In need of good coffe, Salento here we come

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We crossed the border on the 18th, but we are really fed up with the big cities. All we tend to do is hang around at the mall.
Which isn't why we went traveling.
We're spoiled, I know that..
But there are limits to how many ruins, buildings and museums you can actually see and still find interesting after seeing heaps of them!
So, we stayed only a couple of days in Cali before we decided to head inland to the Zona Cafetera and a place called Salento.
This is a fantastic area with lush green vegetation, and the reason is RAIN.
Yes, it rains a lot there! Or at least it did when we visited. But, if that is what it takes for it to be such a beautiful place - so be it!
We stayed at a coffee plantation called "The plantation house", run and owned by an enthusiastic Englishman.
He also gives an English speaking tour around his own plantation every Friday and Sunday at 2p.m.
So, what can you do in Salento?
I would recommend going there in the weekend, this because tons of people from Armenia travels into this little artsy coffee village.
It doesn't matter if there are many people in the streets, it just livens up the scene a bit.
This because they bring out stalls with food and drink, and all the different kind of artsy stuff they make.
The town itself is really well taken care of.
Something we are not used to see - eg. houses with intact paint on and clean streets.
During our stay we hiked through "Valle de Cocora" a beautiful valley with stunning views, really really fresh air, and loads of mud!
Here you will also find the Quindío wax palm, which is Colombia's national three that can reach the stunning hight of 60m.
Besides this, there's a path up to "hummingbird valley". It's actually a little house where some locals has set up bird feeders with sugar water.
They also take charged (very little) and you get served a cup of warm sugar-water and a piece of cheese that sounds like rubber when you chew it.. called "Aguapanela con queso".
You get a choice, either this, coffee or chocolate. I would recommend one of the other two!
We spent around 4 hours hiking around the valley. And as I mentioned earlier it was really muddy..
And, in a valley it can get very steep. You do the math, yeah I fell.
We hiked up to the "Mirador" at 2900m, but unfortunately the unstable weather had provided clouds that blocked the view.
Otherwise I bet it would've been absolutely fantastic!
There's jeeps driving shuttle traffic between the town and the valley, and they don't take off before they're absolutely filled up.. and then some..
We were lucky to get in early, cause at a time we counted 6 people hanging on at the back of the car.
And since it was a Saturday, a lot of the people were already half way down their flask.
Good times though!
We spent three days filled with relaxation, A LOT of good (finally) decent coffee in Salento and would like to recommend this place to everyone.

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