Colombian coffee, kindergartens and cities

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After an early start after a BBQ, rum, card games, Mafiosa (I'll introduce this awesome game when I get home) card tricks, some mischief with some plastic spiders and mice and waking up in a hammock, we left Guatape, for a days drive to a the town of Menizales and the coffee plantation. Jeeps met us on the side of the road to take us to the hacienda and the swimming pool and the stylish but comfortable accommodation made the long journey worthwhile. A traditional live band had been booked for some entertainment after the BBQ and I guess you could call my attempt at Colombian salsa dancing entertaining! The next morning we visited a local kindergarten that is charity funded and supported by Dragoman, as a result of their policy of responsible tourism. It was pretty sobering despite the beaming smiles that welcomed us and the positivity that rebounded around the school. All 120 pre-school children came from troubled homes where their parents may have been criminals, prostitutes or drug dealers and often food and basic care were in short supply beyond the school gates. One class drew us all a picture and sang a song they had learnt in English and all being well, it will still be in my back pack when I return in February. However, in return, their fascination with our digital cameras, produced some interesting and artistic angles...of windows, elbows and nostrils...and beautiful faces. Ironically, we endured a bizarre city tour which began with lunch in an American, plastic style shopping mall and ended with coffee in a chain shop, with a church, fruit market and a view point in between. Oh and the guide LOVES Menizales, which I think we finally worked out after the tenth time of being told! Our final day at the coffee plantation was all about the coffee. As the only non coffee drinker on the tour, I promised myself that I wouldn't leave Colombia without at least trying real Colombian coffee. I did and I won't be trying it again! The tour of the plantation and an explanation of the coffee making process was worth it though, especially when we finished the tour at the owners house that was truly a perfect holiday retreat - old fashioned, colonial elegance mixed with modern comfort and style. For a few spare hundred dollars a night, I could have rented a room for the night...next time I'm in Colombia, perhaps? The final few days in Colombia consisted of a succession of uneventful towns, with the exception of Cali - the salsa capital of the world. Unfortunately we were there on a Sunday and Monday so the atmosphere was dead. The solution = hire a party bus for the night, bring your own alcohol, dance for almost two to three hours, have a foam fight and search in vain for a donner kebab. The towns of Popayan, Impales, Otovalo were only memorable for numerous 'pound' shops selling more plastic junk than you've ever seen before, a stunning church built into a cliff (Impales) and some early morning walking to a waterfall (Otovalo). And finally we arrived in Quitto to meet some new truck mates and say goodbye to those ending their trip with Dragoman. Apologies for the long wait for this second blog...the next one has been written and will be posted in a couple of days!! I have also found out that I don't have the right software to download the photos but I will work on this over the next few days and hopefully rectify this ASAP. Lots and lots od love Xxx

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