Casa Orquideas, Golfo Dulce
On a clear and sunny day, sailing over the calm waters of this very unique gulf in the southern pacific coast of Costa Rica, we visited, after kayaking and swimming off the ship’s stern, Casa Orquideas (“The house of the Orchids”). A little over twenty years ago, a couple of North Americans, Trudy and Ron McAllister, were driving from the United States to South America. They were so fortunate that they found Costa Rica on their way, and have been in this corner of southern Central America for the last 20 years. They transformed an old cacao plantation and turned it into this admirable botanical jewel we had the opportunity to visit today.
Their work during all these years since they came down south has been really remarkable! You can be convinced that they really love plants. We walked around the gardens and the Natural History staff invited us to try some fruits and even flowers we didn’t even know existed. The cocoa, the sour-sop trees, as well as the “picchchio” and the “noni” plants and the “zapotes” as well, it was like being at the local market on Sunday morning!
The symphony of the day was performed by the locals: chestnut-mandibled toucans, scarlet-rumped tanagers, masked tityras and scarlet macaws. All of this happened in a scenario covered with orchids cleverly planted in empty coconut husks, palms of all kind and colorful vine. As we sat on their porch, the McAllisters joined us for a peaceful chat.
The remoteness of this beautiful spot, invited us all to think that, after all, heaven can be found right here on earth, …if you wish…
On a clear and sunny day, sailing over the calm waters of this very unique gulf in the southern pacific coast of Costa Rica, we visited, after kayaking and swimming off the ship’s stern, Casa Orquideas (“The house of the Orchids”). A little over twenty years ago, a couple of North Americans, Trudy and Ron McAllister, were driving from the United States to South America. They were so fortunate that they found Costa Rica on their way, and have been in this corner of southern Central America for the last 20 years. They transformed an old cacao plantation and turned it into this admirable botanical jewel we had the opportunity to visit today.
Their work during all these years since they came down south has been really remarkable! You can be convinced that they really love plants. We walked around the gardens and the Natural History staff invited us to try some fruits and even flowers we didn’t even know existed. The cocoa, the sour-sop trees, as well as the “picchchio” and the “noni” plants and the “zapotes” as well, it was like being at the local market on Sunday morning!
The symphony of the day was performed by the locals: chestnut-mandibled toucans, scarlet-rumped tanagers, masked tityras and scarlet macaws. All of this happened in a scenario covered with orchids cleverly planted in empty coconut husks, palms of all kind and colorful vine. As we sat on their porch, the McAllisters joined us for a peaceful chat.
The remoteness of this beautiful spot, invited us all to think that, after all, heaven can be found right here on earth, …if you wish…
