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Published: March 17th 2006
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Colors to die for
I would settle for just one of these bushes in my backyard but this scene was repeated thousands of times in Boquete This has to be one of the most colorful places on earth. Every bush and every tree seems to be covered with blossoms of riotous colors. No staid whites and pale pinks here. Oh no. It's orange and purple and fuschia and gold and red and all the colors in between that I never learned the names of. I walked from Hotel Rebequet at 7 AM to a little neighborhood cafe that Luigi had pointed out last night. There I had french toast and coffee while I watched all kinds of little birds flit in and out of the shrubbery. Blue tanagers were the only one I remember but there were lots of others. (I remind you again, I am not a good bird watcher.)
Two delightful ladies from Panama City wearing gorgeous hats allowed me to join them at their table. We were soon joined by a young gal who had been sitting alone at another table. She was a masseuse who had spent years in Boco del Toro, where I am going tomorrow. Good conversation good coffee and great food makes a pleasant start to any day.
In retrospect, I should have made an appointment for a massage that
Coffee shop birds
See the blue tanager on the rocks? afternoon. As it turned out, I would have had the time but by then I realized I didn't know where her office was!! A truly missed opportunity.
This morning Nadette had opted to sleep in and do some school homework. Chris and Kate were picked up before 7 to go up into the cloud forest to do some birding. The Seattle couple and I were going on a coffee plantation tour.
Promptly at 9AM our guide Hans showed up to drive us to the Kelowa plantation and mill. He is a Dutchman with a great sense of humor. His website is www.coffeeadventures.net in case you ever go that way. No way can I cover everything I learned on that tour but he was right--it made me into a true coffee snob. He started right with the genetics of the coffee trees/shrubs and ended with a cupping session after two hours. I now know why robusta coffee has more caffeine than the arabica--it's a bug repellent necessary for lowland coffees. And why it's called shade grown even though there aren't trees right there-- the clouds supply the shade. French roast??-- half full beans that burn quickly. Restaurant blend?-- Green beans mixed
Outside my door
I was just kind of playing with my camera on this one but I really fell in love with this shot. in.
It was a very intense tour with every step of the processing explained in great detail. This was the second thing I had really wanted to see on this trip--besides the Canal-- and was well worth the effort.
Kotowa estate is now owned and operated by Ricardo Koyner MacIntyre, a third generation offspring of the original MacIntyre from Canada. Ricardo's grandfather had put the cloud forest in a perpetuity trust so no more trees could be cut down for coffee growing. Smart man. He could see the dangers even then. Ricardo does have a sawmill right next to the coffee mill where he harvests the dead and non- native trees. Hans said he has built a beautiful personal home with trees from his own land. We also saw the houses supplied to the workers and their families. They have their own school and a doctor comes in once a week. Most of the workers are Bugle Indians since their land is right over the hill.
The original mill is still standing right next to the modern one. Apparently there were lots of unemployed engineers available in 1918 because they were out of work when the canal was finished in
The main man
This guy is the brains in the roasting room at Kotowa 1914.
The rest of the group went on a Canopy Tour at 1 Pm. 13 zip lines up to 300 feet off the ground. Chris did not go since he doesn't appreciate heights. I opted out because I thought I could get some rest. My right knee was swollen and hurting badly but I did walk around town. Found the post office to mail the 3 post cards back to the coffeeshop in Thermopolis. It really is strange to realize there is very little postal service. One gal was reading a book at her desk in the post office. No one around. Stamps for the post cards were 25 cents each. She said it would take about two weeks for the cards to get to the states. There were quite a few post office boxes but Luigi says most folks just get stuff general delivery. You go down when you expect something to come in, I guess.
We were all on our own for supper too. I went back to Java Juice and had the same choices--grilled chicken salad and a batido--this time a peach instead of blackberry. Kate and Chris walked a mile out to the Palo Alto Restaurant
Hans and the roaster
This Hans is one tall Dutchman for a very good very fancy meal. That would have been nice but I no longer could stand to walk that far. Too bad I had set my knee brace back at the last minute when I was packing!!
The wind blowing through the room seemed to be calling my name all night long. Or else Nadette was talking in her sleep. Tomorrow we say goodbye to the mainland and head to Boco del Toro. I realize now I am homesick. I want to be home. But Wyoming is a 1600 mile flight and a 1456 mile drive away.
I have had enough of the tourist life.
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sunny
non-member comment
you are indeed a very speccial one of a kind.
no one I know but Drruth woould be brave enough to do what you do and still be able to enjoy and laugh at yourself about it. take care.