Salento to Hacienda Venecia, in the heart of coffee country

Our drive once we left Salento,  takes us through the city of Pereira - said to be the home of prostitutes, but I’m sure that is a slight overstatement. Regardless we didnt see much as it was dark. 

But we did make a comfort stop and just happened to find a chorizo BBQ on the sidewalk. Of course I had to try it and between a few of us ordered enough so we each got a taste. It was the BEST taster yet. Freshly bbq’d chorizo with corn bread (arepa) drizzled with lime (limon) juice. What a snack! We shared them round, licked our fingers, dribbled and ooooh. 

After a windy downhill drive we arrive at Haceienda Venecia Coffee Farm. Another heavenly place right in the middle of the Colombian coffee region. 

It was bucketing down but we could hear the raucus sound of the toads in the bushes.  Our rooms were beautifully apportioned and each had a tiny balcony opening off the side. Daylight will tell what lies out there.  Huge big hammocks and a wee dining area sit around the home on the huge verandahs. Its just idyllic. 

A dining room had been set up for our meal and we were waited on hand and foot by the lovely staff. It was our first opportunity to sit all together in peace and quiet, chat, laugh and solve the worlds problems. What a super night.  Our dinner? Plantain soup, Lomo Saltado and the BEST carrot cake, all in a stunning homely and welcoming setting. 

 

Carmel and I checked out the options for some extra activities for tomorrow with some great options available. We go on a tour of the plantation and then learn about the various processes in the afternoon but we have a free morning to go on hikes, have a massage (pick me!), learn about making chocolate (pick me before my massage), learn about coffee cupping or just hang around. Its so gorgeous doing nothing is quite appealing. 

As another lovely Colombian day comes to an end I am now lying in bed listening to the sounds of nature and the droplets of rain landing on my wee balcony. Through the blackness of the night I can see the glimmer of two street lights, a testament to how far removed from anything it feels. I hope I wake early enough to be able to see and hear the world waking up. For anyone that knows me they will know that I haven’t made that statement lightly. I never want to wake early (unless its for travel) but here I am a tad out of my normal self and loving the serenity and welcome of this gorgeous place. 

I can’t wait for the sun to rise, to grab a coffee and go back to bed and listen to nature and then go exploring. Buenas Noches mis amigos. 

Waking in Paradise

As I’d hoped I woke to the sound of chirping birds, a babbling brook, the odd toad and the smell of coffee wafting from the kitchen. I threw open the balcony doors and as I’d expected was greeted by a sea of green, lush verdant green; so beautiful, so intoxicating but at the same time unbelievably calming.

What a way to start the day at Hacienda Venecia in the midst of Colombia’s coffee zone. 

Breakfast included hot toast, which for me was divine. First toast in three weeks and oh so good particularly in that it gave me fortification for our walk. 

A group of us took off, armed with a map of the plantation, going somewhere. It didn’t matter that we had no destination and simply walked for a while and turned back. The greeness continued and the scenery was sublime so we just chatted and took it all in. 

By the time we got back that pool looked just too tempting so togs donned I tried it out. My first expletive started with an ‘f’ giving an indication of how cold it was. That shock over with, it actually turned out to be quite pleasant and a welcome novelty. 

I didn’t manage a hot shower in the morning as the water was having a fit so a hot shower was  now on my radar. Sadly hot it wasn’t, but wet it was and to be clean, fully maintained and re-humanised was beyond wonderful. 

Just in time for lunch, a bowl of hot beans and rice with avocado, arepa, fried plantain and chorizo on the side.  Delicious. Nearly time for our coffee plantation walk. Bring it on.