Google map: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=pt-PT&geocode=&q=salento+colombia&ie=UTF8&ll=4.713303,-76.099548&spn=5.363193,11.206055&z=7
Colombia is known world-wide by the quality of its coffee exports. But, curiously enough, it’s hard to find a good cup of the black stuff around here. First, expresso is a rarity – you have quite a few coffee shops that sell it in the big cities, but beyond that it’s considered a (rare) luxury. Second, most of the good grains are sent away as exports. It was worse years ago, when all of the higher quality coffee was sold abroad and only the cheap one was left for Colombians to drink. But that reality still holds mostly true. In result, most of the “tintos” (black coffee, “americano” style) I have been drinking in Colombia haven’t given me much to write home about…
But well, if the coffee hasn’t impressed me, I’ve been taken by the beauty of the region where it comes from – the “eje cafetero”, a vast mountainous area south of Medellín.
Even if the towns and villages in this area aren’t particularly beautiful (the recent, consecutive and destructive earthquakes haven’t helped either!), nature, with its steep and lush hills that uniquely combine typical high altitude vegetation with tropical flora, provides plenty of charm.
It’s even better when you can spend the nights in a “finca” in the middle of nowhere (better said, in the middle of the beautiful hills), owned by a couple of very friendly Colombian hippies and populated by their numerous dogs. A very cosy environment, and an opportunity for me to showcase the new card magic tricks I’ve been learning along the way. I impressed… :-D
P.S.: Talking of coffee, I’ve to pay tribute to a great Colombian invention – the “carajillo”. It’s basically a “tinto”, with a bunch of spices on it, and some brandy. I haven’t tried it yet, but find its naming brilliant nonetheless! (probably only to be understood by Portuguese speakers…)
From far...
...and from a bit closer. Colombian milk is abundant and really good - only if you could find it partially skimmed! They drink it with so much fat around here- what a waste!
Tropical flora where less expected - at more than 2,000m altitude. This is the "palma de cera", the Colombian national tree. It's close to extinction - not very good for the national identity, is it?
Hiking in "vale de Cocora" - it had been a while since I last walked a bit in a mountain
Another encounter with Colombians, another good experience. This time I got a ride back to the village centre (Salento) and an invitation to get to know the best Salsa places in Cali. Maybe next time...
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