Post 72: Salento / Zona Cafeteria Day one

Fellow coffee drinkers,

La Serrana Guesthouse, Salento

It was a fairly smooth bus ride winding through the hills, with the only delay being a military checkpoint.  The soldiers did not bother with any tourists on the bus, but did take a local off the bus and harassed him for no apparent reason.  The young man seemed upset upon getting back on the bus.  I always feel empathy towards those whom are given a hard time where there shouldn't be a problem.  After arriving in the center of the small, quaint town; we trekked on in search of the well reviewed La Serrano eco-farm and geust house.

The house is about 1 mile out of town, down a dirt road lined with cow pastures and tall eucalyptus trees.  The scenery here is gorgeous.  Tall hills, fertile pastures, many trees and flowering shrubs.  The driveway is lined with bushy shrubs, scented like pinecones.  It smells a bit like Christmas.  The guest house is large, and lined with windows overlooking the scenery and a fountain in the entrance.  I look forward to the simple breakfast served in the morning while taking in the view.

Salento, Quindio, Colombia

Back in town, Gavin and I were happy to find a restaurant serving an excellent lunch special at $6,000 pesos(about $3.00).  It consisted of clam chowder broth, an arepa, fruit coleslaw, yuca fries, rice and either grilled steak, chicken, or boneless smoked trout to choose from.  Something cheaper, a little lighter and healthier than what we were used to seeing in the cities.  It was quite a wet day here, as it is the rainy season.  After lunch we strolled the streets, visiting the many shops as this is the main tourist town for visiting the surrounding coffee plantations.  We stopped into a cafe to escape the rain and warm up a bit.  I was happy to find 'chocolate con queso', as I had heard about the hot chocolate with cheese drink to try while in CO.  It was interesting, to say the least.  Salty cheese with bitter hot chocolate, in which you'd have to sweeten yourself.  If the cheese was already melted with the chocolate, I think I could have enjoyed it more.

We're relaxing on this chilly evening in the common area with many other, mostly Aussie tourists.  Tomorrow we plan to awake early and visit a coffee plantation where we will learn of the growing process of the plant, roast and then drink the coffee we roast, and take home what's left.  It's an honor system, the first we've come across in the country.  I look forward to it.

June