Stepping into the cold room of Celaque Botanical Gardens is a nice respite from the heat of the Honduran lowlands. Orchids bloom profusely in hundreds of lush different varieties and pleasantly sculpted structures funnel the water into falls. In the canopy, the sounds of chirping birds are piped in through speakers. On the cardboard displays, you read about the monkeys, lizards, and snakes that would inhabit this forest. After your hour long stroll, you sip a cappuccino in the cafe.
But no such place exists in Honduras, there is only Celaque National Park. The orchids bloom but need to be found. Every orchid you discover is a different color or shape, elegantly clinging to a tree amongst dense foliage. There is plenty of water, plenty of waterfalls, but sometimes you have to walk through it. Bright red or orange or green birds chirp, darting overhead and through the trees in front of you drawing your eyes away from the views down the steep ridge you are hiking on. Spider monkeys and lizards flee in fear of you, and snakes hiding where orchids might be make you jump. At the end of the day, you emerge from the forest and Doña Alejandra serves you her own special coffee ground with cinnamon and pepper in between grinding corn, kneading dough, and grilling tortillas for your dinner.
We will never see as many orchids as in the New York, Singapore, or even Pittsburgh botanical gardens while hiking in the wild, but it’s nice to leave Disney World.
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