Colombia Game Plan Long Weekend in: Bogotá & Coffee Region
Colombia's history began well over 13,000 years ago, as evidence of human occupation dates to that era. Over time, many Andean and Caribbean cultures inhabited the area, including the Tayrona, Sina, Muisca, Quimbaya, Tolima, Calima, Tierradentro, San Agustín, Nariño and Tumaco peoples. The Spanish arrived along the coastal areas of Colombia in the early 1500s and the country became Spain's chief source of gold; Cartagena and Bogota were founded by mid-century. Spain eventually increased taxation of the colonists to fund their home-front war expenses, and the subsequent anger and uprising that occurred were the seeds of the revolution to come. In 1819, Simon Bolivar (a national hero) and his armies defeated the Spanish, and the independent Republic of Gran Colombia was formed; it included Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. By the early 20th century, all of the original partners had withdrawn from the association, and in 1905, Colombia was finally on its own. Since then it has survived a hurricane of political assassinations, internal governmental conflicts, guerrilla activities and drug wars2. Today, it’s on the verge of peace and economic prosperity. It’s an exciting time for Colombia. Date
1
Location
Transit – Bogotá
Transportation
Flight to BOG
Itinerary
Dinner & Drinks
Image: http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/samerica/co.htm
Bogotá
Sunday Coffee Region
Monday Coffee Region
Flight to Armenia Museums & colonial architecture
Coffee Region Arrival, spend time in finca, dinner in town
Cocora Valley & Salento
2
Tuesday Transit – Home Flight to Bog / home
Andres Carne de Res, Chía
Natalia Quintero @nataliazarina 1
Saturday
Stop by Paloquemao Plaza for lunch / fruit tasting
April 2016
Friday
Source: http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/samerica/co.htm
Bogotá
Bogotá suffers the growing pains typical of any major metropolis on the continent (insufficient public transportation, chronic air pollution, petty crime) and a few of its own (a scurrilous drug trade and occasional acts of political violence). However, recent mayors have made some progress in cleaning up parks, resurfacing roads, implementing a new transportation system, and increasing transparency4. Orientation in the city is relatively easy, as the mountains to the east are generally visible from most parts of the city and will generally point you in the direction you’re looking for5.
Social Context6
With a population of about 8.8 million people, Bogota sits approximately 2640m (8,660 feet) above sea level in the Colombian Andes region. It is the third most elevated city in Latin America3. Bogotá offers abundant contrasts: modern shopping malls and open-air markets, high-rise apartments and makeshift shanties, futuristic glass towers and colonial churches. Simultaneous displays of wealth and poverty have been a feature of life here for centuries. In the neighborhood of La Candelaria a rich assemblage of colonial mansions grandly conceived by the Spanish were built by native peoples and financed by plundered gold.
Bogotá has experienced tremendous growth in the past century.
3
Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Bogot%C3%A1
4 5 6
Source: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/colombia/bogota/introduction Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Bogot%C3%A1 Source: http://www.bogotalab.com/articles/bogota_edge.html
The city’s population has grown immensely in the last decades as armed conflict intensified in the countryside forcing many rural Colombians to migrate to urban centers. A curious fact about Colombian demography: the population is divided into socioeconomic strata. The socio-economic stratification system was implemented in the 1980’s to classify urban populations into different strata with similar economic characteristics. The system classifies areas on a scale from 1 to 6 with 1 as the lowest income area and 6 as the highest. In 1994, this stratification policy was made into law in order to grant subsidies to the poorest residents. The system is organized so that the people living in upper strata (5 and 6) pay more for services like electricity, water and sewage than the groups in the lower strata7.
Even though the social stratification system is intended to help the poor, it also divides the city into zones of wealth and poverty. The stratification system is an income-based spatial division that classifies and demarcates the citizens by law8. According to some the stratification system keeps Bogotá in a deadlock and prevents physical and social mobility within the city. Others disagree, seeing the system as a way to identify and invest in communities in need. This stratification may have roots going deep into the sixteenth century because Colombian society has been stratified since the arrival of the conquistadores. The topic of race is also relevant when discussing social dynamics in Colombia since proportions of white ancestry have been an important measure of status for mixed racial groups since the colonial era.
Race Unlike in the United States, race is treated and felt differently in Colombia. The traditional black vs. white narrative does not apply in the country because most Colombians do not define themselves as being one color or race, but rather identify as being mixed or ‘mestizo’.
Bogota by Strata
7
Source: http://www.ifhp.org/ifhp-blog/colombia-social-stratification-law
Race and ethnicity in Colombia descend mainly from three racial groups—Amerindians (indigenous Colombians), blacks, and whites—that have mingled throughout the last 500 years of the country's history. Some demographers describe Colombia as one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the Western Hemisphere and in the World, with 85 different ethnic groups. Most Colombians identify themselves and others according to ancestry, physical appearance, and sociocultural status. 8
Source: http://www.ifhp.org/ifhp-blog/colombia-social-stratification-law
Colombians tend to be very status-conscious, and class identity is an important aspect of social life because it regulates the interaction of groups and individuals.
Peace Process
Colombian government’s increased domestic spending on security” 11. “Under Álvaro Uribe, who followed Mr Pastrana as president, the paramilitaries demobilized and the long standing FARC guerrillas were battered so hard that they agreed, in 2012, to start peace talks with the government of Juan Manuel Santos, Mr Uribe’s successor (and his former defense minister)” 12:. Peace Process Today
Both race and strata are topics to keep in mind when it comes to a discussion of the ongoing peace process. For Background9 10: In 1999 a plan called Plan Colombia was devised by the “administrations of Bill Clinton and Andrés Pastrana, then Colombia’s president”. At the time “the country was on the brink of becoming a failed state, with much of its territory at the mercy of guerrillas, paramilitaries and drug traffickers”. The plan provided Colombia with “almost $10 billion in mainly military aid and created an effective counter-insurgency strategy with the 9
Source: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21676952-peace-process-could-becomeexample-world-time-different 10 http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21688936-juan-manuel-santos-seeks-support-peacewashington-new-plan-colombia
The peace process is an incredible opportunity for Colombia. Signing a peace agreement with terrorist groups that have brought violence to the country for more than 50 years could usher in a new era of peace and prosperity. You’d think that Colombians would be thrilled about this whole situation, right? Not quite. A lot Colombians disagree with the process, for many reasons, including the “worrying levels of impunity” that are being 11
Source: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21676952-peace-process-couldbecome-example-world-time-different 12 Source: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21676952-peace-process-couldbecome-example-world-time-different
presented to the guerrillas as they negotiate their reentry into civilian life13.
Economic Context
A big issue, of many issues, is how demobilized guerrillas will reintegrate into civilian life and into established cities. The largest guerrilla group, the FARC, have “around 6,000 armed troops (plus a similar number in civilian militias)”. Bringing ~12,000 excriminals into cities, to provide them with employment, a supportive social fabric, and an alternative to the life they’ve always known will be a big challenge14. What incentives will demobilized people receive to stay demobilized? If they are given sustenance subsidies, will that be a fair use of public funds? Where will they fit socioeconomically into cities, specifically, into what strata would they be integrated? Is it fair to hard-working strata 1 people with no criminal record to have demobilized guerrilla integrate into a city with better economic opportunities than that group ever had access to? These are some of the questions Colombians will have to face when the Peace Process terminates, assuming it culminates positively. There is a big opportunity for Colombia, but all the hard work lies ahead. Even the peace commissioner says, “These negotiations are extraordinarily difficult, but not remotely as difficult as implementation will be”15. Now that you’re up to date on that front J….
13
http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21688936-juan-manuel-santos-seeks-support-peacewashington-new-plan-colombia Source: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21676952-peace-process-couldbecome-example-world-time-different 15 http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21676952-peace-process-could-becomeexample-world-time-different 14
Bogotá is the country’s main economic driver, along with the other major urban centers (Medellin, Barranquilla, Cali). Good urban governance has reduced corruption in the administrations, stabilized the economy, and encouraged foreign investment. The financial, industrial, communication and retail sectors provide a decent living for the part of the population employed in the formal sector. According to The Economist, in economic terms, Bogotá stands out for its economic strength associated financial maturity, for its ease of business, for the the attraction of global companies and for the quality of its human capital. It is the main market of Colombia and the Andean region, and the leading destination for
new projects of foreign direct investment coming into Latin America. Bogotá has the highest nominal GDP in the country, contributing most to the national total (24.7%). The country as a whole is also doing well (knock on wood!). “Colombia’s economy has done remarkably well over the last decade. Strong growth was driven by an oil and mining boom, foreign direct investment in the commodity sector and broadbased investment. Bilateral free trade agreements and unilateral measures have continued to reduce barriers to trade and investment. A solid monetary, fiscal and financial framework reduced macroeconomic volatility…[and] the improved security situation has also contributed to growth. All this has allowed fast catch-up growth in GDP per capita relative to OECD economies”16. “In 2015, Colombia remained among the fastest growing countries in [Latin America] thanks to effective macroeconomic and fiscal management. Nevertheless, the country was significantly affected by the global economic slowdown and lower oil prices” Colombia’s dependence on oil and commodities leave it vulnerable to global tendencies. One of the projects we are working on this year with my team is helping the Colombian government invest in technical talent so that the country can begin to build a strong talent-based economy and eventually export more software than coffee.
16
https://www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/Overview_Colombia_ENG.pdf
Finally…”Colombia’s flexible exchange regime is the first line of defense to the external shocks. The unfavorable external environment has contributed to a strong depreciation of the peso. The US dollar reached COP 3,052 in March 2016, up from an average of COP 2,000 in 2014” 17. So it’s a very good time to travel to Colombia with dollars!
Politically Bogotá is the capital of the Republic of Colombia, and houses Congress, the Supreme Court and the residence of the President (Casa de Nariño). These buildings are located within a few meters from each other on the Plaza de Bolívar. The square is located in the city's historical center, La Candelaria, which features architecture in Spanish Colonial and Spanish Baroque styles.
17
http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/colombia/overview
Getting Oriented Carreras (think of them as New York Avenues) are abbreviated as Cr., Kra., and Cra. and run parallel to the mountains from South to North. Carrera numbers increase from East to West, away from the mountains - so Carrera 7 is near the mountains and Carrera 100 is far from them - except for a very few carreras near the mountains that increase in reverse order and that have names like "Carrera 1 E" ('E' standing for East).
Neighborhoods • Calles (think of them as NY streets) cross the carreras and run from East to West. Calles are abbreviated as Cll. and Cl. Calle numbers increase from South to North - so Calle 13 is near the center of the city, whereas Calle 200 is one the last streets before exiting Bogota on the northern side.
•
Bogotá was born out of the Candelaria neighborhood. This is where majority of historical sights will be found. Tourists will often find themselves staying between Chapinero, Zona Rosa, and Parque 93. These are Bogotás most developed and modern areas.
To See (Proposed sights J) Day 1: Old Bogotá (Candelaria)
Head back to hotel and get ready for dinner & a long night out… − ★★★Andres Carne de Res. A restaurant-bar that has also become one of the most important touristic attractions of the city. Day 2: Modern Bogotá
We’ll head downtown to see… − ★Plaza Simon Bolivar − ★The Botero Museum − Iglesia Nuestra Senora del Carmen − Gold Museum − ★★Stop by the palace of Emeralds to meet with an emerald broker in case you guys want to buy any gems! − ★National Museum of Art − Plaza de Mercado de Paloquemao − ★Monserrate: an iconic mountain of the city with a church at the top and a very nice view of the city if the day is not too cloudy
In the morning…. − Plaza Del Chorro Del Quevedo − Walk between 72nd and 100th streets around 7th, 9th, 11th and 15th avenue. I would say that this is the most touristic and modern part of the city. It is full of office buildings, malls, residential buildings and parks. − See Parque de la 93 (93rd street between 11th and 13th avenue), which is a park, surrounded by bars and restaurants. − Visit parquet El Virrey (87th street between 7th and 15th avenue) which is a nice green area of the city. − Usaquen (7th avenue between 122nd and 116th streets): This was once a town out of the city but it was absorbed many years ago. It still preserves a little bit of its town
architecture, it is full of good restaurants and there are flea markets during Sundays − Walk around the T zone (84th and 83rd streets between 12th and 13th avenue) which a pedestrian area with restaurants and bars. Walk around 85th and 82nd street to get a sense of the commercial area For lunch a traditional meal at N’s family house… & dinner + drinks at one of these….
Restaurants: − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − −
Rafael (Peruvian) Gordo (wine bar) La Fama (meat) El bandidor (almorzar) La Biferia (meat) Osaki (Asian) Wok (Thai) Crepes & Waffles (Colombian) Frida (Mexican) La Despensa de Rafael Santa Fe Cafe & Restaurante Matiz Harry Sasson Pajares Salinas La Castana Empanadas al Horno Capital Cocina y Café Primi Burdo Bruto Cacio y pepe Blackbear
− − − − − − −
Canoa Gordo Fama Madam Tusan Watakushi Brasserie Rafael
Bars: − − − − − − − − −
Bogata Beer Company El coq Floyd El fabuloso Apache Vitto Armando Records Pravda Centrico
Coffee − Catacion Publica − Amor Perfecto − Juan Valdez Origenes
Dancing: -
Zona T (area) is a great place to pregame / bar hop El Fabuloso. 85th street close to 15th avenue. All types of music Armando All Stars. 85th street close to 15th avenue. All types of music Centrico. Downtown. All types of music
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El Sitio. By parque 93, It has a great atmosphere with bands playing a good mix of salsa, vallenato and more European stuff, great for dancing. Galería Café Libro is the place for Salsa in Bogotá. One of the oldest clubs in town (30 years next year), the best space, the best bands and the best dancers in town! San Sebastián is one of the best place in Bogotá for live music.
Coffee Region:
Other: − Grafitti tours: http://bogotagraffiti.com/#_=_ − Bike tours: http://www.bogotabiketours.com/tour-andrentals/
− Foodie tours: http://www.bogotafoodie.com/bogota-foodtours/
− Quick tours: http://bogotraveltours.com/
Colombia x Coffee It is not known for sure when coffee first reached Colombia. Many historians believe it to be around the same time Jesuit priests first began arriving from Europe in the mid 16th century. The first exports of coffee from Colombia began in 1835 when around 2500 bags were exported to the U.S. By 1875 170,000 bags were leaving the country bound for the U.S. and Europe. The exports grew exponentially over the next hundred years or so and peaked in 1992 at around 17 million bags. Today, Colombian coffee exports are around 10 million bags per year. For many decades Colombia was the world’s second leading producer of coffee behind Brazil. Recently, Vietnam surpassed Colombia in coffee exports to take the number two seat and move Colombia into a close third. However, the old adage of quality over quantity certainly applies here.
The Arabica bean does not grow well in Vietnam. Only the hearty, yet inferior, Robusta is suited for the low, wet climate of Vietnam. Colombian Coffees are far superior and is considered by many coffee experts to be the finest in the world. Any discussion on Colombian Coffee would not be complete without mentioning the wildly successful marketing campaign created by the National Federation of Colombian Coffee Growers18 in 1959. They introduced the world to the friendly and affable Juan Valdez.
The ‘Axe of Coffee’ (Spanish: Eje Cafetero), also known as
Though a fictitious character, the poncho clad, sombrero wearing Juan Valdez gave a face to the humble coffee picker and created a mystique and aura of romance that still survives today.
the Colombian Coffee Region or the Coffee Triangle is a part of the Colombian Paisa region in the rural area of Colombia, famous for growing and production of a majority of the Colombian coffee, considered by some as the best coffee in the world. There are three departments in the area: Caldas, Quindío and Risaralda. The most visited cities are Manizales, Armenia and Pereira19. The Coffee Region is considered to be one of the most beautiful regions of the country, with its mild spring-like climate year round, friendly people and breathtaking natural beauty. The people in the region have a unique laid-back charm, the hustle and bustle of the big cities is readily forgotten, hospitality and friendship take on a new meaning, and there is always time for a coffee, a beer or a chat. Charming small towns such as Salento, Marsella and
18
See: http://www.slideshare.net/zewscr/colombian-coffee-a-renovated-story
19
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian_coffee_growing_axis
Filandia are the cornerstones of the Coffee Region, the major cities of Manizales, Armenia and Pereira serve mainly as a starting point for exploration of the region20.
The selection of the specific varieties is the responsibility of CenicafĂŠ, one of the most sophisticated centers of coffee research in the world.
Learning about Colombian Coffee 21 22
Robusta vs Arabica23
The two varieties differ in taste, growing conditions, price. Arabica beans tend to have a sweeter, softer taste, with tones of sugar, fruit, and berries. Their acidity is higher, with that winey taste that characterizes coffee with excellent acidity.
Colombia only grows Arabica coffee.
Robusta, however, has a stronger, harsher taste, with a grain-like overtone and peanutty aftertaste. They contain twice as much caffeine as Arabica beans, and they are generally considered to be of inferior quality compared to Arabica. Some robustas, however, are of high quality and valued especially in espressos for their deep flavor and good crema.
The species Coffea Arabica L., more commonly known as the Arabica bean, prefers higher altitudes and drier climates than its cousin, the lower quality Robusta bean (C. Robusta). Therefore, the arid mountains and the well-drained, rich volcanic soil of Colombia provide ideal conditions for growing high quality Arabica coffee. The principal varietals of Arabica coffee that are grown in Colombia are: Tipica, Bourbon, Maragogipe, Tabi, Caturra, and Variedad CastilloÂŽ, previously referred to as Variedad Colombia. 20
Source: http://www.thecolombianway.com/en/activities/relaxation/coffee-zone.html Source: http://blackdropcoffeehouse.com/2011/04/featured-bean-of-the-week-colombia-excelsoel-corazon/ 22 Source: http://www.cafedecolombia.com/particulares/en/el_cafe_de_colombia/un_cafe_sobresaliente/ 21
23
Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/coffee-basics-the-difference-b-41949
Robustas, however, are easier to grow. They can grow at lower altitutes than Arabicas, and they are less vulnerable to pests and weather conditions. They produce fruit much more quickly than the Arabicas, which need several years to come to maturity, and they yield more crop per tree. Robusta is grown exclusively in the Eastern Hemisphere, primarily in Africa and Indonesia. Arabica is also grown in Africa and Papua New Guinea, but it's grown dominantly in Latin America. Colombia only produces Arabica beans. Some countries, like Brazil and India, produce both.
Arabica, then, ends up being pricier, of course. Most supermarket coffee is exclusively robusta, and instant and cheap ground coffees are certainly robusta. You can still find Arabica in the grocery store, but just because it's labeled Arabica does not mean it's of high quality.
The soil where coffee is grown in Colombia varies from sandy to rocky and even clay like, in slopes that vary from flat to slightly undulated to steep and dramatic, with marked differences in the origin of the soil in relation to other coffee producing countries. In Colombia there are different Coffee Regions throughout the three mountain ranges: Eastern, Central, and Western soils of igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic origin are found. The main characteristic of the soils in the Colombian Coffee Regions is that most of these soils have volcanic origins, which have a rich content of organic material and good physical characteristics, reducing the need to apply fertilizer. Colombian Coffees are grown in two main regions, the central region around Medellin, Armenia and Manizales, known as MAM to aficionados, and the eastern, more mountainous region near BogotĂĄ and Bucaramanga. MAM varieties are known for their heavy body, rich flavor and fine, balanced acidity while the mountain grown eastern beans produce an even richer, heavier, less acidic coffee. The finest coffee comes from this region. Arabica coffee is a product that originated in the mountains of Eastern Africa, and its cultivation demands particular soil requirements, temperature conditions, atmospheric precipitation and certain altitude over sea level. Because high quality coffee crops grow only at altitudes of nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, these beans can only be found in Eastern Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia) and in Colombia24. The ideal conditions for the cultivation of this species in Colombia are found between the 1.200 meters (4,000 ft) and 1.800 meters 24
Though I would argue Hawaiian coffee could be a strong competitor because of the similar altitude and volcanic soils in which the beans are cultivated. We’ll have to try both to see!
(6,000 ft) above the sea level, with temperatures between 17 and 23 degrees centigrade (62-75 fahrenheit) and with precipitations close to 2.000 millimeters (78 inch) per year, well distributed along the year. Although these conditions are very frequent, it is also possible to produce an outstanding coffee at altitudes of up to 2,300 meters (7,500 ft) or marginally lower than 1,200 m., and with different levels or frequency of precipitations.
The convergence of these winds over Colombia generates two significant rain seasons every year in the center of the country: April to May, and October to November. The convergence of these winds, also known as doldrums, combined with the varied topography permit an adequate distribution and amount of rain throughout the year, with enough water to complete all of the productive cycle of the crop.
The Colombian Coffee region is suited for producing high quantities of high quality coffee with nearly 3.3 million hectares located at ideal altitudes and distributed within the mountainous regions of the country.
The general tendency in the Colombian Coffee Region is the presence of two intercalated dry and rainy seasons throughout the year, permitting the regular blossoming and harvest of fresh coffee. The geographical location of Colombia submits it to the influences of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Amazon, the presence of inter-Andean valleys and the topography allows the presence of different tropical microclimates that offer many smaller unique ecosystems.
Other environmental factors associated with the temperature at which coffee grows are also crucial for obtaining a superior quality beverage. The proximity to the equator line (0 degrees latitude) generates a solar exposure that influences the median temperatures registered in the Colombian mountain chains. At these altitudes in the tropics, moderate temperatures are present year long, without extreme variations. Another unique factor that distinguishes Colombian coffee is the presence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), where the atmospheres from the northern and southern hemispheres collide.
In summary, the climate of Colombia's coffee growing regions is not only characterized by a high amount of rainfall, thus avoiding the use of artificial hydration, but also consists of marked rainy seasons that generate specific harvest seasons and consequently the availability of fresh coffee throughout the year. Finally, perhaps the most important aspect of the coffee produced in Colombia comes down to the manual labor that is used for the cultivation of the coffee. Thanks to the presence of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation, the country has developed a support system for the product that is backed by the development of a quality coffee culture. This culture is based on the collective action of over half a million coffee growing families that directly attend the coffee crops, selectively harvesting the beans and carefully and patiently performing the post harvest processes that
would let them pass the diverse quality controls to which Colombian Coffee is exposed to, from the farm up to the global consumption centers. Clearly, the valued work of people involved in the cultivation, harvest and post harvesting of coffee are fundamental for obtaining a product of superior quality.
Bonus Info25:
The coffee from each region of Colombia is "fingerprinted". Not only can an expert cupper taste the differences, the unique characteristics of each cup can been mapped out by their chemical composition. This aids Cenicafe, the National Coffee Research Center, in protecting the brand of Colombian coffee. Occasionally counterfeit coffees are found in the marketplace claiming to be 100% Colombian coffee. The folks at Cenicafe are able to test the product from the store and verify the claim before taking action.
25
Source: http://www.coffeenate.com/origin-trip-to-colombia-mindthebean/
Visiting We’ll See….
Armenia (small city), Salento (pueblo), and the Cocora Valley (coffee valley) Saturday • Land in Armenia • Transfer to Hotel in Salento • House or Hotel
• • • • •
Sunday
Monday
Wake up in Salento Coffee Tasting Explore the town Lunch Paragliding (?)
• Day Hike or Horse ride • Transfer back to Armenia for flight to Bogota
Armenia26. Despite the city of Armenia literally crumbling down less than 20 years ago after a major earthquake, it is now once again a center of commerce and trade in Colombia’s coffee region. Nicknamed the “Miracle City,” Armenia has grown more powerful out of its ashes. The city is now the gateway for thousands of tourists each year looking to visit the sites of Quindío.
Salento. In the heart of coffee country, the adorable village of Salento is one of the region’s earliest settlements, and its slow development means the original lifestyle and buildings of the paisa journeymen who settled here in 1842 have barely been altered since. Rural workers clad in cowboy hats and ruanas (Colombian ponchos) are a common sight. The colorful, wonderfully photogenic one-storey homes of thick adobe and clay-tile roofs that surround the plaza are as authentic as it gets. From the top of Calle Real, steps lead to Alto de la Cruz, a hilltop mirador offering unbeatable vistas of the Valle de Cócora and, on a clear day, the peaks of snow-clad volcanoes in Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados27. Salento sits atop the Valle de Cocora, which contains a thick forest of the skyscraper wax palm, Colombia’s national plant, growing up to 60m high. The valley, which offers picturesque hikes, is easily explored in a day-trip from Salento. The hamlet of Cócora, with a handful of restaurants, small shops and hotels, lies 11km east of Salento28. Plan for guided walks through Cocora, returning to Salento or continuing through the forests and onwards to the nature reserve of Acaime. • An excellent location for ornithologists and wildlife photographers hoping to spot some of the local hummingbirds and barranqueros. • Also closeby: San Alberto, Recuca or the Hacienda Venecia. • In Salento you’ll find typical coffee fincas where the coffee production process is explained. You can include a horse •
26
Source: http://2backpackers.com/12351/south-america/colombia-travel-armenia-the-departmentof-quindio
27
Read more: http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/south-america/colombia/tierrapaisa/salento/#ixzz450yCvwCi 28 Source: http://2backpackers.com/12351/south-america/colombia-travel-armenia-the-departmentof-quindio
ride between fincas, river rafting on the Rio Vieja or a visit to the Mariposario butterfly garden of Armenia.
worthwhile Reserva Acaime (entrance COP$3000), home to eighteen species of hummingbirds that flock to its bird feeders. The price includes a large mug of revitalizing hot chocolate and a chunk of locally produced cheese. You then retrace your steps to the main trail that crosses nine rickety wooden Indiana Jonesstyle bridges over the Río Quindío before the Finca La Montaña branch culminates at a mountain-top viewing platform with exhilarating valley views. The way down along a wide gravel road takes you past a cluster of wax palms – Colombia’s national tree30.
The Valle de Cocora (Valley of Cocora) Natural Park29. The cloud forest at Valle de Cocora is a prime example of the amazing diversity of fauna and flora characteristic of Colombia's coffee region. From Cócora a well-trodden path leads into misty, pristine cloudforest, scattered with the remains of pre-Columbian tombs and dwellings. Orchids, bromeliads and heliconias are just some of the plant species that thrive here, and the fauna includes spectacled bear, native deer and puma, along with hundreds of bird species such as toucans, eagles and motmots. A five- to sixhour loop walk starts from the blue gate in Cócora; the muddy track passes a trout farm and runs through farmland for around 45 minutes before reaching the park entrance, after which you’re following an uneven, slippery trail through cloudforest. The trail eventually branches, with one track leading up to the extremely 29
Source: http://2backpackers.com/12351/south-america/colombia-travel-armenia-the-departmentof-quindio
Los Nevados National Park31 The northern region of Quindío, and another short bus ride from Armenia, holds central Colombia’s highest peaks and one of the country’s best national parks. Here you can hike into the heart of Colombia and up into snow capped mountains. The Nevado del Ruiz volcano dominates the area but there are another half dozen volcanoes to visit as well. 30
Read more: http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/south-america/colombia/tierra-paisa/vallede-cocora/#ixzz450wdCE9F 31 Source: http://2backpackers.com/12351/south-america/colombia-travel-armenia-the-departmentof-quindio
Do Coffee Tasting / Fincas Hikes
Café Jesus Martin. Great café with small cakes and coffee based drinks. http://www.cafejesusmartin.com/experiencias/ ★★★Ocaso Cafe Tour. (Salento) Ocaso offers a great tour (spanish or english) throughout their beautiful coffee farm just outside of Salento. The tour takes about an hour. During it, you'll learn about the different stages of a coffee plant's life, the different types of coffee plants, how the plants are cultivated and harvested, as well as how beans are processed to turn into coffee. At the end you get a great cup of fresh coffee. http://www.fincaelocasosalento.com/ ★★★Finca Don Eduardo Coffee Farm. (Salento) The original Plantation House is well over 100 years old and originally was the coffee plantation house in Salento. In the garden there are still
various coffee plants that give you just a hint of the history of the area. To fully experience the Zona Cafetera you must visit a working coffee farm (Finca) and walk amongst the coffee plants and see the process for yourself. There are a number of working coffee farms around the Salento area and we will happily provide you with information on many of them. Plantation House now has its own coffee farm (Finca Don Eduardo) which is just 10 minutes walk from Salento. Here it is possible to get a detailed explanation of the various stages from coffee cherries (cafe cerezas) on the plants themselves, through to the dried and roasted beans. As of the 1st October 2012 Tours in English take place daily at 9.00am. The Plantation House. Alto de Coronel, Calle 7 1-04, Salento, Quindio, Colombia ★★Coffee Tour "Finca El Ocaso": Located on the Palestinian Vereda, 3.8 km from Salento, La Finca El Ocaso offers guided in Spanish and English about the traditional process of planting, production, processing, marketing and preparation of a specialty coffee tour sustainable. This typical peasant farm has trails of coffee plantations where you can observe the biodiversity of a crop of coffee. An option to learn more about the coffee culture. Acaime hike in Valle de Cocora. Most people go to Acaime and back in 3-4 hours. Passing through Finca La Montana on the way there or back is a must - you walk along palm trees and the views are amazing. Those with more time can continue after Acaima. In two hours you reach a refugio and in a couple more hours on a muddy track you reach the paramo. Those who start very early (the first transport from Salento is at 6.10 am) and are very fit can go back from here in the same day. Otherwise, a couple more hours of hiking on the paramo takes you to a hut where you can
get food and spend the night. The next day you can go down to Salento RECUCA. Hacienda Recuca is the liveliest introduction to the world of coffee production and the lives of the cafeteros, the people of the Coffee Zone that have coffee coursing through their veins. Recuca makes for a participative and caffeine-infused experience as their expert guides bring to life the culture of coffee. With demonstrations, the chance to pick your own coffee cherries and to dress up as a cafetero, it really is the caramel and cream topped frappuccino of coffee experiences. Surrounded by beautiful vistas, authentic bamboo structures and the Willys jeeps that are so common to the area. You really will feel every bit the authentic cafetero. http://www.recuca.com/
Lodging Recognized for producing world-class coffee, coffee fincas (farms) in the Zona Cafetera are now following in the footsteps of the wine industry and opening their doors to curious tourists. Fincas range from traditional estates still attended by their owner to deceptively modern rural hotels where the only coffee you’ll find comes served with breakfast. Scenically, the farms look out on lush slopes, overgrown with the shiny-leaved coffee shrubs and interspersed with banana plants and bamboo-like guadua forests. Many will also arrange horseriding and walks, and they make an ideal base to explore the region’s many attractions32.
Finca La Morelia. Un recorrido con guianza especializada a través de los campos de la Finca La Morelia le permitirá conocer los detalles que revelan el excelente sabor y aroma del café La Morelia. http://www.cafelamorelia.com/visitas-guiadas-finca-lamorelia.html El Descanso. http://eldescansocoffee.com/about-quality/ Granja de Mama Lulu. http://granjamamalulu.blogspot.com.co/ Canopy Los Caracoles. Zip lining through plantain farms. http://www.canopyloscaracolies.com/precios.html Cafe San Alberto. (Buenavista) Coffee Tour with amazing views. http://www.cafesanalberto.com/#_=_
Hotel Mirador las Palmas, near Armenia, is typical of the newer hotels. Its rooms are just meant for sleeping, but outside is an infinity pool with a mountain range beyond, plus a restaurant above it all offering views across a whole valley. (http://www.hotelmiradorlaspalmas.com/galeria/) La Posada del Café. BnB in Salento. Old style house set in a lovely tranquil garden away from the hubub of the main street. http://www.laposadadelcafe.com/index.php?la-posada_en 32
Read more: http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/south-america/colombia/tierrapaisa/pereira/#ixzz450yYnQ9t
Hacienda La Cabaña. http://haciendalacabana.com/mainpagina-id-10.htm Hotel El Rancho de Salento. http://elranchodesalento.com/ • Coordinamos Cabalgatas y caminatas ecológicas por diferentes recorridos y hermosos paisajes nativos • Tour Bosque Palma de Cera. -The palm Forest. Ver más • Caminatas ecológicas por diferentes senderos -Eco-hiking in differenttrails. • Cabalgatas por diferentes recorridos -Horsebackriding in differenttrails • Paseo al río con fiambre incluido -Picknik at river • Tour cafetero en Salento -Coffee tour in Salento • Actividades que se realizan en el Quindío The Plantation House. Hostel with great coffee tour: http://theplantationhousesalento.com/coffee/coffeefarmtours/spa nish.shtm Hacienda Guayabal Cra 3 No. 15–72 Chinchiná 314 772 4856, www.haciendaguayabal.com. Runs tours, in English, of their postcard-perfect coffee farm (COP$30,000). Guests can stay in the main house, and the price includes a tour, three meals and use of the swimming pool. To get there, take a bus from Manizales or Pereira to Chinchiná (30min) and then travel the last 3km by taxi or catch a bus from in front of the church to the farm. Per person COP$50,00033
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Read more: http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/south-america/colombia/tierrapaisa/pereira/#ixzz450yrDH6K
Hacienda Venecia C 59 No. 24A–18 6 885 0771, haciendavenecia.com. This fourth-generation, familyowned working coffee farm is an essential stop for anyone who wants to learn more about coffee production, roasting techniques, trade and aromas. Proud owner Juan Pablo exports coffee as well as roasting for the domestic market. Tours (COP$30,000 including pick-up from Manizales) of his sprawling plantation allow visitors to observe the production process from start to finish. Spend a night at the guesthouse, swinging in a hammock on the veranda, firefly-spotting and listening to the croaks of happy frogs in the swimming pool. Breakfast included. To get there, catch a taxi (COP$35,000) or take a jeep from the Plaza de Mercado in Manizales (3 daily at 6am, midday and 5pm; COP$3000). Per person COP$30,00034. ★Hotel EL Mirador Del Cocora. Great views, shortage of rooms with views. ★Reserva El Cairo. (Salento, bird watching) No rooms available but stunning BNB + In the 100 acres that surround the house there is a primary forest with an inventory of more than 40 species of birds and also with the biggest amount of another variety of wax palm "Ceroxylon Alpinum" which has a thinner trunk but the same height (biggest palm in the world with heights up to 60 meters). This wax palm was qualified by the Alexander Von Humbolt Institute as “endangered” as well as the yellow-eared parrots that only make their nests in these palms. http://www.reservaelcairo.com/
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Read more: http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/south-america/colombia/tierrapaisa/pereira/#ixzz450yrDH6K
★Airbnb houses: • Salento Finca 1 https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/8035896?wl_source=list&w l_id=129438208&role=owner&check_in=2016-0416&guests=6&check_out=2016-04-18 • Salento Finca 2 https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/360292?wl_source=list&wl _id=129438208&role=owner
Restaurants • • •
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★Cafe Bernabe Gourmet. Best restaurant in Salento Camino Real Parrilla Bar. Good food, great view. Cra. 6 #1-35 / 310 4250197 Almuerzo en Bosques de Cocora. Ubicación km 11 via al Parque Natural Valle del Cocora, salento Quindio, Salento, Colombia 3218317913 Luciernaga. Good food, good view, good for lunch. Cr. 3 # 9-19, Salento, Colombia 310 425019 Café Jesus Martin. Great café with small cakes and coffee based drinks. http://www.cafejesusmartin.com/experiencias/
Paraiso Rides-Day Tours. Comprehensive local guides of region http://www.paraisorides.com/salento-tour/ Quindio Aventurero. Paraglading in Calarca and Buenavista. http://quindioaventurero.co/donde-volamos.html BetaTown. (Salento) Great for American food, paragliding, and tejo games. http://www.beta.com.co/ Bar Danubio. (Salento). Local beer and billard bar. Carrera 6 entre calles 4 y 5 | Calle Real, Salento 631020, Colombia
Food to try
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Colombian cuisine includes traditions and practices that vary widely between its Caribbean shorelines, Pacific coast, mountains, jungles, and ranchlands. The cuisine varies regionally by a lot!
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The ‘typical’ food you’ll find in a cold city that lies at the top of a mountain (i.e. hot soups for breakfast) will vary significantly from the ‘typical’ food you’ll find a few mountain ranges over by the ocean (i.e. fresh fruits & coffee for breakfast). Keep this is mind when you travel! The food traditions of a few cities or pueblos are not representative of the traditions of the entire country J
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Cherimoya (custard apple), was described by Mark Twain as "the most delicious fruit known to man". Tomate de arbol (tamarillo) is delicious when mixed with cinnamon to make a juice. Mamoncillo, a little like a lychee drenched in lime Curuba – think banana crossed with passionfruit Maracuya (a type of passionfruit) Pitahaya (dragonfruit) Nispero (a type of medlar, with sweet, rich flesh). Granadilla, a cousin of the passionfruit, and the fruit that proves Twain wrong. Also Uchuva and zapote
Main Dishes36
Fruit native to Colombia35: Lulo (also known as naranjilla) makes a refreshing light juice, with a sweet-sour-citrus flavor • Guanaba (soursop), a fruit that has been recently linked to natural cures for cancer is delicious with milk •
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http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jul/12/colombia-mountains-coffee-plantations-hotels
Ajiaco: It includes chicken, two (preferably three) kinds of potatoes, corn, sour cream, capers, avocado and guasca. Guasca is a special herb that grown throughout the Americas and gives the soup its distinct flavor. 36
Source: http://www.southamerica.cl/Colombia/Food.htm
Bandeja Paisa: A huge mixture of food on more of a platter than a plate, it consists of grilled steak, fried pork rind, chorizo sausages, on a bed of rice and red beans that is then topped with a fried egg and a side of sliced avocado and sweet banana (chips). It is arguably the national dish of Colombia, though it is traditional of the coffee region.
Arepa: The basic side to any Colombian meal. It is a bread made from cornmeal, similar to a thick pancake. It is normally eaten with an adornment of butter, although sometimes corn is added. There are MANY different types of arepas across Colombia.
BuĂąuelos: Are popular ball shaped fritters and eaten as a snack in many South American countries. The Colombian version is made with dough of curd of white cheese that gets fried until golden brown. It is a typical Christmas dish.
Arroz con Coco: It is a common side dish of the Caribbean coast of Colombia. White rice is cooked in coconut milk with water, salt and sugar.
Changua: Breakfast in the Andean Mountains normally consists of this creamy soup made with milk, water, eggs, and scallions. The eggs are dropped into the mixture without breaking the yolks. It is served with cilantro and a piece of stiff bread that soaks in the mixture. Empanadas: It is a stuffed pastry that can either be sweet or savory. The savory Colombian empanadas are filled with beef, chicken and/or cheese as well as with rice and coriander. They usually differ from Chilean or Argentinean empanadas in they are fried, not baked.
and spices which is cooked for ten hours in a clay oven. It is served with arepa. This dish is often served at parties and other large gatherings. Morcilla Rellena: Blood sausage or blood pudding, this is a common Colombian dish that is normally served with barbecues.
Hogao: This typical Colombian side dish is widely used for meats, arepas, rice and other dishes. It is a sauce made with onions and tomatoes. There are many permutations to hogao.
Patacones / Platano Asado: Plantains fried or roasted to accompany various meals. Sancocho: It is a common dish although ingredients do vary by region. It usually includes chicken, plantains, yucca, cilantro, corn, and potatoes. Sometimes fish is used instead of chicken in the Caribbean though you may find meat or pork instead too. Sopa de Mondongo: A soup containing tripe with potatoes, peas, carrots, coriander and corn.
Ají: Colombian spicy sauce. It’s usually not very spicy because Colombians don’t like spicy food though L Lechona: Is a typical dish from the Tolima area and consists of a whole roasted pig, stuffed with rice, yellow peas, green onions
Desserts Arroz con Coco: Coconut rice pudding, it can be served as a side dish or a dessert. It is made with cinnamon. Natilla: Custard-like pudding of sweet maizena (corn starch) instead of eggs.
Tamales (different than Envueltos!!): Cooked corn dough filled with meat, chicken and vegetable wrapped in banana leaves. Tamales Tolimenses (famous in the Tolima region) are filled with chicken, pork, rice, potatoes, carrots, peas and spices.
Obleas: arequipe served on on the very thin and round wafers
Logistics / Car Rentals • • • • •
Colombia57 http://www.colombia57.com/group_tours_colombia_tailor_made_colombia The Colombian Way http://www.thecolombianway.com/en/ourtrips/package/coffee-zone.html Turismo Café http://turismocafe.com/valle-de-cocora Car Rental: http://turismoquindio.com/alquiler_autos.php Car rental http://milanocar.com/
Worthwhile Reads •
Envuelto: a food of indigenous origin composed of cornmeal, cassava or banana leaves wrapped in corn husks and boiled or parboiled in boiling water. It is typical and is deeply rooted in the Caribbean coast of Colombia and Panama.
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http://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/12/16/10318056/juan-valdez-fnc-colombiacoffee http://www.thebeanbangtheory.com/ http://ceremonycoffee.com/blog/8-jun-2015/beyond-juan-valdez-los-cafeterosespresso-series http://colombiancoffeehub.com/origin/?filter=all http://seecolombia.travel/blog/2013/02/from-the-archives-a-brief-introductionto-colombian-music-from-champeta-to-cumbia/