Caldera, Costa Rica

Costa Rica, just north of Panama in Central America, borders both the Atlantic and Pacific. It has
no army, and 25% of it’s land area is preserved through national parks and wilderness areas. It
has universal health care, with lower infant mortality, lower suicide rate, longer average life span,
and higher rate of literacy than the United States. Espanol is the official language, but tourism is
the largest industry so English works quite well.

Caldera itself if an industrial port, but nothing is very far away in this small country. We went to
an orchid farm a half hour drive from the port. While we were tempted to post a picture of each
different color flower, you’ll have to visit us for the full show. Inventory was about a million
plants in the 22 acre facility, and this was one of our favorites.

Back aboard the ship, the 4-masted schooner Windstar was docked behind us. Sunset looking
through her and over the islands in Puntarenas Bay was worth capturing.