Orchid in the late afternoon sun

This orchid was a gift from a friend in December 2014, and once I ignored the advice about not putting it in direct sunlight...and put it in direct sunlight, it has thrived!
This is the second flowering and it has grown some new leaves too.  This probably wouldn't be a remarkable outcome for most people...but I have a track record of killing plants...so it is something of a mystery to me why it is doing so well, especially considering that it has survived a long journey in a removals van too.