onderful day trip to Hacienda Coloma Coffee Plantation. It took about three hours to get there from Bogota (1.5 hours was in Bogota traffic). We headed south out of Bogota and saw a different side to Bogota than we had previously witnessed. We passed through some very poor and crowded parts of the city. Soon afterwards we passed into rural Colombia, where you can see all levels of housing and people often graze their cows and goats next to the road. We stopped along the way for a late morning refreshment of typical Colombian food - arepas filled with cheese, grilled chorizo, potatoes, and coffee (of course). This photo is outside the restaurant.
Our trip took us up about 200 meters over a mountain pass, and then down into a valley and up again to Fusagasugá (the town where Hacienda Coloma is located). At one point we crossed the Rio Bogota - one of the most polluted rivers in the world - it was black in color, and smelled awful! It was much warmer down at 1700 meters elevation. We were the only guests at the plantation when we visited. We spent about 45 minutes being shown around by Jorge Rico, our driver/guide for the day. We saw the plantation house and grounds, the coffee grove, the harvesting, drying, roasting and grinding processes. The beans are harvested twice a year, and since this isn't harvest season, we didn't see the plantation in full action. Esteban had a great time with a stick and a baby orange he found - as only a 3 year old can! Isabella was too hot and complained loudly. We tasted oranges fresh off a tree, coffee beans fresh picked from the plant, and some amazing coffee and coffee liqueur produced on location.
After the coffee plantation tour, we had a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant. Esteban discovered that he loves fresh arepas (small corn meal cakes) grilled and buttered.
After the coffee plantation tour, we had a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant. Esteban discovered that he loves fresh arepas (small corn meal cakes) grilled and buttered.
After lunch Jorge took us to the fruit market in Fusagasugá. It was a great chance to see so many different kinds of fruits and vegetables - all being sold by the people who grew them. Colombia has more than 200 different kinds of fruit that grow here, so we were able to ask about some of the unfamilar ones. After dinner back at the hotel we said goodbye to Grandpa Julien, whose taxi came to take him to the airport at 6:00am on Thursday.
Fun! In Sopo where we stayed there were also many cows grazing right next to the road...it always amazed me that the combination of the cows and the exuberant Colombian driving didn't cause more issues. They were kind of intimidating when I would go for walks as well.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful trip! I had no idea there was coffee cultivation that close to Bogota. I love Esteban's Colombian flag shirt, too.
ReplyDeleteThe fruit picture really brings back memories, too. Those golden papayas (called by a different term there, which I can't remember) are many times better than any papaya available in a supermarket here.