Arrested Development - Ex-Pats Mexico

I have become interested in orchids lately, since a friend gave me some for helping her out. This town Coatepec in Veracruz seems to come up quite often, there is a commercial orchid grower and a society based there. Does anyone know anyhting? Is it worth a visit?

If no answers here --- try the Viva Veracruz forum. The place comes up in conversations often

http://vivaveracruz.com/forum/index.php

Lots of indigenous from the area come and sell them in Chiapas so they either have growers or they bring them from the forest.

There is a famous orchid grower in San Cristobal de las Casas. He has over 450 local species . You can see the collection at his B&B Sol y Luna. His name is Cisco Dietz, I am sure you can Google him. He is a photographer as well.

I believe you have to have a license to import or export them. Many of them are protected and in theory you cannot transport them.

This is to Hound Dog, and about orchids, but probably on the wrong thread. In the 80s I was in Fortin de Las Flores a couple of times, and stayed at a place that had over 25 acres of gardens including many orchids. There were orchids growing on trees, in greenhouses, all over the place. It was right in town, on the main road to centro. It had motel-like places (but quite nice, with fireplaces and fresh flowers every day) and a nice dining room, where we ate a couple of good home-cooked meals every day and talked to other visitors who were from all over the world and really interesting. I can't remember the name of the place, and wonder if it still is there. Would love to return. On one of the trips, we had neighbors who owned a nursery in Los Angeles. They had been out in the jungle for a couple of days and used the driveway of their unit to lay out all their treasures and treat them (I think with Clorox) to pack for the trip back to Ca. They told us they had all the necessary permits, by the way!
Do you know the place I'm talking about, HD? I am thinking of going to Vera Cruz this winter, and would like to stop there again.

Garyngo, I hope you find your orchids. I often wonder why I almost never see them here in Mazatlán in homes or nurseries. Most of them probably would thrive in this climate, but I guess people aren't interested.
HD, I forgot to mention that while in San Cristóbal a couple years ago, I tried twice to go to an orchid place that was mentioned in the tourist lit, but it was closed both times. It wasn't a BnB, though, but I imagine it might be the same guy. BTW, I am heading to Chapala for a 3 week escape from the last of the sauna weather, and you and Brigitte will be gone again? Just as you left San Cristóbal when I visited? Oh, well. I am trying not taking it personally, but someday I would like to meet you two.
Dee

I am not sure if we have been to the same place, I bought a bunch of orchids from a place full of them but I ddid not think it was so large. There is also a place with a huge Japanese gaden full of Bonsai. Not for sale but a great collection to look at.

The man with the orchid in San Cristobal has a B&B called Sol Y Luna. He also is a photographer. He is closed on Tuesdays. We live on that street two blocks towards Santo Domingo. It does not say it is a B&B but it is.

They are now building a special place for the orchids as the guy got a foundation to preserve the Chiapas orchids. A young Swiss architect is in charge of the design. Same guy who did the language school called Jovel. He also as a place on Dr Navajo in th Cola del Diablo area. He calls it a museum, it is more an art galery run by various artists. THey also have interesting seminars and classes.
Brigitte