Pensamientos: Las Orquideas de los Andes

Reading: Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins

I know, not an orchid... but seriously? Awesome.

Okay, so it’s no secret that I have a small flower obsession, although small might be an understatement. I could easily bore you all with why this is… it has a lot to do with my awe of Nature and the fact that flowers are, in my opinion, the zenith of sexuality, beauty, and evolution all wrapped into this vibrant living thing, which has the sole purpose of reproduction. Seriously, what other living organism has done something as impressive as that? (Please let me enjoy this moment and spare me the endless examples of birds, insects, fish, etc.) So, basically being in Ecuador, the country that boastfully is home to more orchid species than anywhere else in the world, is like being in heaven. Piñas, one of the closest cities to me is know as the “Orquidea de los Andes,” or the “Orchid of the Andes.” Not a bad epithet if you ask me.

All of this has led me in a couple of directions... with lots of pictures.

I spent most of the four-day trek to Machu Picchu searching for and trying to photograph the numerous orchids gracing the Inca Trail. That is to say, our wonderful guide would continually point them out to me and I would try to snap a picture as quickly as possible while trying not to sacrifice our pace. In a perfect world, I would have basked in the allure of these flowers in solitude, with an infinite amount of time to photograph them from every angle and lighting. I would have the trail renamed “Camino de las Orquideas” and life would have been wonderful. However, forces and people greater than myself had other plans and I am convinced that the greatest flora treasures of my time in Peru have been lost. But I’ll post the few measly pictures that I do have. If by chance some orchid expert stumbles across this, I would love any insight into exactly what species these are. The internet and my Ecuadorian flower book have been of little help.
Speaking of orchid experts, apparently the world is home to a lot of them and they’re having a conference in Guayaquil at the end of October. I’m not exactly sure what one has do to go be able to go to such a conference or if it would even be a possibility for a PCV, but either way, I’m intrigued.
There’s an American Orchid Society that publishes a monthly magazine, sends out an e-newsletter for budding orchid enthusiasts (pun!), and has a website full of orchid raising tips. New hobby for when I’m in a state of joblessness culture shock in eight months – I think so.
Apparently there's 15 species of orchids in Yellowstone National Park - another reason why I should go back there next summer. Although, there's also plenty of orchids on the Appalachian trail. Decisions, decisions.

The conclusion from all of this… Ecuador with its abundance of orchids is awesome and I am destine to become a crazy horse/catlady with an orchid fetish who lives off the grid in the mountains somewhere and spend her evening listening to vinyl records. All off which transpired while living south of the Equator on the taxpayers’ dime (minus, perhaps the horse and vinyl part.) Take that Mitt!