Epidendrums, Lycaste, Coelogynes, Laelias, Pluerothallids, Sobralias, Gongoras, Zootrophions, Oncidiums, …need I go on? I really think they had representatives of every orchid of the region in their garden, all carefully marked and identified. A feast for the eyes for La Orquidea Locos. No converts here – the Owners and guides were already one of us!
After another wonderful lunch, our plotting and planning brought us to the Hanging Bridge walk at Selvatura Park in San Elena Forest. Along suspension bridges across the valleys of the hills of the San Elena Cloud Forest, through the canopy we walked in the heavy mist. It is a completely different perspective from the treetops. The clouds and lists swirled amongst the trees laden with epiphytes, ferns and orchids. Thoroughly soaked, but with smiles on our faces, we gathered at Monteverde Lodge to enjoy the sunset afterwards.