WANDERING WITH WILLIAM
  • Home
  • Blog

Last Day in the Coffee Triangle

1/31/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
We spend most of our last full day of the Coffee Triangle in our hotel room, hoping to rest up and feel better.  We do step out for lunch at a nearby restaurant, jostling our way on the city streets with the locals.

Toward evening we go up to the hotel rooftop where we enjoy a nice sunset with the rain in the distance.  Then we make a stop at the lobby bar for a piece of torte.  William has been eying the chocolate torte on the counter for the past two nights, but alas, tonight it is banana.  Luckily it is very good and he is happy.

The evening is rough.  I am guessing that I get an hour's sleep and William gets two.  I am fairly confident that I now have and ear infection and maybe a sinus infection.  Thankfully we always ask our doctor for a round of antibiotics to take with us in our travels.  I break them out and hope for the best tomorrow with our flights.

​Although I have been sick, I really liked the experience of the Coffee Triangle.  The city of Armenia is not very interesting but the small towns and countryside are beautiful.  I can see why the Columbians and many others who vacation here prefer to stay at the fincas that now offer Bed and Breakfast services.

Picture
0 Comments

Certified Coffee Skills & Filandia

1/30/2019

1 Comment

 
Juan and Rolando pick us up at 9 am.  On our drive out of the city Juan tells us that he used to live in Bogeta and was a SAP programmer.  He wanted a different lifestyle so moved to this area, worked basic jobs and while working studied to become a tour guide.  He's been a full-time guide for three years.

Rolando drives us through many back roads.  Along a stream we see people swimming and also filling water jugs.  We guess that they are bathing and bringing water back to their homes for flushing toilets as the Armenia remains without water.  30 minutes later we arrive at Finca El Ocaso.  Juan has arranged for us to have a personal tour with Arles, the coffee roaster at Finca El Ocaso.  While we wait for Arles we have a chance to enjoy the gardens.
Picture
Arles discusses the three types of coffee beans: Arabica, Robusta and Liberia, and that the finds (as well as most all of Columbia) grows Aribica.  We go into the field to learn about the growing processes and pick a few ripe coffee cherries.  The fields are also planted with banana and avocado, so the finca actually has three products and the banana and avocado help to shade the coffee plants.  Arles discusses the crushing and fermenting processes which we relate to wine making.  Finally we see the drying and roasting operation.
Picture
We have learned quite a bit, but we are only half done.  Now we go to the lab where we learn about the taste wheel and different brewing methods.  We "cup" two different coffees and attempt to explain their aroma and taste.  Of course with my cold, I am a bit challenged.  As a last step we enjoy cups of Finca El Ocaso's  high-end 300 coffee.  While we are sipping Arles presents us with our Recorrido del Proceso de Café y Minicurso de Habilidades Sensoriales (Coffee Processing Tour and Sensory Skills Mini-Course) certificates.  Perhaps with these certificates in-hand we will be able to start new careers.  :-)
Picture
Next we are off to Filandia, a town of 7,000 people.  The primary industry is agriculture, with tourism a distant second.  We have a fantastic lunch at Helena Adentro - very creative cuisine.  Afterward we walk through the colorful town, which so far does not appear to be heavily altered by tourism.  Of course the town square has the main church on one side and a park n the middle, Half the fun is watching the locals.
Picture
We finish our sightseeing at Mirador de Filandia.  The structure was built a few years back when the owner or the land realized that the site offered such a wonderful view of the countryside and nearby towns.  It does offer some great views, including great perspective of Filandia's town square with it's church and park.  The countryside is dramatized by the sun streaming through the clouds.
Picture
Juan suggests some additional activities to fill out a hour or two, but I am feeling worse from my cold and am very happy with what we have seen today.  Rolando points us back to Armenia.  When we arrive back in To the city Juan accompanies me to the pharmacia to get some cold medicine.
Picture
1 Comment

Solento and Valle de Cocora

1/29/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Our flight on Avainca Airlines from Cartagena to Armenia, in Columbia's Coffee Triangle, connects through Bogeta.  Both flights are reasonably on time and we arrive in the afternoon to a rainy Armenia airport.  We have a 30 minute ride in a taxi through fields' then industrial buildings, then city to the commercial area of Armenia and the Mocawa Plaza Hotel, our home for the next four nights.

We have a late lunch in the hotel restaurant then check into our room.  We lay down for a nap and 20 minutes later the bed and building are shaking.  It turns out to be a 5.2 earthquake centered in Pereira, 46 km away. Woah... Much of the city of Armenia was destroyed in 1999 with a 6.2 earthquake!  Obviously 5.2 isn't that dramatic and the good news is that our hotel (and other Armenia buildings) have been rebuilt to be earthquake resistant.

Tuesday morning at 9 am we meet Andres in the lobby.  I contracted through ToursByLocals for him to act as our guide.  I found ToursbyLocals on the internet and have communicated with Andres a few times via WhatsApp, and I am hoping for the best.  He introduces us to our driver, Rolando.  As Rolando eases into mid-morning traffic I whisper to Andres that I have lost my voice. But William and Andres have a good discussion as Andres explains the area and our first stop, the town of Solento.

Picture
Rolando drives for about an hour, much of it on back roads.  We arrive in the colorful town and stroll to Cafe Jesus Martin to enjoy the best coffee in the area.  Jesus Martin's father is a premium coffee grower and together they decided to open a cafe. Jesus Martin is the coffee roaster and barista who has won national and international awards.

We walk through the the town with it's brightly colored classic homes.  The doors were built tall and wide in order to allow the horses inside - mostly to stay within the inner courtyard.  Andres explains that the windows/balconies are designed to open on the top for two purposes.  When men called upon a young women of the house they were not allowed inside.  The window design allowed the women to talk with their suitors yet still be safe from their advances.  Also, depending upon the configuration of the house, the windows allowed the horses to stick their heads out for fresh air.

Picture
The town has the typical colonial town square, with Our Lady of Carmen Catholic Church in front of Parque Bolivar, complete with a statue of Simon Bolivar.  Along one side the Jeeps are lined up waiting for riders.  The drivers fill them to capacity whenever possible and it is not unusual to see four or five people standing on the rear bumpers holding on for dear life as they bump down the road.  The town square is also the hub of social activity, with many small businesses lining the street and several sidewalk cafes.  There's also a four block main street, again lined with small shops and colorful houses.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Our second stop is Valle del Cocora, 11 km out of town.  It is an area of cloud forest with towering Quindio Wax Palms.  They grow to a height of over 60 meters.  As we approach the trail two Andean Condors swoop overhead.  They are magnificent!  We also see some of the local farmers and their burrows.  A lifestyle so different than ours!
Picture
We hike through the forest for about an hour with the trees towering above us then return along the same path.  The changing clouds as well as view to the east rather than west makes it seem like a whole different area.
Picture
We've worked up an appetite and Ronaldo and Andres take us to a perfect restaurant for a late lunch - Fonda El Escobal (the broom).  The setting is close to Valle del Cocora and we find a table on the huge porch with their lovely gardens out front.  Their specialty is trout as well as avocados grown on their hillside farm.   Our meals are fresh and delicious.
Picture
During lunch Andres explains that there is an issue with our plans for tomorrow.   The water for the city and area around Armenia has been shut off since last night and they are estimating that it will not be on again until Thursday.  We did not noticed because the hotel maintains a reserve water tank.  Our planned coffee tour and cooking class will not be possible.  He offers some alternatives and we choose the coffee tour and and visit to the town of Filandia with his colleague Juan.
Picture
0 Comments

    Author

    Hi.  I'm Anne.  I wander around the world with William.


    Enjoy Some of our Favorite Links below
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014


    Categories

    All
    9138
    Albuferia
    Alicante
    Ambato
    Antarctica
    Argentina
    Armenia
    Atlantic And Islands
    Barcelona
    Cambodia
    Cartegena
    Chile
    Colombia
    Costal Rica
    Cuenca
    Easter Island
    Faro
    Hungary
    Iceland
    Jaco
    Jakarta
    Kuala Lumpur
    Lisbon
    Loule'
    Malta
    Medellin
    New Zealand
    Olon
    Panama
    Porto
    Portugal
    Santiago
    Scotland
    Seville
    Singapore
    Slovakia
    SouthEast USA
    Spain
    Taipei Taiwan
    Tavira
    Thailand Bangkok
    Thailand Chiang Mai
    Uruguay
    Usa
    Valparaiso
    Vancouver
    Vienna
    Vietnam Halong
    Vietnam Hanoi
    Vietnam Ho Chi Minh
    Vietnam Hoi An
    Vietnam Hue

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photo used under Creative Commons from A Vahanvaty