Our Costa Rica trip document summarizes the author's observations of diverse plant life found during a trek through the jungle. They encountered many types of orchids, heliconias, epiphytes clinging to trees, mushrooms, ginger flowers visited by bees, and strange alien-looking pods. The document expresses a sense of wonder at the variety of shapes, textures, colors and fragrances of the natural flora.

1. Our Costa Rica Trip 2006

2. SERENITY FOUND IN THE FLORA
ORCHIDS ABOUND

3. Isn't nature amazing?
simple and beautiful

4. ...just happened upon these orchids
while trekking.
"Will you look at the size of these
leaves!"

5. Shape, texture, color and symmetry
Cocoa pods (No, I didn't say Cocoa
Puffs!)

6. Dainty little bells and branches
Knarly lookin'

7. A beautiful heliconia Fuzzy and soft to the touch

8. Alien space fruit ...and they just hang from dead-looking
twigs

9. Fragile mushrooms sitting on a bed of moss
...and this is just the bottom of the tree

10. Even rocks by the water hide special
delights!
I'm a hobbit.

11. Pathway into the jungle Waiting for little bees to come ring our
little bells

12. EPIPHYTES ARE WAY COOL
Look at all the bees on this lovely
ginger!

13. See what I mean about all the textures!
Check out the root system!

14. EPIPHYTES ...and white flowers emerge from yellow
flowers

15. Flowers of the Ylang Ylang - what a fragrance
the leaves have!!
Gonna run through the jungle!

16. What are these strange little pods?
...and now a white flower bursts
forth from a red

17. OUR VIEW FROM THE RESTAURANT
"I WANT ONE OF THOSE IN MY
YARD!" exclaims Christine.