Troy and I (Tim was still sick and stayed at the Hostel) traveled to the Hacienda Venecia coffee farm located near Manizales in an area called the Zona Caffeteria, Columbia's coffee growing region. The tour included the history and types of coffee, growing operations, processing and methods of roasting. We got to practice sorting beans and roasted a small batch of coffee.
Columbia is unique with two wet and dry seasons annually producing two harvests per year, the freshness of the beans adding to the the quality. Columbia has strict export standards and only the finest beans are sold to maintain a high quality. We also learned that Juan Valdez was a real person elected among coffee growers as the face of Columbian Coffee as part of an advertising campaign.
They are now on the third person elected to this position, the most recent was very excited to receive the honour but his wife was not because he is required to wear the traditional moustache.
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| Juan Valdez. An advertising Campaign, they are on their 3rd Juan. |
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| Drying the coffee beans |
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| Neal and some of the bags of beans. |
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| Neal and a Turkey (turkey on the left) |
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| A Canadian girl they guys met on the trip. |
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| Troy doing his best Neal impression, |
We are at the Manizales hostel for the last few days, it has been a great place with lots of fun backpackers from all over the world coming and going.
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| Playing Jenga |
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| Tonight's BBQ and poker game. |
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| Neal entertaining some English folks. |
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| Neal Dawes, US American. |
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| Coffee Fields... |
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