Panama and Columbia

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6 февраля 2026 г.
Panama and Columbia
Loudoun County
8 февраля, Соединенные Штаты ⋅ 🌬 -5 °C
At IAD and of course, Vino Volo!
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ПутешественникYour favorite part of the trip! Buon Viaggio
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ПутешественникCertainly my favorite part of the departure!
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ПутешественникNothing like the leaving (and then the return!)
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Panama and Columbia
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Panama is even more interesting than exp
9 февраля, Панама ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Our first impressions of Panama are highly positive — architecture, history, and charm. They bill the country as the place where the world meets — “a land divided, the world united.”

Approximately 34 ships transit the canal each day. We saw a grain carrier, a car carrier, 2 container ships, and 2 sailboats pass through the 2 locks at Miraflores in a little over an hour. It’s quite an operation, with 4 locomotives on each side of the canal to hold the ship in place so that it doesn’t hit the side of the canal. At least 2 Panamanian pilots and as many as 4, take each ship through the canal. The entire transit takes about 10 hours.

We also toured the previous American zone, with its Victorian administrative buildings and houses. Looked similar to the American military tropical architecture at Pearl Harbor. I loved it!

Saw a great IMAX movie narrated by Morgan Freeman showed the history off the canal, quite a feat. It was started by Teddy Roosevelt in 1904 and completed in 1914.Читать далее
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Путешественник In front of
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Путешественник Daring Greatly! Love this quote,. I recognize it but didn't know it was regarding the Panama Canal. What an amazing thing.
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Путешественник Wow, powerful words!
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Путешественник Always wanted to visit!
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Panama and Columbia
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Distrito de Panamá
9 февраля, Панама ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Путешественник I love the ironwork!!!
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Путешественник Wow. When painted?
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ПутешественникWe couldn’t find any data on when painted but he likely made sketches during construction and painted the murals soon after completion of the canal. En Van Ingen also painted murals in the Library of Congress and in the Pennsylvania State House
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Путешественник😮
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3 лайка
Panama and Columbia
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Distrito de Panamá
9 февраля, Панама ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Путешественник Looks delicious!
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Panama and Columbia
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Distrito de Panamá
9 февраля, Панама ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
Путешественник Fancy
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Путешественник Iirc they tore it down in 2018 or 2019
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ПутешественникCheck out the Panama Canal Museum in the old colonial part of Panama City. Really interesting. We spent 2 hrs and could have spent more. Also the canal visitors center at Miraflores is pretty cool. A bit like watching paint dry though. It takes a LONG TIME to lift a huge ship!
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ПутешественникThanks for the tip on the Panamá Canal Museum, Kevin. It’s only a block from our hotel. We’ve added to our itinerary for Wed.
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Panama and Columbia
Distrito de Panamá
10 февраля, Панама ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Jungle, locks, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
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ПутешественникI hit the Download button by accident. Will add photos and commentary later
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Panama and Columbia
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Distrito de Panamá
10 февраля, Панама ⋅ 🌙 26 °C
Путешественник What is corvina?
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ПутешественникA local white fish. Really good
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Путешественник Oooh, I wonder which animal that is
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ПутешественникOur driver David called it an anteater
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Panama and Columbia
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Distrito de Panamá
10 февраля, Панама ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
Путешественник That’s SO COOL! Why 2 gates though?
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ПутешественникI asked that question, too, and it seems that there are 2 in case one fails. Expensive back-up but cheaper than damaging a ship. Even the original locks have 2 gates
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ПутешественникMy guess is they’re afraid of failures because of water contamination. Both ends of the canal branch into Lake Gatun, which is the main source of fresh water for Panama City and Colon. Each time they open the locks it gets a little more salinated. But if the locks fail…
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Panama and Columbia
Distrito de Panamá
10 февраля, Панама ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
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Panama and Columbia
Distrito de Panamá
10 февраля, Панама ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
ПутешественникYou look like you’re having a wild time!
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ПутешественникThere something new to see or discover continually
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3 лайка
Panama and Columbia
Distrito de Panamá
11 февраля, Панама ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Enjoying the historic center (Casio Viejo)
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ПутешественникI love all the architecture of the old town!
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ПутешественникAmazing coffee art
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Casco Antiguo
11 февраля, Панама ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Spent a lovely day on our own roaming the byways of the Old City (est. ca. 1835). Breakfast at Alura, a coffee house recco'd by our driver. A nice place (see Marcia's cup) with good service.
Then in rapid desultory fashion: the hotel d'ville museo, Panama Chocolate (yes!), Plaza Frances, the Bougainvillea Arbor, National Theater, St Filip Neri Church, Independence Plaza and the Cathedral.
Back to the hotel for Thu & Fri signups and then wandering the other side of town (not as nice).
Supper at a hole-in-the-wall Corcho (Cork) which was unexpectedly Ab-Fab. Tapas, good reasonably priced wine, great food and conversation friendly.
Tomorrow: Boat Trip!Читать далее
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Путешественник You look just like Mom in the picture with your bucket hat on!
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Путешественник Love the rooster at the top!
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Путешественник 😆
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Panama and Columbia
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Locks & Lakes of Panama
12 февраля, Панама ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
Fab day today of both weather and activities; got some underway time to boot!
We picked up a 1/2 day Canal excursion at Flamenco Island Marina by Panama Marine Adventures. Our vessel, appropriately the Pacific Queen, was only 1/3 full but even still we had the best seats over the bow.
Departing the marina, we picked up our Pilot and went under the Bridge of the Americas right into the lower level of the Miraflores Locks. We were lucky in that they took us and another tour vessel (nowhere near as nice as the PQ) by ourselves for both of these locks.
The Miraflores Locks put us on Miraflores Lake which is fed by the Rio Grande and is on the eastern side of the Continental Divide.
Next up were the Pedro Miguel Locks but by this time we caught up with the MV Bastille Street, a tanker, with which we were obliged to share the lock.
At Miraflores, we easily fit inside both of the inner doors, so the Canal Authority kept the water level up to save water ( see photo). This was not the case at Pedro M. where our lock mate was 180 meters.
Pedro empties onto Gatun Lake; although it is the east side of the Divide, the Culebra (formerly Gaillard) Cut allows the lake to pass through the Divide and link up with Pedro.
Side note: the French plan was to dam the unruly Chagres high up in the mountains; John Stevens figured out that it could create a lake for passage rather than have to dig a whole bunch more canal.
Passing through the Cut was an experience. It is hard to imagine and harder to describe the Herculean effort required to open the passage. I recommend David McCullough's "Path Between the Seas" for a detailed account.
Lastly, we passed the Chagres River where it now empties into Gatun Lake. Our trip concluded at Gamboa where we were bussed back to the marina. A wholly satisfying voyage.Читать далее
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Путешественник Should say transitor
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Путешественник lol. Means tuber
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ПутешественникI can’t imagine how they did the cut back in the day
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Panama and Columbia
More Locks & Lakes
12 февраля, Панама ⋅ 🌙 26 °C
I omitted that the national bird of Panama is the Harpy Eagle, the largest member of the eagle family. It can lift 1/2 it's own weight. 70% of it's diet consists of sloths which it snatches out of the trees.Читать далее
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Panama and Columbia
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Final thoughts on Panama
12 февраля, Панама ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
We’ve just eaten another great dinner in Panama. Shared a plate of oxtail wonton tacos— over the top delicious! — followed y sea bass in a coconut and sea food cream sauce for me and a garlic sauce for Tom. The meals here have been superb.

Panamanians are very proud of their country’s accomplishments and are a bit puzzled by, though not fearful of, Trump’s threat to take back the Panamá Canal. The economy appears to be thriving, based on agricultural exports, growing tourism, and services like banking. The old historical city center is undergoing a renaissance.

There was something of an apartheid system when the US operated the canal. Americans lived and worked in the Canal Zone. Locals did not enter the Zone unless specifically authorized. All of that left with the American handover of the Canal in 1999. Despite the historical discrimination, Panamanians like Americans.

The Chinese have invested significantly in Panama, but the Panamanians have wisely begun to expand their range of investors.

A delightful and satisfying visit.Читать далее
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Путешественник Fabulous food!
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ПутешественникWhat a fascinating travel log, thanks for all the pics and lessons on the canal and history. The bridge is particularly beautiful. I'm ther-olly enjoying your trip!
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ПутешественникThe food looks and sounds amaaaaazing
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Panama and Columbia
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Panama City to Bogota
13 февраля, Колумбия ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Over the last few days, we have seen quite a bit of the Panamanian countryside, the Canal, and Casco Antiguo. Since we arrived at PTY well after dark on Sunday, we missed the much newer city of Panama. We saw it en passant this morning and it looked spectacular. The nation looks prosperous and forward-leaning. They may owe China a bundle for capital improvements but it appears there will be no difficulty paying them back.
We had an uneventful flight to Bogota. On the airport , bfast was a cafe latte (good) and a Panamanian carne empanada (meh - better in Peru). When we got to security, the guard told me "No water in a plastic bottle". I started to toss it in the trash. "No, no, she said, put the water on your metal water bottle". So I did & tossed the plastic. Who knows?
The wx on arrival BOG was splendid. High 60's and sunny. Marvelous.
After check-in, we went to the Centro Historico and saw the Botero Museum (lots of great impressionist et al, plus Botero's works were amusing) and then made a pilgrimage to Simon Bolivar's Quinta (country house). It was like going to St. Peter's.
It started clouding up as we returned to the hotel and a bit cooler but not bad.
A risto "Central Cevicheria" was recco'd by our group leader as close by and excellent. As we went to go out it began raining so we grabbed our umbrellas. Then the skies opened and it poured for almost an hour. It was so loud that it drowned out the music in the risto.
We had crunchy fish tacos and two different fish/shrimp ceviche's both very good. Washed down with a Catalan vino Blanco. Life is bueno.Читать далее
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Путешественник They look like the Dursleys
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Путешественник They win the label art award
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Путешественник Are you going to try to make those after you return?
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Путешественник #jealous
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Panama and Columbia
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Panama to Bogota — a few more photos
13 февраля, Колумбия ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
City is on various steep hills. Fog or low clouds rolled in late afternoon, reminiscent of San Francisco. City is a mix of all the race/ethnic groups in Columbia. We even saw a mosque. Older buildings are Spanish colonial architecture. Newer ones are frequently made of brick, even the high rises, which surprised us. Locals have been very kind when we ask directions. Positive first impressions.Читать далее
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Путешественник Oh no!! Stay off the scooters 😳. I tried one last year and I was scared to death...won't step on one again 😵‍💫
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ПутешественникI still haven’t tried one—too scared!
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Путешественник Gorgeous!
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Panama and Columbia
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Saturday In Bogota
14 февраля, Колумбия ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
First stop today was the Mercado Plaza, the produce market. Lots of variety. They claim that one could eat a different fruit every day for a year without repeating. Also, Columbia has no growing seasons per se, so things grow all year round... like roses for USA.
We had a tasting of a dozen fruits; the only name I recall is guava.
On to the Plaza Major, Bolivar, of course. The layout was the usual: cathedral, judicial bldg, alcalde, and legislature.
We saw the cathedral (ABC). The judicial bldg is newish as the old one was blown up by tanks when M-19 occupied it. The current prez was a member of M-19.
Lunch was at nearby risto, Origens, serving indigenous cuisine. We had sweet corn and potato soup with chicken called Ajiaco (which is Criollo). Quite good.
After lunch we went to the Gold Museum the Botero Museum (again). The Gold Museo got its start as the private collection of bank executives and over time became a gift to the national patrimony.
Before the Spanish looters came, the Muisca tribe venerated gold as a gift the gods found pleasing. So they would craft an object and toss it in a deep, essentially bottomless lake. The Spanish got wind of this and removed a bunch but much more remained. Most left Columbia but some gold was used to entice the natives to go to church where gold was liberally used objects like the monstrance or on gold leaf on the reredos. The shininess was like the sun god.
Next, our plan was to take the teleferico up to Montserrate in time for sunset but we ran late. What we did see was a beautiful panorama of the city at night. We took some time to see the shrine and then stayed up at the St Isadore risto for our "Welcome" dinner.Читать далее
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Путешественник Wow! Never expected to see something across the pond!
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Путешественник Whaaaaa? Pretty sure that only Jesus could make that walk...
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ПутешественникYou can take the tunnel.
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ПутешественникHmmm, I double checked with AI and there's definitely no tunnel 🤨
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Panama and Columbia
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Bogota City
14 февраля, Колумбия ⋅ 🌩️ 13 °C
Got back too late tonight to write. We'll catch up tomorrow.
T+M
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Путешественник What a view!
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ПутешественникBogota is a city of 10,000,000 and the spread below the mountains really is spectacular as was the funicular ride to get to the top.
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Panama and Columbia
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Salt Mine and charming Zipaquira
15 февраля, Бразилия ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
I found the town far more delightful than Tom did. Was built on the usual central plaza with a cathedral on one side and city hall on the other. The old buildings were 2 stories with balconies on the 2nd story. I think it’s the sort of town where they all know each other. We watched a funeral procession coming out of the cathedral and I think the whole town was there.

We’re off to the coffee plantations tomorrow. Coffee here is excellent.Читать далее
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Путешественник This is such a unique chapel, in a salt mine. You don't see that everyday! Amazing. I imagine just going to work in the mines is an act of faith.
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Путешественник The alternating stone and brick is a unique style
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Путешественник I went to the salt mines near Krakow and there were pretty chapels, I’d never seen anything like it! Very pretty !
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Panama and Columbia
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Zipaquira & Salt Cathedral
15 февраля, Колумбия ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
An hour outside of Bogota is an ancient salt dome the indigenous and successors have been mining for centuries. It is estimated that there is enough salt to last for two more centuries.
About 70 years ago, the miners started bringing a statue of the Virgin with them as they mined. Eventually, they decided to build a chapel for the same. Regrettably, water intrusion caused the chapel to close. About 25 years ago the miners dug out a new set of tunnels and built a chapel in one of them. There is a lot more to the story but it's a bit in the weeds.
We had been warned to dress warmly but it was quite warm below decks.
Next stop was lunch and a walkabout in the town of Zipaquira. A nice place but not that much is reportable.
Tomorrow we fly to Pereira and the coffee region. I'm hoping to see Juan Valdez.Читать далее
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Путешественник Looks like a coral reef!
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Путешественник Viva Gran Colombia!
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Путешественник Hopefully no one has to kneel on that very long, between the cold and the hard surface…
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ПутешественникThere were locals who knelt but didn’t appeal to me
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Panama and Columbia
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Salento & the Coffee Region
16 февраля, Колумбия ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
After an early start we flew from BOG to PEI, then bus to Montenegro and jeep to the Jesus Martin coffee finca ("Our coffee is in the mouths of the whole world).
After a typical big lunch with coffee, we got Part One of the grand tour and lecture.
We then drove to the nearby town of Salento where Part Two will continue tomorrow.
As you would expect, this area is quite rural and a big change from Bogota (except for the rain or ever present threat of rain.
Supper was at a local risto a block away. It appears to be a version of chicken salad with area ingredients and it was really good. Afterwards we executed a paseo in the town. For 9;30 on a school night, the place was jumping. We passed one bar/pool hall where they were playing carrilera music which is a cross between Mexican corrida's and country & western.Читать далее
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Путешественник Were they good? They look like the consistency of shortbread
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Путешественник 😮 I had no idea
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Путешественник Clever!
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Panama and Columbia
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Coffee and Salento
17 февраля, Колумбия ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
We flew from Bogota to Pereira and rode the bus into the coffee region. I previously thought that coffee was Columbia’s primary export but coffee turns out to be .#6. Petroleum is #1, followed by coal, gold, bananas, and gems. If our tour guide and the local expert are any example, Colombians drink coffee through out the day. A coffee farm is called a hacienda.

The hacienda feed the workers 3 meals a day and charges them a fee for each meal. Our lunch was a hearty worker’s meal and very good.

Today’s hike in a preserve showcased beautiful tropical flowers and some exotic birds. Lunch was the local specialty of trout with a garlic sauce for me and trout with a cheese and shrimp sauce for Tom. We dine very well here. Glad we hike to balance out our intake!Читать далее
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Путешественник 😂 wish granted!
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Путешественник They look like espadrilles
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Путешественник 😂
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Cocora Valley & Coffee Roasting
17 февраля, Колумбия ⋅ 🌧 17 °C
After bfast on the hotel's upper floor, our local guide (Omar) gave us a deeply personal and very informative hour on the turbulent history of Columbia and the Quindio coffee region.
To condense an hour into a few lines: FARC and other groups started out as exported revolution from Cuba in the early 1960s. For a decade they helped the farmers improve quality of life. Then FARC needed $$, do they resorted to extortion & kidnapping (1976-89). Then was the period of warfare between FARC (in the mountains) & the paramilitaries (in the towns). FARC evolved from guerillas to narco-terrorists and continued that way until the "Peace" in 2016. The strife continues on other regions (Venezuela border) but is over here but not forgotten.
Omar's father refused to pay up and they had to abandon their farm & move to the city. Omar's wife's family also refused to pay up but they stayed on. Her father & two brothers were disappeared. Very sad and moving.
Post lecture we went to the Cocora Valley which is up in the hills. Until the Peace of 2016 it was off limits because it was close to the narco trails. Now it is a beautiful park. We had a hike at 10,000 feet and some show and tell. There were lots & lots of domestic tourists there as well.
Down to a town for a delicious trout lunch (and the start of today's rain). Followed by a symbolic tree planting (due to rain).
The afternoon was Part 2 of the coffee saga
Today: Roasting & Tasting.
Among other things we learned that medium roast has the most flavor and that espresso method has the least caffeine. Often, dark roasts are used to mask inferior bean quality. We'll do some taste tests after we get back.
Two quotes from today: "Good coffee needs no sugar; bad coffee doesn't deserve it." And,
"The wx in this part of the Andes is so unpredictable that we trust the politicians more than the wx."
Ps. 3 Stages of Roasting: Evaporation (removed excess moisture), Caramelization (you know what this is) and Popcorn (the beans start popping in the roaster -- you can hear them!)Читать далее
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Путешественник For more info on Columbian history, see David Bushnell, The Making of Modern Colombia: A Nation in Spite of Itself
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Путешественник I looove canelazos—it gets you if you’re not careful!
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Путешественник How were the arepas?
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ПутешественникNot as flavorful as the ones we had in Panama
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Panama and Columbia
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Salento to Manizales
18 февраля, Колумбия ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
We bid farewell to Salento and motored to the Finca Romelia which is in the District of Manizales but a long way from downtown. Enroute we passed the Nevado del Ruiz Volcano which in 1985 killed 23,000 in the town of Armero (this is a story of a needless tragedy) and the former estate of Carlos Lehder (Pablo Escobar's partner).
The Finca has a huge collection of orchids and was an amazing experience. Orchids are bromeliads and most were growing off a slab of wood. The tour and lunch took up a good chunk of the day.
From there to Manizales which is perched on a mountain top and is the center (and capital) of Columbia's coffee triangle. We took a windshield tour of the burg and given the this was Ash Wednesday, the natives we're out on force. The going was slow (today is also the start of Ramadan but I don't think that had much impact here).
Tomorrow we continue on to Medellin.Читать далее
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Путешественник What a fabulous flower!
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Путешественник All the photos were great! Flowers so pretty, loved the humming bird. So fun!
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Путешественник Yay evs!
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